If you could see my sewing room, you'd know that I am definitely a "wing it" and "messy" kind of quilter! When the fabric is flying willy-nilly, I'm really in my creative zone. I decided to make the current quilt longer, so I have to make a few more geese and 4-patch blocks. The color progression with the 4-patch blocks is still TBA, as I change it just about everytime I go in the room.

If your quilt is only two colors (i.e. two fabrics?) then you need to a) buy more fabric to make the larger size or b) go to a Plan B.

Teresa

Wing it (mostly). I have purchased fabric with a specific pattern in mind, but it doesn't always get used for that purpose.

Perhaps you can change your pattern to be scrappy in 2 colors. Would that work?

beverly

I do some of both. If I have a pattern I like I usually draw it up in EQ and play around with color and value placement. If I have a set of blocks to assemble, I also play with EQ to try to come up with creative layouts.

I also sometimes buy kits, and sometimes buy fabrics especially for a project. I guess it just depends on my mood and the project! LOL

Donna

I am a bit of both, but mostly I wing it.
When I question the amount of fabric on hand, I have a tendency to come up with a creative border that I feel will work to get the size I am going for. I have done this more times that you can imagine! I am sure this would work for your project also.

I do both also as it depends on what I wish to do. I see a pattern that I like I will check the quanity of fabric I need but probable will use my choice of color and fabric. If I see something eg. the 4x9 patch I wing it. I love scrappy so that permits a bunch of possibilities. I probably spread my wings more then I follow the leader.
Jayne

I am not a newbie just quilting for a couple years and donot consider myself experienced but I get a fabric that I look @ and then I seem to wing it. I do not change the pattern completely but I do redesign just about every quilt I made.

I mostly wing and always mess. If doing a new technique, like the stained glass I did, the only winging I did was with the border. The last time I bought fabric for a specific quilt, I decided not to do it afterwards. The time before that, I saw a focus fabric I loved and bought corresponding fabric not knowing what I was going to do with it...only that I loved it. A pattern came along, but it's a WIP.

SharonG/FL

I was assuming that cleanies are more likely to be careful planners and messies are more likely to wing it?!?

I have 2 fabrics, same blueberry print, different background colors - cream and black. There are 2 yds of one and 2 3/4 yds of the other. In my thinking, 4 3/4 yds would make a decent size top and then I could add sashing or borders or another row of blocks around the edge, or something different for the center, or...... (don't you think 4 3/4 yds of fabric would make a decent sized top??)
Karlene

I'm also a bit of both - but generally with a plan, LOL.

If I decide to make a quilt for a specific purpose, it's a planned one. But if I buy fabrics for a planned quilt, I usually buy a lot more than I need. Hey - if I love the fabric, I will make it work! This gives me fodder for several more quilts, plus scraps for the future if I ever decide to do a scrap quilt.

I used to think of myself as a "cleanie" but my DH would put me in the "messy" category! I start off with good intentions, then something happens! He is always saying why don't you follow a pattern then you know what you need?? (guess that is the engineer in him talking!)

Sue

I think I'm more the messy type. I buy fabric without a plan or pattern, and then sometimes change a pattern and buy more fabric if I don't see what I want in my stash. I often make my own patterns and will use other people's, changing it a bit. I will change sizes often. I like applique and art quilts so might do anything unexpected. I have some here that were so wierd I didn't even finish them. They just don't look like I'd planned it. Oh well. I'll blame it on my gremlins.

I use patterns more for inspiration and rarely follow one. Mostly I design my own, I guess. But that part of the process gets pretty detailed: graph paper, colored pencils, planning, thinking, shopping for the right fabrics, etc. I like the planning almost as much as the sewing! But my sewing process and my sewing space are absolutely, perfectly, wonderfully, chaotically MESSY! And I wouldn't/couldn't have it any other way. :~))

Kate

Very seldom do my quilts ever end up looking like the inspiration pieces.
I'm always making changes. To me a quilt is art piece in progress so changes in it are not only allowed but expected.
I'm a very messy quilter.