How do you decide what to make next?

I usually do theme quilts, but since I have "themed" everyone their favorites..it is time to find a different venue. I have decided to just go with color. Okay, fine, but how do I decide what kind of quilt to make? What pattern, etc?

How do you decide what to "make next"? I have searched sites and looked and nothing is appealing to me! Many are beautiful, but just not my style. Dont' know what to say my "style" is other than not anythign with small square (3" is smallest although I would rather do4")

So..any suggestions?

I so agree about nothing smaller than 4". Color usually spurs me on, then I go with pattern.

do you have any rulers or tools you would like to try out

I would like to attempt the lone star or similar and the log cabin or similar and then I have some great jinny beyer patterns that are very much like illusions and colorplay that I find different and interesting.

I tend to just search the internet for free patterns and then pick my favorite!

Check your local library. Most have lots of quilt pattern books on hand, and you can go and browse through them. Once you find something you like you can check it out. I love using library books.

Hang around people that are pregnant or have babies. That will keep you busy, it is me!!! Or, you could make one from scraps and donate it.

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Originally Posted by BellasQuilts

Hang around people that are pregnant or have babies. That will keep you busy, it is me!!! .

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Amen to that!!!

that's a good question. I get going on one project and then another one catches my eye. I have fabric that I bought for one project, and have decided to use it for another one instead. I find a cool pattern and cannot wait to start cutting, but I have about 9 projects going at once right now, and cannot seem to get even one of them done. But making the decision to get into it is always difficult. Just as soon as I figure out what I'm doing, I change my mind.

You said you are going wiht color, you mean one color, two-color, rainbow of colors? Will this be for you or for a gift or donation? I guess I try to consider the recipient, consider techniques i want to try, and consider which technique would look best with which color. I hope that helped a little bit. :-) Good luck, and make sure to post what you make so we can "oh" and "ah" over it! :-)

OMG I am so in the same place where you are right now I don't know what to do next I have 3", 4" 2" all kinds of squares and I don't know what to do lol

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Originally Posted by coffeebreak

I usually do theme quilts, but since I have "themed" everyone their favorites..it is time to find a different venue. I have decided to just go with color. Okay, fine, but how do I decide what kind of quilt to make? What pattern, etc?

How do you decide what to "make next"? I have searched sites and looked and nothing is appealing to me! Many are beautiful, but just not my style. Dont' know what to say my "style" is other than not anythign with small square (3" is smallest although I would rather do4")

So..any suggestions?

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What I've been doing is making quilts from Jenny's tutorials. They're fun and easy and I like the way they look. If you want to check out my album, you can see what she has inspired me to do. : )

Look at the MSQC gallery. I always get inspired when looking at the quilts our quilty sisters have made. If you like a particular pattern someone has made, send them a message and ask where they got the pattern.

And as Brook said, Jenny's tutorials are fun.

Craftsy.com has an online paper piecing class called Quick-strip Paper Piecing that I've enjoyed...maybe learn a new style. The first block is pretty simple and your quilt will have little pieces without the hard work of precisely cutting them out.

I look online, in magazines and books. My problem is I have so many quilts that I want to make that it will take me years to make them all. lol

I love Jenny and moda bake shop. I have four project planned in my head right now. But I have to finish 2 first and quilt 7, a friend just said I could use her longarm so the 7 doesn't seem as daunting as it did. I also look at magazines and always find a pattern I love. I'm the opposite as you I like smaller places so I'm drawn to patterns with squares smaller then 3". I like the piecing part more then the quilting part so I like less of an open area to quilt.
One way to get inspired is to look at the manufactures web site even Henry glass has free patterns, all different colors variations. Look at kits on webpages for inspiration. If you like big blocks look at snowball quilts....you can make them scrappy, controlled scrappy, kiddish, floral, solid, or even holiday and they have free patterns and your opening can be as big as you want it!! Good luck and Happy Quilting!!!

http://arbeedesigns.com/

try this site, I love it. I get inspiration here very often. I dont use their patterns very often..........actually only once but it inspires me

http://www.hoffmanfabrics.com/conten...asp?FolderID=7

Or you might try this one.
I love looking at patterns, I found a few nice onces on this page, but there is always....time time time.......so many projects in my mind and so less time to make them all. So I look at a lot of patterns and just make them in my head.....;)

Have fun going through all the beautilful pictures!!!

You know, I was thinking about what you have stated - that you have been theme oriented. You probably have plenty of scraps leftover. Why not go through your scrap bag, find a blending color that will complement them and make a scrappy quilt out of them all? A nice trip around the world or even a 9 patch with the blender as a sashing or middle block? Log cabin?

If you have more than one or two patterns that you like and not sure which one to try. Write each on down on a slip of paper, fold it up and do draw one. That will be your next project! I have so many I want to make I think that is going to be how I decide.

THanks for suggestions everyone. Believe it or not...I guess it it cause of the way I theme quilt.. I don't have that many scraps! I have been saving them in a 3 drawer plastic thing, and the drawers are one for small squares, one for long strips and one for larger pieces and I dont' have enough of anything yet! Then I did have a pair of sage green print and solid, and made 8 pinwheel blocks..but have no fabric to got with that for the rest of the quilt!

I do look at other sites for ideas..have a book mark named "good pattern blogs" and here's where I spent my day yesterday...

http://www.pieceandquilt.com

She has tons! I just keep clicking 'more posts" and it just seems endless on the quilts she does and they are amazing and all, but nothing caught my eye as to something I liked or have the ability to do. Some of them are advanced in their construction and all.

I have done the tumbler and the charm pack and flying geese as those templates I have. I dont' like the jelly roll strippy quilts and don't have enough scraps to do anything else with. I have lots of solids, but just don't have the idea.

I subscribe to 2 or 3 different quilting magazines and am always ripping out pages of pictures of quilts that I like. I keep them in a notebook and sort of in a list of priority. Then, when I see a fabric line that I really like I compare to the pictures I have to see if it will work. That's probably a crazy way of keeping track of my ongoing projects, but somehow it works for me. Right now, I have one almost quilted, one that is ready to be quilted, 2 that are in the process of being cut out and sewn together and at least 4 or 5 that I have bought the fabric for and are patiently waiting their turn. And then, of course, there are those quilts that are still just picture ripped out of a magazine that are on the "someday" list.

My problem is chosing which of the MANY quilts I would love to make. For inspiration just look at the tutorials here at MSQC or flip through some quilt magazines. If you have a local quilt shop they always have models on the walls that are inspiring. Why don't you try something totally different from your usual style..maybe a Dresden Plate or a Log Cabin. It's fun to learn a new pattern!! Another place to look is in the Gallery here...lots of gorgeous ideas there!!! :)

For me... i love to pick from the stash... colors that blend or go together.... the ones i'm in the mood to sew on... then decide about a block... sometimes just a rail fence... or sq. bordered... i also love the french braid style.. i HATE working to size specs...
Sometimes just start with a "middle" of some blocks... then sash... or make a panel of applique with vine to go off center side of a piece of fabric i especially love and don't want to chop up...or just go all crazy... patch it all funky and go crazy... i LOVE to make up patch fabric and make a tote... slice up stuff you love jelly roll style... use that for jelly quilt, and then there is this one... haven't done yet, but can't wait....
www.bighornquilts.com.
the strip club stashbuster... bargello quilt...

The quilt I most want to make someday is the Mariner's Compass. I bought a book with a CD from the link for the book sale and am waiting on it.

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Originally Posted by GrammaBabs

For me... i love to pick from the stash... colors that blend or go together.... the ones i'm in the mood to sew on... then decide about a block... sometimes just a rail fence... or sq. bordered... i also love the french braid style.. i HATE working to size specs.... haven't done yet, but can't wait....

the strip club stashbuster... bargello quilt...

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I don't do patterns well either. And I find I do start with a center block and then sash and block out. I love the Stack and Slash idea at Big Horn...thinking about that one. I can cut my own fat quarters out of the yardage I have...and they are all solids, which is what I have most of. Thanks for the link

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I am thinking! The Stack and Slash pattern is a good one for scraps and I think I might go that way. And a Log Cabin. And the pinwheel...where it is off center..forget the name but have the page bookmarked. Thanks everyone...mention more if you have more ideas!!!

I believe I have watched every video out there, including Jenny's and Kaye Wood's. Each time I do, I think, oh, I'd like to make that one. Usually, I think about what to make next during the time I am making one. I started a spiderweb quilt from Jenny's video, and I bought the papers and ruler. I made a few blocks but they didn't turn out well. The edges of the spiderweb didn't match, and the star in the middle looked bad. Plus, that is a lot of sewing to do. I put that one on hold. I bought MSQC's layer cake and am now doing the one where you cut it once at 6.5, turn one stack over, sew together, then cut at 5 inches, and sew again. It is really fast, and using a layer cake makes the fabrics blend. I just finished a stained glass quilt, and it is beautiful. The problem I have with it though is that the fusible didn't fuse well, and the points of the patches are coming up. The patch won't come up because I have quilted it. I bought some fabric glue to reattach points and edges popping up.