Searching the Web for expert tips for surface design gave me a slew of possibilities and lots of ideas. I hope these are helpful to you as well!

FIrst, from Creativebloq.com (a great design blog and website)

Pantone is the color expert that designers depend on. Their color forecasting is generally on target, and, if you want to design fabric or prints or even quilts that take advantage of color trends, this is the place to look.

A clever and handy iPad app that will let you match HEX color codes to your photos, quilts, art or other source images is ColorViewfinder.

A collage photo image of the Living Room/Dining Room windows at El Cielo. Come visit some time soon!

Another set of tips from Digital Arts Online comes from Dinara Mirtlipova, Lotta Kühlhorn and others.

Some start on paper, others in illustrator or PhotoShop. Fab patterns all around. 19 pattern design tips:

"It helps to have at least five shapes so that there can be a nice variety within the composition – the same shape will never appear side by side. Leaving space between shapes also provides flexibility to go back in and draw smaller details to help bring balance to the overall image."

Leslie A Wood (USA)