Hi Kelly,

For me its graph paper and watercolor pencils. I'm very interested in the EQ software, but to be honest I spend all day on a computer and I find the slowness of paper and pencil extremely satisfying. If I want to see what it would look like in another color, I have to redraw and color again. Maybe not the most efficient method, but that's what I do.

Good question. I'll be interested in everyone's ideas on this as well.

Faye

I have the EQ software, my husband gifted me with a copy a couple of years back because I just HAD TO HAVE IT; I have yet to use the program.

I also use graph paper and color pencils, crayons or markers whatever I am in the mood for I find drawing/creating this way to be relaxing. I also use color cut outs to play with the arrangement if a block offers different looks depending on the layout.

Hope this helps.

Marty_Mo

I always make my own patterns....have never bought one, as a matter of fact. However, I make,pretty much, only traditional type blocks, and after the idea occurs to me (or I see one that gives me an idea), I know what I want. So, I simply make a drawing, with ruler and a square, on paper, of the block I want....I make it a size that will be multiplied easily to fit the bed size I want. Then, cut out the components and trace them onto template plastic, add the seam allowance and cut them out. Personally, I don't bother with including colors - I know, in my head, where I want those to be, and as most of my quilts are scrappy ones, there are generally too many different fabrics to bother with this step. I've found that the most important aspect is not color, but value, so I sometimes note where I want dark, med and light fabrics. Sometimes I don't bother, depending on the block. With broderie perse, or applique, I cut out my pieces to be appliqued and 'play' with them on the fabric, till I like the placement. Then, I put a mark , with a washable marker, where they are to go. I do not, however, draw around the template....not necessary...just a X where the piece is to go is enough.

I draw a sketch on a napkin, paper towel or a piece of note paper, whatever is handy. When I get an idea, I need to put it on paper immediately, thus anything will do, never get beyond my sketch, just start cutting and creating. Very unconventional I am sure but that is how I do it.

I also use graph paper and color markers. Rather than use standard graph paper, I make it to the size I want--link below. If I'm making a block that will be repeated on the quilt, I make one, scan it into the computer, and either make copies to paste onto my pattern, or copy it into WordPerfect, and cut and paste as many copies as I want and print out the document.

I do a lot of applique, and rather than buy template plastic, I use waxed paper for the patterns. It's cheap, transparent, easy to work with.

I keep patterns, templates, and notes for quilts (most of the time) in a plastic baggy, and store them in a storage drawer in my sewing room.

This week, I treated myself to EQ6--and I'm still in the learning process. I recently started paper piecing, and I think EQ6 will be helpful for making the foundations--plus I think it will be fun to audition fabrics, add photos, etc.

I've been quilting for less than 5 years, so I'm still a beginner....

Here is a link that might be useful: Printable graph paper

I use graph paper to work out the idea and size and cutting instructions. This is something I can keep beside me when I work.
I use EQ for testing color placement and write which color is A,B,etc. on my graph.
For applique patterns I draw them on freezer paper. After enough scribbling I'll actually have something..a template..I can cut out or trace to web. Freezer paper is cheap and large and if you outline your finished pieces with black marker you can trace them to web from the reverse(shinny)side...and then you have a nice pattern on the freezer paper for placement..it'll show thru most fabrics.
Bon
:)

Graph paper - I have pads of it. I have seldom bought a pattern - sometimes I just see a small picture in a catalog and I can figure out the breakdown of the block. Sometimes I even skip the graph paper. By looking at the block you can figure out if it is basically a 9-patch, a 4-patch, etc. and from then, figure out how big each component should be, allowing for the 1/4" seam allowances. I've made several quilts just by looking at a sometimes tiny picture in one of the fabric catalogs we all get, as well as the mailings advertising quilt books. I also have a big box of colored pencils, if I need to keep track of which color I want where. Good question.

Even though I love to look at patterns in quilting magazines, and have even bought a few patterns from the quilt store and used them, I prefer to design something all by myself. I often fall asleep planning a quilt. I cannot imagine a better way to ensure pleasant dreams.

When I'm ready to put my ideas on paper, I use a primitive drawing program. It is a bit clumsy, but I can print out a nice, neat piece of paper and carry that around, and think about my plans, and make more notes in the margins. I can back and edit again and again, until I am satisfied.

I have designed for myself some actual "patterns," for various sizes of zipper pouches, tissue holder, coin purse etc. I drew up instructions, with diagrams, by hand. I keep them in a three ring binder, inside plastic sleeves.

I also take notes (complete with diagrams) from sewing shows on TV, and save those for future reference.

Way by when, I had no idea of what I was doing, just knew I wanted to make a quilt...I did my own pattern, kind of drew up the block in my head, didn't have a rotary cutter and cut it all with scissors..I kept adding blocks and the darn thing got so big, I couldn't machine quilt it and learned to hand quilt. It ended up a king size quilt that I still use on the bed during the winter...I'm happy to say, I've learned alot since that 1st quilt, but I haven't made any more of my own patterns.
Dorothy

I use Power Point. I use it a lot at work for presentations, so I'm quite comfortable with it.
I draw the blocks and I can choose a variety of colors and patterns. I can also scan in pictures of my fabric and use them to fill the blocks. I've made some "group" projects to give away to teachers or parent volunteers at my son's school and I find power point an easy way to exchange our design and for each one in the group to suggest changes, etc. Nobody has EQ.
I also live vicariously through my designs. I come up with an idea and make a PowerPoint design and alomost never have the time to actually make the quilt. I have some hundreds of powerPoint designs and hardly any finished quilts :-(
Vasu

I have EQ5 and use that for making tons of alternative color placement. Including scanning and using my own fabric. It's great for that.

I sometimes draw blocks in it but I find it extermely klunky and annoying for that so usually if I want to draw a block I do it in MS Word and then color the pieces in in Word or copy it into MS Paint for that, then back to Word to paste a ton of them side by side for effect.

If I want to expand an applique or paper piece pattern I paste it into Word or Excel or PowerPoint and then make it the size I want. For traditional blocks, I usually use EQ 'cause most of them are in there and I like it's ability to change the dimensions, layout, etc.

Maryliz -- I too fall to sleep dreaming up quilt patterns.
Wanda -- great site for the graph paper!

Now when it comes time to pick out fabrics ... I go to my stash and pull out likely prospects. I spread them on a table where I can see them from day to day, in various lighting conditions. During the day in bright sunlight, in the evening when the sun is waning, at night under incandescent lights. Whenever I pass by, I pull out anything that seems to stick out too much. (And I'm not a "matchy matchy" quilter. I prefer things scrappy and a bit mismatched.)

If I still need something in particular I take 'em to the store--or at least small swatches. 2.5" square seems to be the minimum useful size. For a batik with colors that keep changing and changing along the length of fabric, it might be best to just drag the whole piece of fabric into the quilt shop.

I once had great success with using a "focus fabric" to pick out a full spectrum (rainbow) of colors for a particular quilt.

Mostly, I have either cut out the pieces and laid them out on a table, or, for more complicated patterns, used graph paper and crayons, and I thank you very much, Wanda, for the link to the site that lets you print graph paper. It is going to be tremendously helpful.

Sometimes I use EQ6, but I am still a novice at using it, so can't use it to full advantage yet. I find it a nuisance to scan in the fabrics I plan to use, and in the case of my recent dark batiks, though I did scan them into EQ, I still couldn't get a good idea of how they would look in the finished quilt, because each one looked so tiny.

What I did do for that quilt in EQ6 was to "create" the entire quilt with all its blocks, and then color-coded for each of the fabrics I planned to use in it. Each fabric appeared several or more times in the quilt, and, for example, orange could mean "rooster fabric," and green, "the batik with leaves," while pale peach was the background color. This, printed out, was very useful for remembering what went where.

I am sure that, like Laura, I would use EQ6 for the blocks of any traditional-patterned quilts I make, but I would most likely not bother to try to find the exact fabrics or scan mine in, but just go for whatever EQ offers that would give an approximation of the colors I'm going to use.

For I-Spy quilts, I lay out the picture squares in rows in the order I plan to use them in the quilt and then photograph the arrangement, because I want to get a pleasing set-up, color-wise. When a cat rushes over and messes the squares all up, having a photo saves the day!

Like Scraphappy I sketch designs I see in advertisements, actually I have purchased books for the ads more than the actual magazine content. I recently did my first layout using a design wall. Mine is an old sheet with lots of fuzz balls that I nailed onto the wall. Great for auditioning colors, patterns and just everything else involved. I also get many inspirations on this forum and thank those that so thoughtfully post links. I tend to jump into things and cut a bunch of fabric when I should have done more planning First....I am working on this. I must also think VALUE first...then COLOR. Great post and comments from everyone.
Jean

Graph paper and colored pencils for me. I have also sketched out something and converted it to a grid on graph paper. I will make a basic pattern, then scan and copy possible fabrics, cut them into pieces and place them according to the pattern. I find simple is better.

beverly

Paper & pencil; old program called PC Quilter, then I used to use EQ5 and now EQ6. I like to preview & study the 'print' of the rotary cut pieces or the templates of the pieces.