AngeliaNR

With EQ, can you "cut up" blocks (like a D9P) and rearrange them?

kristakz

Not that I've seen. You'd have to draw the quarter - then you can place and flip.

GrannieAnnie

I don't want to be a downer, but in my experience, if you can't picture something in your head, there's not a lot we can do for you. SHORT OF THIS------------

You can make thousands of designs with HST. Say you are going to use a royal blue, and a sage green and cream. Make 16 or so HST from colored paper blue/green, 16 of green/cream, 16 or so blue/cream. Make a few squares of each color. They don't have to be big--just a comfortable size to scoot around on a table. Then decide how many squares across and up/down, Lay out a grid-------------on any kind of paper. Still does not have to be on scale.

Lay out the blocks any way you like. Start in the corner or in the center. 10 to one, your pattern will not be original, but who cares. This is for you, not for anyone else. Make more squares if you need to. Add more colors if you need to, Have fun. THEN photograph your design. Maybe tack hte pieces down with thread so you can move it.

GrannieAnnie

A quilt of your own does not have to be symetrical. It could run from one corner for instrnce

judith ann

I started making a small quilt.Turned into a full size quilt. Using 5 inch blocks my mother in law cut out over the years. Those blocks turned into pin wheels. Borders added 1 1/2 inch, 2 1/4, and 3 1/2. I am working on the sashings. I had 4 inch blocks from the same stash. I sewed them in a long strip making another sashing. I am still working on the 3 1/2 in. sashing and am not sure if I will use the 4 inch block strip. There is no pattern I am just going with the flo.Will keep you posted.

meyert

Thanks for asking this question!! I have been wondering the same thing. I usually use excel. I have found that I can copy a "picture" of my fabric(s) from Fabric.com (or some other internet site) and change the size to fit the blocks I am considering using ... then I can make as many copies as I want and play around with the arrangements while I watch TV. This isn't perfect as I can't figure out how to do triangles... but now based on the other responses there are some other software out there that I can check out.

Deb watkins

I am not very good at designing. If I see a pattern that I particularly like, I am really good at putting that on graph paper and making it.....or figuring out how a block is made. Thankfully there are those who ARE good at designing!

Rubesgirl

Same here, Deb! I can figure out a design on graph paper, but am not good at designing my own blocks or patterns. I have come to the conclusion that I am creative, but not artistic in the classical sense. :-)

cathyvv

It's a process for me. First, I choose 3 or 4 fabrics that I like together. (I'm 'color challenged', so don't use many fabrics in a quilt.) Then, somehow, I get inspired, and it goes from there.

I love to use panels as the start of a quilt, then play with how to border them. I've also cut panels into blocks and then 'found' the right way to make them into a quilt. Big print fabrics are also great to design around, especially since I like big block quilts.

Recently purchased EQ7, so now I can test my ideas in the software. I like it, and it tempts my brain to do more complex quilts. It also lets me turn the blocks to come up with unique quilt patterns.

My favorite shape for piecing a quilt top is squares and rectangles. It's amazing how those two shapes can be used to create a quilt top.

One fun thing I do to test blocks is make doll quilts. If the doll quilt looks good, then I can make the quilt. I donate the doll quilts to 'Fostering Hope', a private organization that provides clothing, toys, toiletries, etc. to children taken into the foster care system. Everyone wins - can't beat that.

Gannyrosie

I usually get a general idea of the theme I want. Since most of my past quilts have been for small kids. I usually take whatever they like, cars, trains, flowers, etc and then go on the net and look around. I then go to coloring book sites and look for simple color pages. I enlarge make several copies and make my own applique. The material has to fit the them I'm working on. As far as traditional or non traditional. I look around and work from there. Best of luck on your quilt.