I create a pattern for the person(s) who will receive my quilts. I then choose appropriate fabrics , for example I just finished a lap quilt for my landlord/lady who own an orchard.....I paper pieced apples, pears, plums and surrounded them with 12-patch greens. It's very colorful and was fun to do.

I do both - sometimes buy the fabric just because I like it so much and sometimes with a pattern idea in hand. I sort my fabric in groups - what fabrics go together to make a quilt. I have groups of two to 6 fabrics ready to use in a quilt. All I have to do is find the pattern I like for each group and then sew.

I also have a group of fabrics that are orphan fabrics, meaning they have no companion fabrics right now. I keep a small photo album in my purse filled with fabric swatches and I take it to the quilt shop with me to find companion fabrics at some point in time.

Right now I have groups of fabrics for 8 quilts. From them I will probably have enough scraps for at least 2 more quilts. This method works great for me.

I like to start with the pattern. If I can then use fabric from my stash that is great; if not, off to to the quilt shop I go......

Love the photo idea. thank you

I have the same problem, I buy fabric that 'speaks to me' and then don't know how I want to use it, sometimes cuz I don't want to cut it, LOL.

Ok....I'm new & recently converted to quilting ( this being my first post). Also: working on my first sewn quilt. Have to say I'm treating the whole process the way I work on collages. I'm crazy quilting using cottons and having entirely too much fun. The quilt top is already in use on a CalKing bed, but still working on it.....and will be for some time.

I have a person in mind, (family). I think of what kind of things they like, ask them colors, and have a pattern in my mind (not one found on the internet) Maybe pick up on an idea from the internet. I have to say the design comes first so I have an idea how much fabric I can estimate needing (with a little left over for stash)

I see a pattern that I love and either purchase it, make a note as to what magazine I found it in, go online and download it. When I go to Jo-Ann's to pick up thread or some other small item I always feel the need to check the fabric. Big mistake, of course there will always be one that calls out. As to the original question, the fabric is purchased with something or someone very definite in mind. Then I find the pattern that suits the fabric.

if i buy fabric that i know goes together for a quilt or another project, i always store it together then look for a pattern to go with it.....if i find a pattern i like, i buy it and go home and see if i have fabric fot it, if not, i go shopping for fabric.....it just depends....good luck

I like all of your ideas and it works fine with me (in my mind...) but I never know if I will have enough of the fabrics I have in my (small) stash and because I want to do it as per inspiration, I find it difficult to try to find the "match" to finish it because I ran out of a particular fabric. I don't have a good enough idea of how much of a particular fabric I need when I start and let my imagination go with the flow if you know what I mean...