Lucky Linda, love your avatar picture.......adorable.

I love the variety of quilters and quilts. i think more peopple could create patterns if they would allow themselves the freedom to experiment, but it is your, and their choice. I would not try to dictate another's quilting vision.

Mostly I don't use a pattern. If I do, it is for something complicated, like the king size Storm at Sea I made last fall. Sometimes I print out a block pattern I found on-line and design my own overall quilt layout from those blocks. What I love best though is getting out the graph paper and colored pencils and CREATING!!! my own thing. Sticking with a pattern is usually too boring, however I do like Thimbleberries for more detailed designs...

I've done both. I have used patterns for paper and foundation piecing. Also, I have used patterns for applique. However, I also will take a pattern that is too small for my needs and reblock it for a larger quilt. I have also taken blocks that are orphaned and used them for scrap block quilts without a pattern. I am also currently working on a picture of a quilt I saw on the Clotilde website that seems to be simple enough to make from the picture without the pattern. I think patterns are good for inspiration but I usually do my own thing with it unless it is too complicated for me to figure out with basic math skills. Also, my landscape quilt didn't have a pattern. I made it from a memory.

I usually start with a pattern but seems like I stray off somewhere along the line!!

I have many patterns and use them a lot. I also see pictures of quilts I like and if they are simple I can figure them out without a pattern. Sometimes it's worth it to buy the pattern though so you know exactly how much fabric you need (unless you're a math genius).

I am not imaginative nor all that skilled in quilting so yes, I use and follow a pattern faithfully. Tried copying and "ack!" what a disaster!

I design and use patterns. I go through a lot of graph paper.... I am so impressed by those of you that can just imagine it and then make it. I must rely on the graph paper to help me. Currently our quilting group is making a civil war quilt and many of us are having a hard time with the directions so we just do it our own way. Sometimes pattern directions make it harder than it needs to be.

I only bought one pattern, and I have never used it. Mostly I make scrap quilts and I can just look at quilts and see how they are made. I have gobs of quilting magazines that I have bought at garage sales and I use the patterns and templates from them.

Yes I do use patterns. I collect them from my magazine subscriptions. I have a notebook with 50 or 60 I would like to make!! :thumbup: