sewbizgirl

Right now I'm doing kind of the opposite-- I found some wide printed borders I loved for a kid's quilt, so I had to come up with blocks to comprise the center, so I could border them with the pretty printed borders. Isn't it interesting how the focus could be the center, or maybe the perimeter?

Flying_V_Goddess

I find too many patterns for quilts are a lot of the same thing, but made with fabrics from a different line and given a different name. I like coming up with my own ideas anyways and not use a pattern. If I ever did use a pattern I doubt I'd follow it to a T.

sewbizgirl

Who are you asking?

sewbizgirl

And not to mention the COST... I just chuckle when I'm in a shop and see a pattern for a very traditional, simple design for just some basic squares and rectangles, and the price tag is like $8 or $12.

LindaR

I never follow a pattern 100% of the time even applique, I had a quilting teach at a class tell me, don't do "cookiecutter" quilts, do your own thing...if you do their pattern your doing their quilt not yours. Sometimes the older patterns are just ingrained in our thinking and we can change them to fit what we want to do.

Bergereink

I use patterns frequently. I find it enjoyable. I will sometimes alter the sashing or borders or the number of colors needed to accomodate my stash. I don't like to have to fiddle too much with the blocks as to size.
With traditional blocks or very simple things I will draft my own patterns.

charhend

Yes, we have two quilt shops here in Granbury. One is The Houston Street Mercantile on Houston Street. This one has a large inventory of fabrics. The other is called Sew Krazy and is on Pearl Street. Much, much smaller.

EagarBeez

I am with you, I don't buy a pattern, but, design what I want and DH draws it and prints it for me on the computer

mshawii

It is usually the picture of the quilt that inspires me. I do like to have cutting instructions especially those that include all the sizes because most in books and magazines are throws or wallhanging sizes now and I don't make them often. So then I have to figure out what I need to buy or have for the size I want. I am not good at that part so I just buy extra of everything listed to make sure I have enough.
I am not fond of the big square quilts either. What do you do with them? They don't work on a bed and too big for a wallhanging! Jan

Arleners

I very rarely use a pattern. Most times I can figure out a quilt just by looking. I do have a software program called Quilt Pro and I enter blocks and quilts I see around. The only time I will buy a pattern is if there is a new technique involved that I haven't learned yet.