When I make a quilt for myself or just to "make a quilt" with no one in mind, just to the process, I tend to do traditional design. For "quick" lap quilts, gifts, I tend to go the easier more modern designs.....just mix and match whatever I grab, cut it any old way and piece it!!!! and most of the time it comes out "cute"......I am amazed at the "art" quilts...altho I have a hard time calling that art form a "quilt"....in my mind quilts are to cover ones self with. I iike doing tablerunners in both "modern" and traditional depending on who/what reason I am making it. Altho I must say some of the offerings in the mags lately are so "modern" the fabrics seem to be a hodge podge of a fabric line....just to advertise the line....who cares about the quilt......JMHO