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Step 1
Think about the overall design of your quilt top before you decide upon a quilting pattern. If your quilt top is more detailed, choose a simple quilting pattern. If you have made a more simple patchwork quilt, you may want to showcase your hand or machine stitching skills with a more complicated pattern.
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Step 2
Consider what your skill level is and how much time you have to commit to quilting your chosen pattern. If you plan on hand quilting, you should consider how quickly you are able to sew a straight-stitch as well as how large a surface area you will need to cover. The more intricate the pattern and the larger the quilt, the more time will be involved in completing the quilting.
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Step 3
Look at examples of quilts found in museums and other collections. Books found at your local library or through your local quilt guild can provide great inspiration for deciding on a quilting pattern by giving you a better idea of what the finished product will look like. You can find links to quilt guilds in your area on the American Quilter's Society website (see Resources below).
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Step 4
Find a quilt pattern that is easily transferable if you are a beginning quilter. The easiest way to transfer a pattern from paper to quilt is by placing a sheet of transfer paper face down on your quilt top and tracing the quilting pattern over it. In this manner, the design is transferred quickly and easily.
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Step 5
Select from patterns published in books such as "1000 Great Quilting Designs" by Louise Roberts (see Resources below).
