If it makes you happy to use patters, do it. I don't trust my math skills to try and come up with patterns on my own so I stick to patterns that have been figures out for me. AND Bonus - they have the yardage figured out already as well. I use quilting as down time. I don't want to think to much. I just want to cut and sew. I'm more than happy to let someone else do the thinking and figure out the patterns for me.