I'm right there with ya, friend. I'm as old as the hills & not only do I have to use a pattern to make a quilt, I have to use a recipe to make things I've cooked a zillion times. For some reason, my little pea brain just WON'T remember that stuff (tho I can remember every teacher I had in school & other such useless pieces of info). If I stray from a pattern, it's because I've made a boo boo. That's as close to "original" as I get.

We're all different, so do what's right for you! My mom & I started at the same time, she only uses patterns, I do both. I use EQ7 to design, but there is still a lot of planning and sometimes re-thinking. It can be frustrating at times, and a pattern can be a nice break for my brain (it doesn't always work like I think it should).

I use patterns, as well as many others, not even close to designing my own quilts. Too many pretty patterns for me to venture on my own.

I don't know how to follow a pattern!! I have to go by a video!

Do what makes you happy! I don't even make tops, so I shouldn't even be in this conversation :) I've been wanting to PM you and find out if your 99 is home yet?

You are not the Lone Ranger here, I don't design my quilts, I use a pattern. Some use Electric Quilt, I don't have that.
I find it's very time consuming to design something, worth it yes, but time is money. I sell alot of my handmades.

if you were the only one who made quilts from patterns all those books, magazines, and patterns would be obsolete! no one would be buying them- they would be out of business-since i doubt you buy enough of them to keep them all in business.
it's not something to stress over- if you use a pattern & give it your own (spin) use your own fabric choices- not just the exact fabrics the pattern designer used- and at times change something- a different border, anything (tweeked) you are designing/ creating your own quilt-
i make alot of my own quilts- without pattern- without graph paper- without eq anything-
i start with an idea- or an armload of scraps & just start- sometimes i will make a couple blocks i like- then decide==i'm going to turn these into a quilt & work from there- everyone has their own (techniques)
you said you've been quilting for a long time- perhaps it's time to step outside your box & learn a couple new techniques---find a couple classes to take to learn something new- start browsing books, magazines looking at scrappy quilts- or row quilts- or round robin quilts- those can give you ideas on how to create something all yours-
but don't 'sweat' using patterns- without people who do think about all the people who would be out of work.

As you can see from the comments, everyone has their own comfort zone. Do what makes you happy and produces quilts that you enjoy.

My own personal method involves Googling the word "quilts" under the Images tab, getting ideas for patterns and color combinations, and then winging my own.

If I were to wait around for me to design and make a quilt I wouldn't have anything done! I love making "magazine quilts" as my snobby, design their own quilts,friends call them. I get more done that way. Love the old blocks and scrappies!!!

Always use a pattern, blocks or quilts. There are so many I want to make already so why design my own.

Jeanne, the operative word in your question is "should". I think there are no shoulds in quilting, except that you should enjoy yourself! I have done both, but generally I like to throw in my own creativity by changing patterns at least a little. I do the same thing with recipes and many other things in life. Rare occasions, like the D9P I'm currently trying for a swap, I try to follow exact directions, and keep messing it up. They came out 12.5" before cutting, so now I'm stuck with just using the 9 patches, or starting all over. Everyone has their own strengths and challenges, so just enjoy!