Morphing into a quilt

notes taken for current quilt (above)

Often I'm asked about inspiration for quilt designs.  Really I'd like to take credit for the quilts I  make but often I see something that gets the wheels in motion.  Rarely making a pattern as it is printed.  Pictures via the web, books and magazines inspire and then it starts morphing into my own design.  When I do this, I also like to give credit to those who inspire.  So here's another peek into my mind.  Enter my mind at your own risk!

SOOOO.....

Lori Holt was having a Row along.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the quilt and would love to make it but at the time other things were in the works.  So I saved all her tutes to a flash drive for later reference.  You can find her tulip design here.  

One day I just happen to be browsing and saw this...HMMMM....Love it, scrappy, but not scrappy enough in the tulips, but something.....What if I took Lori's tulip pattern....

Time passed and I saw this (below) while wasting precious time on the never ending web.  A little more scrappy, that little circle in the center could be a button or yo-yo....I've yet to do this to my block but it's a pretty good possibility.

All of these ideas came together to make this, my design which will have something in the crossing.

That's how the block came to be.  But I need a finished product...sashing ideas, borders. A cute quilt below but the sashing is what caught my eye, made by Happy Zombie.  I've been meaning to make this quilt pattern for years.  It was a free block of the month from Bunny Hill that is no longer available free.  Sorry girls(and guys if your reading)

My tulip blocks have a white background.  Hmmm.... how would the scrappy sashing look?  And I want a solid border....so this gave me the boost to have a solid border.

And here's how it's morphing along so far.  

The borders aren't a done deal yet.  If you follow me on a regular basis you know that's where I stall.  The auditions for them has already begun, no pictures just yet of the contestants.  The narrowing down process has begun but there's to many to share at this point.  The plan was for a solid border...But...

 I'll show you what I like for a border...boy is this a lot of extra piecing.  This is Lynn Wilders Toyland Tree quilt.  I love the scrappy border.  Well heck I love the whole thing!  But for now stay focused on borders.  

Well there you have it!  My process, a crazy design process, that's just how my mind works!

Lea