I've never made a quilt without a pattern
03-22-2012, 09:15 AM
#31
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Vancouver WA
Posts: 32
The best "tool" I have found to start planning my quilts is called Ladies Art Company Block Tool, [ATTACH=CONFIG]321674[/ATTACH]
these cards have 160+ blocks, does the math for you and shows how to put each piece together to make the block. After you choose however many blocks you like then you use your graph paper or EQ to design your quilt. http://www.amazon.com/Rediscovered-C.../dp/1571209859 if you check this out you can look thru the cards and get an idea of what I'm trying to explain. Good luck...and have fun!!
these cards have 160+ blocks, does the math for you and shows how to put each piece together to make the block. After you choose however many blocks you like then you use your graph paper or EQ to design your quilt. http://www.amazon.com/Rediscovered-C.../dp/1571209859 if you check this out you can look thru the cards and get an idea of what I'm trying to explain. Good luck...and have fun!!
03-22-2012, 09:28 AM
#32
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
Posts: 7,940
Jeanne, you might want to experiment with putting some of your quilt ideas on graph paper. The nice thing with that is that you can use the little squares to represent whatever size you want them to be. You can use it to design a block or blocks, and then you could use it for making a miniature drawing of your quilt. Colored pencils are helpful too, if you want to get ideas for color schemes. I'm not great at all that math either, but the graph paper helps to keep it all in proportion. It's kind of like having a computer program, only you have to do all the work! This is just one idea, but with all the awesome, experienced quilters on this board, you are sure to get some great feedback!
03-22-2012, 09:33 AM
#33
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
Posts: 7,940
03-22-2012, 11:00 AM
#34
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Western Catskills
Posts: 140
jcrow--Rodale Press had a series of books on all basic aspects of quilting. what's nice about them is that they enable one to be independent of others' patterns and instructions. I bought them at 1/3 cost through ER Hamilton, Bookseller, but perhaps they're available used at Amazon etc. Or at the library. good luck --nanibi
03-22-2012, 12:01 PM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: PA
Posts: 368
Before I got a computer quilt program, I used graph paper. I now have an EQ program, but still use graph paper. I keep a small graph paper notebook near my bed. When an idea comes to me during the night, I am ready to design my thoughts. Graph paper is economical and comes in many size blocks, even hexagon shapes. I have downloaded some sheets from online for free. You can design the quilt or block, make copies and color the copies. Good luck, it's fun to design your own quilts.
Jeanne, you might want to experiment with putting some of your quilt ideas on graph paper. The nice thing with that is that you can use the little squares to represent whatever size you want them to be. You can use it to design a block or blocks, and then you could use it for making a miniature drawing of your quilt. Colored pencils are helpful too, if you want to get ideas for color schemes. I'm not great at all that math either, but the graph paper helps to keep it all in proportion. It's kind of like having a computer program, only you have to do all the work! This is just one idea, but with all the awesome, experienced quilters on this board, you are sure to get some great feedback!
Last edited by schwanton; 03-22-2012 at 12:04 PM. Reason: addition
03-22-2012, 12:32 PM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,745
I have a problem with patterns. I start out with the basics of the pattern and have really good intensions of following the instructions. Honest I do. But somewhere between reading and doing, I mess up so bad that the quilt never resembles what it should when I am done. So I quit using patterns except for suggestions.
I like the quit beating your self up if you are not creating your own. Everyone needs to be comfortable with what they like to do.
If you want to try something on your own, maybe just pick a block from one of your patterns and draw it on graft paper, color it, paste it to some cardboard, and cut on the lines and cut out all different pieces. Now play with the pieces to see how many new blocks you can create from the pieces of that one block. When you are happy with an arrangement of the pieces, copy to graft paper and start designing your quilt. This way you know the size of the pieces as you have the original pattern size. And most quilts are made up of common blocks that can be used by anyone.
Hope this helps.
I like the quit beating your self up if you are not creating your own. Everyone needs to be comfortable with what they like to do.
If you want to try something on your own, maybe just pick a block from one of your patterns and draw it on graft paper, color it, paste it to some cardboard, and cut on the lines and cut out all different pieces. Now play with the pieces to see how many new blocks you can create from the pieces of that one block. When you are happy with an arrangement of the pieces, copy to graft paper and start designing your quilt. This way you know the size of the pieces as you have the original pattern size. And most quilts are made up of common blocks that can be used by anyone.
Hope this helps.
03-22-2012, 12:35 PM
#39
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,430
Way back when I was learning to quilt, I had to learn to use 1/4" graph paper to draft all my blocks. Yes, it takes a lot of time, but then you are fearless about figuring out patterns. Jinny Beyer has a book about drafting as does Donna Poster. Look at those books and you will see that using graph paper and drafting is not all that scary. Good luck.
03-22-2012, 01:10 PM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: washington
Posts: 1,424
Never too old to learn anything....At 62 I started studying martial arts. Some people thought it was either odd or funny. I fooled them all and just after my 71st birthday passed my black belt test. Took me longer than some, but I did it. So jump right in there and learn. I know there are places for people to learn how to use a computer. NEVER EVER SAY ....NEVER....OR I CAN'T......
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