Thread: What's the weirdest place you've gotten an idea for a quilt?

Have you've gotten ideas for quilts from a strange or unusual source?

Funny you should ask. Just the other day when I was I was sitting on the 'potty' I noticed that my bathroom floor tiles would make a great block pattern. :mrgreen:

The bathroom wallpaper in a Seattle hotel.

The hallway tiles in the school I used to work at

Oh my gosh!! Cissy beat me to it! I don't remember where I was, but it was a public restroom, and the designs in the floor tiles were perfect for quilt designs! LOL

manhole cover

Legos...the pattern in my avatar is from legos.

Originally Posted by nor'easter

Legos...the pattern in my avatar is from legos.

I was about to ask you what that pattern was!
Did you make it up or is it a variation of a pattern that already exists?

Daydreaming while bush hogging on the tractor

The rails in my patio fence!

Stading in line at Walmart..... I was staring at the guy in front of me thinking how his shirt would be beautiful as a quilt. (He was wearing a Hawaiin shirt with Parrots)

Looking at gift wrap.

A close encounter with lightning. It seemed to be moving in both directions at once. I never got it executed to my satisfaction, but I tried. Lots of my quilts have been inspired from nature.

Another one changed in mid-stream to become the "Nun's ghost Quilt". I was living in a converted Catholic school/nunnery and was using a long hallway to pin together and square up the three sections of the quilt top. A fire door next to where I was working opened up, a nun came in and said "Bless you, that is lovely." and went down the hall. I took the pins out of my mouth to reply, turned around in time to see her go THROUGH the unopened door!

So on the quilt, she is wandering around in the sky layers.

While I'm driving my golf greens mower, looking at the blue sky with white fluffy clouds and of course all that green grass. What an inspiration that is. Sun sets and sun rises also get the old creative juices flowing.

Sitting in Ruby Tuesday's Resturant the other day. They have a beautiful assortment of Tiffany lighting overhead. Thought about stained glass patterns.

I was watching a Mel Brooks movie (Young Frankenstein) and noticed the pattern of the window glass, when Gene Wilder was playing darts and one went through the window.

A movie is not a place, I know, but the shape appealed to me. Still have not acted on it yet, though. It requires Y seams.

By the way, that was a fun question. Have any more?
Anne

Originally Posted by Moonpi

A close encounter with lightning. It seemed to be moving in both directions at once. I never got it executed to my satisfaction, but I tried. Lots of my quilts have been inspired from nature.

Another one changed in mid-stream to become the "Nun's ghost Quilt". I was living in a converted Catholic school/nunnery and was using a long hallway to pin together and square up the three sections of the quilt top. A fire door next to where I was working opened up, a nun came in and said "Bless you, that is lovely." and went down the hall. I took the pins out of my mouth to reply, turned around in time to see her go THROUGH the unopened door!

So on the quilt, she is wandering around in the sky layers.

Wow, so you have seen a ghost too huh? So have I, well several actually. But that's another story for another day as my grandma says.

Henry, I grew up in a haunted house, and the ghosties always want to come out and play when I'm around. The house in Apex had a couple, too. Maybe for Halloween we should have a "Ghost Story" chat!

Originally Posted by Moonpi

Henry, I grew up in a haunted house, and the ghosties always want to come out and play when I'm around. The house in Apex had a couple, too. Maybe for Halloween we should have a "Ghost Story" chat!

Cool. :) We should Moon! :thumbup:

hmmmm, the tile pattern on the wall of a fast-food place. Another was the pattern on my boss's tie. Neither one has yet made it past the sketch phase. :wink:

OK you got my attention! Ghosts! I'm addicted to the show A haunting. I've always wanted to see a ghost. Henry we should absolutly have a Halloween chat! :evil:

A soup can !! Loved the colors.. I am color challenged !! It was for sweet potatoes !!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, that is weird !!

Not from the posted rock..just had fun riding by this and clicking a picture of the rock!

Ellen

Sewhappy,
My son swears he has seen one.. His college house always had an odd feeling , don't know if the siting is from there, or his newly purchased house. Poor 27 year old newly married kid ! His 20 plus year old house has had two deaths in it.. a young boy from Lukemia and a sepparate family mom/wife from breast cancer.. Not the area, not the house.. just wierd.. Boy's family moved closer to the children's hospital. Woman get Breast cancer a lot.. so , don't belive it is the house..

I watch the show too.. Love those guys !! the ones that look to prove the hauntings !!

Ellen

Moonpi,
That is just scary !!!

Most of my not-so-weird inspiration comes from graphic arts.

"Simple" by Marko D (French), also a mid-century abstract artist. I have the fabrics for my adaptation of this one.

"Warmth" by Volk. This turned up in a cataloge of art prints I received recently and I fell in love with it. May do something similar in warm reds...someday.

Bridget Riley's "Movement in Squares", 1961, English. My quilt adaptation is in process in solid taupe and black.