Snooze2978

I usually have a plan and if I don't have a pattern to go by I'll take my idea into EQ7 and draw it out for reference. Then I'll play with the fabrics/color to see how it will look. The gent I'm teaching how to make a quilt did this. He picked out a block he wanted to try, I drew up his quilt in EQ7 and told him to color it the way he wanted. Printed out the pic and the rotary cutting measurements for him. I keep his pic on the design wall for reference while he puts it together.

ghostrider

I do both, but for different reasons and at different times. I greatly enjoy both methods and the variety they offer. I seldom get bored as a result. I don’t use other people’s patterns at all so everything is from scratch either way.

I design quilts down to the finest detail when I want something in particular...a show quilt, a challenge quilt, a gift quilt, quilts from a long held idea or a dream I had...something that has definition before I start designing. It can take a few days, a few weeks, or longer to get everything laid out exactly the way I want it including which way to press the seam allowances. For a very few, however, I may have no idea at all how to physically construct it. That doesn't enter the picture until I actually start piecing the quilt...and it has sometimes been the end of it. Yes, I have actually designed quilts that I still haven't figured out how to build (and I am 4+ decades into this sport).

I also make quilts improvisationally when I want to play, learn, dare, relax, experiment, risk. These are usually technique quilts, art quilts, intuitive quilts and generally start with a broad vision of shapes and colors. The goal from the outset is nothing more than exploring the moment, an absence of definition if you will, in contrast to the design goal described above. This process may be more nebulous and spontaneous, but the result is no less accurate, intricate, or challenging than the first.

Irishrose2

Mine is planned except the color of the binding. The quilt tells me if it wants matching or contrasting as the borders go on.

Stitchit123

It all depends on who I plan the quilt for. I have a couple of Aunt in law's that live together and their color and fabric choices were 5 out of 6 the same--eerie-- Mae's personality is precise and Faye is chaotic. They both picked out the Weather Vane pattern. Mae's is just like the picture is in the book. But Faye's I changed it to give it a ripple like affect -like a flag in a nice breeze.

Karamarie

I usually make a quilt based on one I've seen and liked, rarely do I use an exact pattern. I'm kind of a fly-by-the-seat of my pants" gal. That way I can say it's really my quilt. Once you've got the basics down and know how to make many of the quilt blocks out there, you can usually figure something out. I know some may need a pattern and that's OK too. We're all different & unique in how we get there. Our quilt shops have to make money to stay in business and need to sell patterns and believe me I've got enough patterns but just have gotten to the point where I can pretty well figure what and how I'm going to get there. Just have fun in the process.

annette1952

I do both too. Unless I have a set plan I wait & decide on the borders later.

Rose Bagwell

I follow a pattern, but a lot do a pattern as I go along, especially with left over blocks, material, etc. I do this a lot with panels , I love to create , go with the flow and see what happens. Sometimes I wind up doing more work than what I had originally planned but it all works out , if it doesn't I cut and make doll or baby quilts.

IBQUILTIN

Always have a plan A and a Plan B and wind up somewhere in between. Depends on colors and sizes of fabric pieces