So many great ideas. I'm a visual type person so I need to see what it is going to look like when it is finished. I even have difficulty sometimes reading patterns so I have to really take my time. I love the clear vinyl and dry erase markers idea. I could lay out a top, cover it with the vinyl and draw out a basic pattern and get an idea of what I like and what I don't. An extra step but better safe than sorry. I'm going to keep following for more idea and i'm also going to look for the book mentioned. Thank you for your suggestions.

Get a piece of clear plexiglass and use that with the dry erase markers. I think it would lay flatter and give you a better idea of how the quilting would look.

I took an online class from Carla Barrett. She discusses everything to take into account when quilting, including if the quilt design is masculine or feminine (geometric or curvy), who it's for, whether it will be a utility quilt or a wall hanging, so forth and so on. Then she shows how to take inspiration from everyday things around you and incorporate it into quilting designs. It was a fantastic class, I highly recommend it if you want to take your quilting to the next level. You can see examples of how she designs here:

http://featheredfibers.wordpress.com...-online-class/

My problem with quilting a quilt is that a lot of the designs (suggested with the pattern, or by other quilters) are hard to do or impossible by hand. And since I don't quilt on a machine but by hand, that's a problem. Stitch in the ditch is impossible by hand, and while the featered designs or the ones with all the little waves look great, they are very hard to do by hand - and take ages if I could do them. Simple designs that are a bit more spaced out are what I need - but thinking of those myself is pretty hard sometimes.

Another great book is A Fine Line:
http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Line-Tech...8556044&sr=1-8

I also draw and sketch a LOT. I don't like the clear vinyl technique as much as I like drawing the blocks and laying tracking paper over them to sketch my designs. Mostly because I find it cumbersome and difficult to find a work space to lay out the quilt, then layout the vinyl on top of it. Additionally, I guess I have never found the correct dry-erase or wet erase markers because every single one I have tried has left shadowing of what I previously drew and it distracts me too much. So paper works for me with my quilt blocks drawn to a smaller scale if they are large. Once I get a sketch I like I will refine the design and draw it actual size, if I haven't already.

Oh no, I disagree. I quilt by hand and by machine and I find complex designs much easier to do by hand. IMHO no design is impossible to do by hand. If I can draw it I can quilt it. Look here:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ng-t47093.html

Thanks for the info about the book by Lee Cleland. I've never seen that book and am definitely going to order it. i do longarm quilting for customers and am always looking for ideas. Sounds like a great book.

I've admired your quilting before, and I agree that a more complex design is possible. But when I look at often-advised quilting when people ask for ideas, stitch in the ditch or wavy/squiggly lines done by FMQ are often the suggestions - and those are impossible/very hard to do by hand.

Thank you. I agree an all over meander is not a good choice for a hand quilter. SID, I prefer to echo right next to the ditch. For ideas for handquilting, I think you would benefit from the book The Essential Quilter. It is an indespensible addition to any handquilter's library. http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Quil...8560106&sr=1-1

I use tissue paper to lay it over an area of the quilt to see if this is the way I want to go on quilting it. Once I decide that "layout" works, the rest seems to fall into place.