Serial Quilting

It's been awhile since I have focused on a series of quilted pieces, so that is what I am about to embark on. I'm not sure what I want to focus on for a theme/topic for them yet. I keep seeing cobalt blue when I think about it though, so I will work from there.

How do I start on a series?

The way I approach putting together a series is much like I was trained in graphic design school. I pull out my sketchbook, and start making thumbnail sketches. Thumbnails are small (mine are generally around 2" by 3" max) sketches to get a general idea down.

I will typically get through anywhere from 25 to 100 - this is definitely a case of more is better. The more you do, the more blatant a pattern will be. Some design concept or theme will become noticeably prevalent.

Once I start to recognize a common thread amongst many of the thumbnail images, I will then move toward doing even more sketches based on that theme. Often times I will move to a bigger sketch for these, using a half page or a full page if necessary.

From those sketches I will choose as many as I want to do. I prefer to make all of the "tops" in a series first. Then I move on to the quilting phase.

Do you work in a series? What's your method?