Suggestions on how to make quilts with different sized blocks

[athenamat]

How do you guys think that these quilts were pieced?  As you see, there's no real blocks or at least not uniform ones.  I tried to break this down into smaller blocks but don't see a pattern at all.  They don't appear to have set in seams either.  I can't figure out at all how in the world these blocks are pieced together since they aren't the same size.  My friend requested a quilt like this and I'm stumped.

I don't want to border them etc.

Ideas?

[grendelsmom]

Athena - as long as you can break it down into rows, or columns, or even giant blocks, you can assemble it without doing a lot of set-in corners. 

[athenamat]

As you see by the photos though, it doesn't look like those examples do break it down into rows or very large blocks.  I can see some blocks that even out but they mostly do not.

Is set in seams really the only alternative?

[anaximander]

The first one is disguising itself -  they're using the same fabric right next to each other to make it look like they're odd shaped pieces, but in fact, it does break down into large blocks. I'm not able to use my *mad* MS-PAINT skills till tomorrow, but yeah.

The second one seems to involve either applique or split seaming, and I'm not sure which off the top of my head. Probably a combination of both.

[Eliea]

I drew on one to help you out.

I didn't outline all of the squares but it looks to me like there are some "squares" And some strips. and then possibly a border of strip squares done to make it look "off". Also I notice some things are appliqued on top like the bibs to make it look like they were quilted right in.
I know next to nothing about quilts but I would make sections in strips and squares, leave some pieces alone if they are big and place and go from there. Save your scraps till you get to this stage as you may need some fillers to make it even.
Just my 2 cents.

[SewHelpMe]

Hey, athenamat,

Several months after the fact, but...  I think this is called "component quilting."  I made a top from a book by Debbie Maddy (Modern Art with Fabric).  The angle of this photo makes the different components easy to see:

[luvspaper]

I do this on the quilt I am currently working on. I graphed it out first on graph paper.  There were probably really only 6-8 inset seams and they were very easy.  You just need to leave your seams open enough to sew the perpendicular seam. Then you can go back and finish the first seam.  Not hard at all...just have to think through it!  And create large blocks that can be sewn together made up of oddly random sized other blocks.

Darn, it won't let me post a picture!