If I actually want to get something made, then need to have a pattern first. If I just buy fabric I like, it will take me forever to come up with the perfect project, and then find all the other fabrics that I'll need to "fill in". A pattern, shop for fabric and I'll be in business right away.

I do both. sometimes I fall in love with a fabric....so have to buy it. right now, i'm trying to work on stash reduction......

i have a rather large stash, so i tend to choose a pattern to use these with. however, if i see an interesting pattern, i may buy fabric for it.

My stash is composed of fabric left over from projects I've done with a few estate finds and 'gotta have it' pieces. It's not a huge stash. I think I always choose a pattern first. Then I go to my stash to see if anything will work. Most of the time the amount of fabric I have isn't large enough for a full quilt so I either have to start thinking of ways to use that up or take a trip to the LQS. It works for me.

Right now I'm making 2 twin sized quilts from my UFO pile. The blocks were from a class I did years ago and most of the fabric for sashing and borders came from my stash. I only had to buy a couple more coordinating fabrics and it will come together nicely. I'll have 2 quilts for very little $$$ outlay...... Again, works for me!!

Whatever catches my eye and I HAVE to have it, whether a pattern or fabrics

I find that if I buy the fabric first, I never have enough to make the quilt that catches my eye. Another problem I have is if I get the fabric first because I just love it, I don't want to cut it and it just sits there in my stash. Quirky I know.
Sue

I've never gone to a fabric store & purchased fabric for a quilt pattern totally. I have nearly 40 years accumulation of fabrics & scraps, though. I figure out what block or pattern I want for a purpose (I've made dozens and dozens of quilts from baby to king size, so lots of scraps), and use what I have from my stash, and occasionally will pick up a bit to supplement. Made a quilt for my boss that I found the PERFECT feature fabric for (mainly used in the border and a little in small bits in blocks), and a couple of fat quarters that I had to have for it, but 90% of what went into the quilt was my fabric. The cool thing was I used fabrics from the 50's and every decade to current in it. It was basically an "I Spy" for an adult. I always pick up fabric that catches my eye when I see it, and if its a "I've gotta HAVE this" reaction, then I get a few yards of it. I've found I'll never find it again if I don't. I love scrappies, so my method works for me. I've got 80's florals that I still use for backing quilts and cut into small pieces for the front. I also subscribe to the Bonnie Hunter ideas: 1) if you don't like the fabric or it seems 'ugly' to you, you haven't cut it small enough, and 2) you can always use the back side, too. I've done both as I don't like wasting fabric.

I find that sometimes if I have a pattern first I tend to buy more fabric than I need. I keep finding fabrics that will work and before I know it I have spent way more money than I needed to. I guess I like to have choices, but then I tell myself that I'm just building stash. Isn't that the way it works? I'm hoping that once I have a decent size stash, I'll be able to shop from my stash and buy only what I need. I also buy fabric that I just love with no pattern in mind and will then buy coordinating fabric. Of course I have only been quilting for a few years and have been bitten by the fabric buying bug! But to answer your question, I do it both ways.

I am much more comfortable picking a pattern/design first and selecting fabrics to go with the pattern. This feels like a much easier process for me than the other way around. That said, I do "occasionally" buy fabrics because I love them and or have a pattern in mind and I do 'try' to put said pattern with fabric before I forget. And yes, I have some in my stash that i wonder what in the world was i thinking ... lol.

I usually go for the pattern 1st. Then my color's. But, this time, I got the ideal for a dble wedding ring, and started right in, cutting out the pieces. I have all of the pieces to sew around the center, already done. In fact, I'll pin all of the pieces to make 2 rows this evening.