I mimic. I may change the fabric some but I have a hard time visualizing it.

I guess I visualize. I haven't ever done a quilt exactly by the instructions, and never in the colors shown (and most of the time I do not use a pattern for the whole quilt, but just take a block pattern and I make up the arrangement)

I am working on a quilt now that is entirely original - I drafted a new block and am making up the arrangement. I'm really excited about how it is turning out.
I have a lot more original ideas than will ever get made into quilts, however. And lots of times they don't turn out quite as good as I expect them to.

I totally mimic. I see a quilt that I think is beautiful and I say to myself, I want to recreate that, or I say, I can do that too! A pattern can be great, but if its not done in "my colors" then I don't want to do it. Oftentimes quilt books are done with black and white drawings and I "just can't see" the quilt. However after just having said that, I bought an alphabet panel and I designed my own idea for how it will go together.

I tend to mimic...at least for the first one, but I do tend to work it up in my own colors. I agonize over them a lot, but with help from DH and the ladies at the LQS's I do ok.
I do tend to adjust the borders, make it larger and on purses add trim, a velcro fastener, pockets or lengthen the handles.

I tend to tweak, whatever, change block size, color combos, add stuff, if stuck, will put to the side, toss the color combos around in my head, for a better look, or try a new lay out. Have planned on paper the look and swatch the pattern, for layout. little bitty pieces & tape.

Me too!! I don't think I have ever sewn a pattern as written! And I always change it to be more difficult....what's wrong with me??!! I love the challange...how can I make it more "me".

I am definitely a visualiser....not that the vision always turns out as expected! I feel almost guilty if I try and mimic...like I am creating based on someone else's ideas and hard work. I realise this is fairly ridiculous and maybe I need to change this mindset, but that is how it is for me.

Well, because I am a new quilter, I have to rely on seeing photos and patterns for blocks as I don't have the experience to draw from to be able to visualize an entire quilt.
Having said that, I never copy anything exactly. Always want to pick the colors and design that says ME. So even if I am following a pattern for a guide, I will almost always make changes.
I am about to try my hand at creating an original wall hanging around a panel. But even with that, I will be using square designs that are someone else's. How I make them and put them together tho, will be all me!!!

I rarely do anything in the fabrics that a pattern has suggested. I want to make it look like ME, not someone else. Have a friend that can pick my quilts out every time. When we have a challenge or some such, even a BOM, she will look at the ones done and pick it every time, says I have a weird sense of using color. Not sure if that is an insult or a compliment tho. grin

i spend a fair amount of time ' deconstructing' patterns I see , sometimes I end up buying the magazine, pattern, or book I see the quilt in, sometimes I'll just wing it. It helps that I'm not too picky about 'square',pointy points, or it it lays flat..... LOL