sandy l

That's the way I go too, and sometimes it works out, and then sometimes it turns out to be either a UFO or finished.

grann of 6

I guess I would have to say yes to all your questions. Sometimes I see a pattern I fall in love with, then gather what I need for it, sometimes I see the fabric first and find the pattern next. Sometimes I fly by the seat of my pants and just dig in to the monumental stash and start something. Right now I am making a quilt for a friend who has a grieving friend. She wants king size in neutral colors of grey and beiges. Well, right now I am only using stash or fabric bought online. So I dug into my stash and found just what I need, so a 25 patch that will hopefully resemble some sort of irish chain is the plan. It will be whatever happens. I think this is really my favorite way to quilt.

Snooze2978

Not even close for me. I have a project shelf to keep those projects still in the process of becoming a project. I think of the person the quilt will be for, I get their likes and dislikes ahead of time..........pattern, colors, size. Then as I see patterns I think might work I put that up on the shelf in one spot, then add fabrics I think will go with it. This could take a year or more depending on what happens between times. Right now I'm so backed up with quilts to be quilted, quilts in the process to becoming a flimsy and those I'm working on at the time. Then if its summer some of my time is spent outside in the gardens. Finally when its time to start that particular project, I go thru all the patterns that have accumulated, the fabrics, etc. Then I decide which one it will be, making sure I have enough fabrics. Then I cut the amount of fabrics I need, get them starched and pressed, then CUT. I make lots of little notes telling me how many strips of each fabric I need, how many pieces of each fabric I need and so on. I even get the sashings, borders and bindings all cut ready to go hanging them on a hanger so i don't cut into them by mistakes. I'll make 1 block to make sure I'm doing it correctly and I like the combination. This I'll do before I cut all the strips so I don't waste it. On my little note with all my measurements, I'll check it off once I get that particular fabric cut so I don't cut it twice. I also use EQ8 from time to time to make sure I have my amounts correct, how many sections I need cut for each fabric. This came in handy when I started my mock Cathedral Windows by Missouri Quilts. When you start putting the blocks and rows together you automatically make another inner row so more of those pesky folded triangles are needed as well as the center fabric. I found out I needed another 400 folded triangles and 72 more center fabrics due to this fact. Its a queen size I'm making so 90 original blocks with 72 inner blocks. I can only imagine how heavy this thing will get as I'll be adding batting and backing once its all together and quilting it................to be given to the couple next May if we're out of this pandemic by then.

SusieQOH

I mentioned that I buy a lot of precuts with fat quarters being my favorite. They provide me with a lot of inspiration that my yardage doesn't.

ktbb

I make fabric out of what I have - put together pieces of coordinating fabric to build yardage. Then some times I just us the yardage like a wholecloth quilt and other times I cut up the yardage for blocks in a more traditional setting. I've given away most of my patterns since I don't use them any more...except for a couple of favorites. Once I've selected coordinating fabrics from my stash and make the yardage, I keep together any left-overs for future use....the work of coordinating has already been done so don't have to do it again and I can always add more fabrics if desired. sometimes I foundation piece other times straight piecing.

Doggramma

I do a combination. And even if I start with a kit, I end up switching fabrics or re-designing as I go along. Right now I’m working on something - making blocks, putting them on the design wall, moving things around, etc. I almost don’t like working totally that way as I’m finding there are blocks that might not fit in. My least favorite quilts are ones that require a whole bunch of the same block.

bearisgray

I just came up with another method today -

Over many years - I bought fabric "for chairty quitlts" - so today I called a couple that actually make charity quilt - and will get "some" fabric over to them by the end of next week.

I think I will call it "quilting by proxy" -

I am attached to my fabric - so this really is a very big deal to me.

juliasb

I have a stash that will outlive me 3x's over! I always start there with what I think will be enough yardage to do the entire quilt. On rare occasion I don't guestimate correctly. and have to make a single piece or two from something else and call it my one error in the quilt. I usually have a plan of sorts when I start a quilt. I know what block or blocks I want in the quilt. Other times they are samplers all with a primary color in each one. I usually have some direction before i begin.

Jordan

I always get every thing organized to start a quilt-like fabric, pattern, needle etc. I usually pull from my stash but if I need to purchase some matching fabrics I usually buy about 1/4 yd to 1/3 yd more than the pattern calls for. If it is a new pattern, I always make a test block and then I put that block on the back with the backing fabric.