Inspiration: The Chicken and the Egg

While visiting our son, Mitch, over the weekend, I visited one of my favorite quilt shops.  I was barely two steps in the door before I was "ooohing" and "aaaahing" over some retro prints.  Whitney, Mitch's girlfriend, who was patiently indulging me on this stop, innocently asked "What are you making?"  Making?  You mean from this specific fabric? - or any of the 17 other fabrics I purchased?"  .  .  . I have no idea!  I wasn't, technically, shopping for fabric.  Well, I mean, I was shopping for fabric but, on a grander scale, I was shopping for inspiration - slowly ambling the aisles, taking in all the beautiful colors and patterns until something grabbed me.  

The old question about the chicken and the egg applies well to my sewing. Which comes first?  The fabric or the project idea?   A basket of fat quarters sits on the corner of my work table in my sewing room. These are the fabrics from past shopping trips that "grabbed" me; that I just had to have - even if I didn't know why.  Some fabrics only remain in the basket for a few days, others may stay months.  Sometimes the fabric plainly says "I am a ________."  And sometimes the project idea comes first, and suddenly it's obvious that a fat quarter I bought 8 months ago is the perfect fabric.

Here is the inspiration that came home with me this weekend:

Christmas prints in red and lime green;
Pink(ish) newspaper print and two coordinates;
Mid-Century geometric prints

Christmas prints in black and aqua;
Fashion fabric and coordinate
Coral and aqua patterns
Awesome retro fabric!

Which comes first in your sewing or crafts?  The project idea or the perfect supply?

Inspiration on Monday is hosted by Trish and Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity and occurs the first and third Mondays of each month.  Link up your post about something you've created or things you are doing to help inspire others. Posts about projects in progress, finished projects, tutorials, and how-tos are all welcome. Feel free to share recipes, crafts, lifestyle, organizing, and DIY tips, and any other idea that can spark inspiration.


Needlework Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Heather @ Books and Quilts.  Show others what projects you've been working on and see what they are working on.