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Becoming a creative art quilter does not always happen overnight. So why not take advantage of the lessons learned from an expert. Here are six great tips to guide you along the way from TQS Quilting Legend 2016, Katie Pasquini Masopust's (Show 1913) book, Design Explorations For The Creative Quilter. 

• Use different kinds of music for different stages of quiltmaking.  Music with no lyrics for the design portion...just pleasing rhythms that allow the right side of the brain (the creative side) to function. 
• Store fabric in open bins by primary and secondary colors (yellow, orange, red, violet, blue, green).  You can go even a step further by then separating the colors into seven value steps from light to dark.
• Use an L-shaped cropping tool to search for the perfect spot on a drawing or painting. Using a cropping tool allows you to tighten up a composition. It also allows you to stop worrying about a particular area of a painting that you don't like. Katie finds that she is most successful in finding a good composition when the L-shaped cropping tool opens only 3"-6".
• Use a proportional scale to enlarge your design. This handy tool takes all of the guesswork out of determining the size for your finished project.
• Keep a record of your work in a file. The file should include notes on inspiration, technique, and the date you completed the piece.  This will make it easy to fill out forms and answer requests when entering your work in shows or for publications.