I used OmniGraffle to size the photographs and create the bordering blocks. It actually worked very nicely to plan the project out in advance. I am not a very spontaneous quilter. I really like to know what I am going to get in the end. Using OmniGraffle I was able to plan out my piecing to make the piecing easier as well as play with the sizes of the blocks surrounding the pictures to get a pleasing arrangement.

Once I had the sizes nailed down I played with color. I based the colors of the quilt on the colors within the photos. Using the software I made several versions of the quilt in different color ways to see which one I liked best.

Bill provided all of the photos. I cropped them to best highlight the subject and to create varied picture sizes. I was also able to incorporate his interest in ham radio by including a message in the border in morse code. The panels represent his work, family and hobbies.