i start off with a pattern then change it to what fits best for me.

Patterns can inspire me but I mostly end up tweaking it. I buy books for techinques more then patterns and seldom buy a single pattern. Working on my own pattern is one of the greatest joys in quilting for me.

I guess it depends on whether I'm going traditional or artsy. The more traditional the quilt, the more I'm apt to use a pattern and the more artsy, the more it's my design.

I like to play in EQ and work from that. Even if I have a pattern, I tend to re-draft it and change the colours around before I cut anything.

And the fabric requirements in EQ will definitely not leave you short!!

I have boxes of patterns that aren't even opened, 3 shelves of books, that I look at for techniques, and more magazines than I'll ever know what to do with. I love to look at the pictures, they give me inspiration (or pass the time when I'm procrastinating doing the bindings). So, do I use patterns? Not unless it is a specific layout or pattern that I want. Otherwise I just use one or two blocks, and create from there.

Exactly! I make one block their way, then it takes on a life of its own. If I run out of one color, I use another & switch blocks around until I like the layout and size. Sometimes I start with patterns for a wall quilt & make an extra long lap Quilt so when we lay down our whole body is covered.

Your suppose to use a pattern? All kidding aside, I usually start with a pattern but change it along the way.

I tend not to use patterns. I will look thru magazines then tweek what I see. I can usually look at the design and figure out what I want to do without reading the directions (everybody knows directions are boring lol). I have a friend I quilt with at work on lunch and she is a newbie who always trys to follow patterns, and so many times the directions aren't right, the dimensions on the pictures are wrong (show a rectangle but the printed dimensions are for a square), fabric amounts to buy are way off etc.

When I started, all my K size quilts were traditional & I needed the pattern.Eventually,I stared making a block & wondering if I wanted to make a quilt? Often times, the ans was no & that meant learning to put diff size blocks together.

Then I had a lot of fun making blocks from pics, just to see if I could.It's kind of an evolving process.Have seen a few quilts that I can't figure out. Makes me wish for quilting software.....but that's not gonna happen.Really doing good at not buying the little things, so to buy the bigger wants!

For the most part I use patterns.I'm not a creative person, I need help.