You're right, the quilting patterns add so much to a pieced top.
Several years ago I had the good fortune to buy a box at a garage sale of 5 quilt tops. They were very mundane type tops but I do alot of charity quilts so thought I could use them. When my SIL go her long arm I gave them to her to practice on. Two of them I will not part with!! They ended up so pretty! 3 I will give away to someone who needs them. So you just never know how something will turn out. :-D