It's interesting to read how other proceed. Much like Sandpat I don't often "stick to a pattern". Sometimes I pick a block, and sometimes I pick my focus fabric first. That's the way it turned out with the Spring Sampler I'm working on now. First I picked my focus fabric and then I went through my tiny stash and picked all the fabrics (mostly blenders and batiks) that matched the focus fabric. Now when ever I want to sew I pick a block and pick the fabrics from the pile.
Well... Now that I'm thinking about it, normally what happens with a pattern is that I see a pattern that inspires me, and then I draft my own version of it, sometimes very much the same and most often very different and go from there.
Since we all think differently it's like you said there is no right way. I think it's good, because what would we do with 1000's of matching quilts. Oh wait isn't that a department store? :shock: