I recently purchased fabric (black & white, and purples) for a quilt that I want to make for my younger sister. The only problem is that I am having a hard time coming up with the perfect block(s) to use. :(

So my questions to you are:
1. How do you find the perfect block for that special person??
2. Have you ever had this problem?
3. Am I being too picky? LOL

1. I don't know.
2. Yes!
3. Not at all!! We want that special something for that special someone!!
Lol :D:D

I think that most of the time the fabric chooses the design for me. If you have enough of the fabric make a sample block of a pattern you like and see if the fabric works for you in the pattern or block.

I don't feel that you are being to picky we spend a lot of time and money on our quilts,so we want them to really fit the person who receives them. Good luck!!!! And Enjoy!!!!

I know what you mean. I have had trouble like that before and you are not too picky. I struggle a lot and worry that others will not like what I pick out. But then there are times when a pattern just speaks to you and you know it is right for a certain person, then you have to struggle to find the right fabric. Wouldn't is be great to just have both happen at the same time and everything just fall into place.
Sometimes you just have to look through a lot of books and patterns before inspiration strikes.

ALL the time! LOL

Sometimes though I flip flop between which block the fabrics would look better in ... but I really prefer patterns that I can do from strata, so am often looking for new ways to use strips.

I do like Electric Quilt's ability to scan in fabrics (or using images from the manufacturer) and put the actual fabric in the design I'm working on.

And also why I always do test blocks before I do a whole bunch of cutting, to be sure I like the way it's going together.

I'm happy to know that I'm not the only person with this problem..LOL! :D

That's the hardest part. The fabric I chose for my second daughter said to me that I should not cut the charms any smaller, so choosing a pattern was not easy. I'm hoping the D9P I've started is the right one.
Purple, black and white sounds like a great combination. Let the fabric speak to you.

So, what I do sometimes when the fabric hasn't picked my pattern, I sit down with my fabric choices and flip through my collection of ideas, if nothing jumps out then I start looking at my paper piece blocks and when you look through picture how your fabrics would look. Often a combination of blocks works great. Good luck and have fun!

How about a sampler quilt.

Funny you should ask that question. I have made my 2 eldest girls their 21st quilts and now my youngest is 19 and i am trying to think of one for her. I have already been through 4 designs which i though would be great for her, but one day whilst surfing this site i DID FIND THE PERFECT quilt. I have send away for the material and the book. She is going to love it. I am very relieved indeed i can tell you that. Taken me a year to find it.

I wish you good luck and it does not take you a year. You must also do something that you want to make i feel. That way, you will enjoy doing the quilt and it will not be a burden!!! :?

I think you should pick a really simple pattern (D9P, Turning Twenty, Yellow Brick Road) or something similar. Your colour choices will be striking enough without adding a complicated pattern. Too often lately, I've seen busy, interesting or beautiful fabric completely wasted because it has been cut into many pieces and the design has just been lost. You don't want an overall feeling of the design being muddled so let those fabrics do the talking.

Sometimes I'll flip through books & look at the names of different blocks/quilts. Often there is one that will relate to/describe the person.

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I completely agree with you. I have seen many D9P quilts and I have fallen in love with these. I'm thinking this block would work great with my fabric.

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. As a beginner quilter, I have found it hard to make decisions on the type of block(s) that would go great with the fabrics I choose.

Look at the pattern for the Warm Wishes Quilt