wesing

Graph paper is the easiest and least expensive way to doodle out your pattern. Try to imagine what size your finished block is going to be and pick the smallest scale you can so you have plenty of sub-blocks to work with. Also if you can get it close, you might get some help from the more talented designers on here. Hope you can work it out.

Darren

Debd

Graph paper or a graphics program is what I use. Then you can break it down. A test block might be needed to work out kinks.

Johanna Fritz

The great thing about EQ is that if you want, you can just draw "shapes" (the ones in your block) and then clone and rotate, move, resize by dragging etc until you have your block. With a simple sketch of shapes (not on graph paper even) and your block size, I might be able to help you. PM me if you are interested.

soccertxi

graph paper and colored pencils! My fav go to tools on a trip, when I see a pattern in a magazine and want to change something!

countryone77

As others have suggested, I've used graph paper and colored pencils or crayons. If you have a spreadsheet program then you might be interested in the following discussion ...

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-105549-1.htm

I've also seen some use a paint program.