...do the rest of you have quilting pop into your mind while watching/doing something totally unrelated?

I was watching the NOVA series on PBS this week and they had an updated report on Fractals, along with some history. It was a fascinating program (as usual). Now I've known about fractals for decades, but all of a sudden I wondered if I could somehow make a quilt with fractal patterns? Somehow I can't get my mind around that one....

Anyone heard of a fractal quilt pattern?

Yeah!! It's not just me!! I day dream about quilts!!

No, not just you thinking of what could make a pretty quilt. Just this morning I was looking at my MIL's old clock and thinking what a lovely quilt could be made with all sorts of old clocks (I have a collection of strange ones) and then looking for shoes I remembered seeing patterns for different shoes for applique, Victorian shoe beauties too, then shoved aside a summer hat and thought of what a lovely quilt could be made with all the different styles of hats since Victorian days, then when I went to get my coat I wondered if I could make a lot of different styles of coats over the years and...and...and...

I'm so obsessed I cant stop thinking about them even when I'm sleeping. Do you think they have a looney bin just for quilters? I see quilts everywhere!!! They are haunting me!!

Sounds familiar, you look at people's clothing and think, that would make a nice quilt or a nice pattern.
:-P

If you Google Fractal Quilts you will be amazed at what you see.

The easiest way is to visit your local bookstore (Barnes & Nobles and such) and look in the crafts section for books on fractals. Often you can find dvds with examples as well that do not infringe on copyrights. Then its time to craft! Cant wait to see what you find.

Watching the news the other night all I could think of was "hey, I could use that purple print necktie in my quilt"--the colors were perfect. What was the news story? Who knows LOL!!

Bing "free quilt pattern farctal" - there are many. I first binged "fractal images" & there's enough inspiration for all of us.

Yes, there are patterns based on fractals. The first to pop into my mind is double nine patch (where the center square of a nine patch is a smaller nine patch), then snail's trail (aka monkey wrench).

My son makes the most awsum fractals. He has one I waant to make a quilt from. I will post when I can find it
Nanc

Yeah, last night I had trouble getting to sleep and realized I still don't have a gift for my DDIL. I made her some stuff for her birthday in early Dec. But anyway, I was trying to think of what I could do without making another trip to LQS when I remembered that she wanted something made out of the silk taffeta left from her wedding gown. Now I have been collecting pieces of silk shantung for several years when all of a sudden it hit me! I could make an awesome twister quilt from the silk pieces with the ivory silk taffeta for the border. Think I can get it done by Christmas?!?!?! Hmmmmm......

Yes. Sometimes I take pictures of tile floors that I think would make into a nice quilt. Never have done it, but enjoy it anyway.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. The other night I had a dream about making miles of binding, DH thought I was nuts!

DH has gotten used to me taking pictures of anything that strikes me as a possible piecing, applique or quilting design anywhere we are. He just grins and bears it!! Thank goodness for digital cameras now-days!!

Here's a book with several fractured patterns.... not sure if it's the same as fractals.

http://www.charmpacksplus.com/fabulo...esslinger.html

I have saved many fractal images for references to a "some day" quilt :D:D:D

When I do my daughter's laundry, I have to restrain myself from cutting up he cotton t-shirts for a quilt. Every time I go to the washroom, I'm reminded that my bathroom tile would make a really great quilt block.

Ok, because I live in a cave (lol) I need to ask...."What is a fractal???"

I am so relieved to read all of these posts. I was on a boat on the lake recently & in the wake of the boat, all I could see was a beaut. Bargello pattern. I even took a pix.
Recently while having a long MRI done for my back, I got through it by designing a quilt in my mind.
So happy I'm not alone in this.

I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and still thing about quilting. Sometimes when a person talks to me with a long story, my mind is on quilts.
I could think of quilts at a wedding and funeral! So bad but I am obsessed.
Nancy

OK. I might be dumb, but what is Fractals.

close your eyes and rub them gently for a few minutes and you will see fractals! While they are closed. It goes away when you open them.

If you google "fractal galleries" you will find lots of beautiful photos to base quilts on. It's on my "someday" list.

Always. Trees, sunlight, clouds, floors, photos. lol Just about anything, anytime, anywhere.

Check this book out:

http://www.amazon.com/Geometrical-Qu.../dp/189961883X

In addition to being a quilt book, it's beautiful!

rusty

I think about new projects all the time. Several times I must have been really concentrating because my husband looked at me and said, "What's wrong?" The first time I actually told him about the quilt I was designing in my head. He said, " Oh, a quilt. I thought something was really wrong from the look on your face." Now when he ask, I say, "Do you REALLY want to know?" lol :)

I think it's a mathmatical concept. Personally, calculating yardage and HST is enough arithmetic for me!

If there is a looney bin out there for quilters, I hope it's stocked with fabric.

Quilter 68, when I first read your post I thought it was a joke. After I found out what fractals were I understood. Boy, the things you can learn on here is unbelievable.

A good site is roserushbrooke.com. Also, if you google, you will finds many sites

It doesn't bother me to come up with quilting ideas anytime anywhere. It's usually very pleasant! I decided I need to take drawing paper with me to sketch my ideas when I go on a trip next time! Save those ideas! :-)

hey--this IS the looney bin for quilters! and we love it here...

Thank You, I was afraid I was going nuts, my bathroom tile has a really cool pattern for a quilt . Wouldn't admit that to any one but you guys here, we in all in the same boat here

Yes I also design quilts in my dreams.Plus when I see someone wearing clothing with a really great pattern ----have to restrain myself from going in with sissors !! Love to all on the forum, hope your Christmas is truly Blessed

ME TOO !

Okay, clue me in. I've never heard of a fractal pattern.

Some links and an explanation. I going back to look at the pretty pictures.

http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/fractals.htm

http://www.icd.com/tsd/fractals/fractals.htm

A fractal is "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is a reduced-size copy of the whole

http://fractalfoundation.org/images/

There are some pretty neat ones here too.
I am saving and going back when I have more time.

It's all of us. I stayed at a hotel the other night and every time I walked don the hall, I would think about how to make a quilt like the pattern in the carpet. You're normal.