Behind the Scenes of My Quilt Design Process

Designing modern quilts is one of my greatest joys — and one of my greatest puzzles. I create all my patterns in EQ8, which has truly changed the way I design. It lets me experiment freely, try bold ideas, and push shapes and color in ways that would be so much harder on paper. But even with a powerful tool, the creative process is never a straight line.

There are days when ideas flow easily, and I can’t sketch fast enough. And then there are days when… nothing. I’ll open EQ8, try a few blocks, shuffle colors around, and still feel like I’m staring at a blank page. I used to get frustrated with those moments, but over time I’ve learned something important: design block is part of the process. It doesn’t mean I’m stuck forever — it just means my brain is quietly working in the background.

Often, the breakthrough comes when I least expect it.

One of my favorite ways to start a new design is by choosing a strong centerpiece block — something with personality, movement, or a shape that feels like it wants to be the star. Once I have that anchor, I start building around it. I’ll audition different blocks, rotate shapes, play with scale, and try combinations that feel a little weird at first. EQ8 makes this part playful instead of intimidating.

And then, every once in a while, a design just clicks. Out of the blue, something falls into place — a color shift, a block arrangement, a new proportion — and suddenly the whole quilt comes alive. That happened recently when I was feeling completely stuck. I had tried so many ideas and nothing felt fresh. Then, unexpectedly, this design emerged:

It reminded me why patience matters. Creativity isn’t a faucet you can turn on. It’s more like a tide — it ebbs, it flows, and if you give it space, it always returns.

And in case you’re wondering, this pattern is very close to ready. I’m just putting the final tweaks in place before I release it into the world. It will be in two sizes: Baby and Throw.