Find reference photos for the art that you would like to present on the quilt. For example, if you intend to draw a person who you know, collect some photographs of the person.
Place a blank piece of paper on a flat work surface. Turn it either in portrait or landscape format, according to the way that you plan to display your quilt.
Sketch the image on the paper using a light pencil, such as an H or 2H graphite pencil. This will allow for any mistakes to be easily erased and worked over.
Draw the idea at least two more times, on two additional sheets of paper. Position the main figure of your art work in various areas, like to the side and in the center. This will give you a sense of how the quilt will look, proportionately.
Go over your graphite sketches with markers. Try out different colors on each version, to see what will work best.
Create a new, final sketch of the art quilt in marker. Combine the best qualities of each sketch, such as color, line, and position, to create a sketch that can serve as your final point of reference for the piece.