Pennyhal

Not always. Just when I "feel" like it needs something more.

nanacc

I tell my DH that "one day, I'm going to make something by a pattern, with just the right amount of fabric, etc". I have come close! LOL Usually, if I do want to make a certain pattern, I just dig in my stash and try to find right amount of yardage. Sometimes I will go shopping for maybe one of the fabrics.

BETTY62

I pretty much stay in the comfort zone since I'm not a real creative person, however, I do try to add a small personal touch here and there.

Boston1954

My sister alters everything that she sees. I designed a quilt that I call "Pipe Dream" and added little "leaks" in the pipes here and there. It was fun. Thinking about doing another one.

Snooze2978

I guess you can say I usually go outside the box. I'll find a pattern I like and then make it my own whether in the fabrics I choose, the layout and then in the quilting of it. Don't we all pretty much put our own personal touch in the quilt we make?

Cybrarian

I'm in the outside of the box group- I want what I make to be unique-I don't purchase kits because I've never found one that I could agree with the fabric choices- so I lit up my own projects!

DOTTYMO

I never like repeating patterns and never follow the pattern exactly. Surely that is what a creative craft is for individuality.
I do things my way not to the rules of the quilt police. I followed rules all my working life , now I am free to fly like a bird and enjoy my quilting.

Kris P

I'm a born rule follower, people pleaser and little OCD, so I get really uncomfortable when I stray too far from a pattern. i might add an inner border or and extra border, or possibly change a block in some way, but generally, quilting is more soothing for me if I'm not trying to change a pattern in big ways. That being said, I hate kits. I want my quilts to be my choice of fabrics, even if when I'm done I wish I had changed out a fabric or two.

Sharonquilts

I've only been quilting for about 1 1/2 years so I don't have a vast range of experience as some on this Board. In that time, I've only purchase 1 pattern (Bargello) that I am following ... although I guess I'm "out of the box" on this as well if enlarging the pattern from a wall hanging to a lap quilt/throw size counts.

All my other quilts have been my own designs and it's not uncommon for me to start with one idea in mind but alter that idea/design during the piecing. I guess you could say I've only been "in the box" once so far. LOL

quilterpurpledog

I have only purchased one quilt kit and followed it almost exactly. I had several people remark that they had seen that quilt hanging in the local quilt store. Since the I rarely complete a pattern exactly as shown but never use the same fabrics or colors. That seems to be my jumping off point. I now add other things and embellishments-just having fun with my quilting.