I always pick the focus fabric first. Then you can shop around different places for coordinating fabric. Picking fabric is not a slow task and some don't like it which is why some opt to do kits with fabrics already picked. Another suggestion is to pick a line of fabric. Like I have a BQ2 pattern and I fell in love with moda lovely so all of the fabric I purchased was from that line for that quilt so they are already complimentary. I have done a lot of kits but have picked out fabric for a few quilts, I can tell you I spent about 5 hours in a quilt shop for my bargello quilt which was the hardest fabric for me to pick out and you have to stand back far to make sure they are differrent values so it is not easy but a must for some patterns that don't come with kits, but I do like moda and precuts as well like fat quarters for getting coordinating fabric.