Chicken or the Egg

There was a topic posted on DoA about whether the pattern or the fabric come first when you're starting a new project, which I thought was interesting.  For me, it can be either.  I have some fabric that I've purchased, sometimes with a clear vision of what I want to make, sometimes just on the basis of "pretty and in-scale"  Most of my fabric tends to be cast off clothes from the family.  Yesterday's project (s) were prompted by two black tank tops that I "rescued" - I'd had a couple outfits in black that I'd been thinking of, in a vague way, and having the fabric I promptly cut out leggings and a dress for Emily, and a t-shirt and tank top for Ellowyne/Incoming MNF Chloe.  The leggings are done, the dress is partly done, and the other two will follow.

On the other hand, I love patterns.  I'm continually searching for new ones, and often my projects are about testing a new pattern and seeing how well it works, or what I might want to change going forward with the pattern. Emily's last dress, in white, was most definitely prompted by the pattern.  I knew I'd wanted a white dress for her, so I used white fabric with the pattern!

Many times I have a vague idea in my head, no more than a colour and the...silhouette  of an outfit, and gradually go looking for pattern or fabric, refining the idea using what I have on hand.

Knitting is the same way....sometimes it's the colour of the yarn that prompts me to go looking, sometimes it is the pattern.