First find your focal fabric that will be the main focal point in your patterns then find contrasting colors to match... add a zinger color to make things pop.... IM a scrappy quilter and I have enough stash fabric to last me quite a few lifetimes.. 1930s, batiks, neutrals galore, holiday, blenders and prints... 9 out of 10 times i shop my stash... I can quilt and sew at any given moment and not have to wait to run to a LQS for anything..