Design Possibilities or Quilter's Dilema?

I was doing my usual reading of other's blogs this morning and found two wonderful blogs I hadn't read before. One, Marilyn at Piece by Piece is giving away a beautiful quilt that she made and if you haven't been to her site, you really should take a look at her work. There are so many wonderful quilters out there that I believe I could spend days just admiring their artistry. Some, like me, could quilt all day every day and still not have the time to finish all those quilts in our heads that we want to do.

Knowing this, I finally devised a system where I write down the ideas that come into my head, include the pattern or design I think I would use, what fabrics I want to use, and then, later when I get time to start on that quilt, I haven't forgotten what I was thinking at the time I wrote it down. Sometimes, as time passes, I find that I've discovered a different pattern or fabric that will work even better for the quilt idea.

When it's time to start a new quilt, for me, it isn't the piecing or design that slows me down, but more which fabrics will best show off the design and then how to arrange those fabrics within the design. I mull over fabrics for several days before cutting into them, as I want the most WOW I can get from my fabrics. Once I have finally made up my mind, the energy and excitement of piecing start all over as I want to finish it and see the final outcome.

My husband (my biggest fan) and very observant I might add, has commented, that it takes me more time to pick out the fabrics than it does to make the quilt. Always challenging myself to go outside my comfort zone, I try to design something new and exciting for me to work on each time I start a new project. It's the excitment, creativity, and challenge of something new and the possibilities, that continually inspire me to keep quilting and I hope that I will never lose that excitement and energy.

How about you what takes you the longest? Designing, finding a pattern, choosing fabric, or putting it all together?