Hello! Newbie here. So far, I have only bought fabric on an "as needed" basis. As such, I have no stash! I've been looking through some of the pictures posted around the forums and admire the piles of fabric some of you have at home. :D

How would I go about starting a stash? My hubby is actually encouraging me to buy extra fabric, the sweetheart. I am very lucky. How much should you buy if you don't know what you'll be doing with it? Fat quarters? A yard? More?

Help! Such a dilemma to have! hehe

It really depends on what kind of quilts you plan to make. If scrappy then anything,but other types you need to have enough of what you will need because fabrics go out of print fast.

I generally between 1 to 3 yard pieces depending on the price. If it is a must have then I might buy more.

I consider what I'm likely to use the fabric for. Great background? 4 yards. Great borders? 3 yards Filler fabric? 1 to 2 yards. Focus fabric? 3 to 4 yards. Those amounts are usually enough for most queen size patterns. You'll need less for smaller quilts of course.

I started with fat quarters and then bought some bigger pieces for backings if the fabric was on sale. I agree it all depends on what type of quilts you like to make. If you do not like scrappy quilts then fat quarters are probabaly not the way to go. Is there a reason why you feel you need a stash? We are all different and maybe for you buying only what you need is the right way.

Why a stash? Hmm... I guess because I've already experienced finding a fabric I like and then having it discontinued. Plus, since hubby offered... I don't mind buying fabric as I go, but sometimes there are great sales and I'm tempted to buy at the sale prices. Last weekend was a holiday sale and I bought a quilting book for 50% off but no fabric because I wasn't sure how much. If I buy it as needed, I'm missing out on the sale prices and I am kind of thrifty by nature.

Sorry for the long response. Just thinking aloud here. Thanks for the suggestions!

Normally no less than 3 unless just for acccient, what remains goes into stash, not close to a fab store, on hand is great to have!! :)

Im a scrappy quilter so in the begining I bought 1/2 yard to a yard at a time.. NOW, for continuous stash building here's my motto...

If I like it I buy 1 yard
If I love it I buy 3-5 yards
If I can't live with out it I buy the whole bolt..



and when you have too much scraps to store I do this...

I sort by the Size of the piece... I pretty much keep everything larger than 1in HST

crumbs- In see thru bottom sterilite drawer
Squares of - 2,3,4,5,6,plus all the half sizes - each in see thru drawers sorted only by size not by color
5in or less strips - in see thru drawers
6-10in strips - in see thru drawers
10 to WOF strips -In See thru drawers- these are separated by colors in drawers - 2 colors per drawer*
bins & baskets on cutting tables for scraps to be cut by accuquilt
Each of the accuquilt die cut shapes have their own clear shoe box(es)
Fat quarters in wall cd racks and large organizers/bookcase
1/2y to 2 yrds get ruler folded on book cases
3+yds are on bolts in bookcases and in walk in closet

anything larger than 12x12 but less than a fq is in tall kitchen trash can to be cut up with the larger Go dies..


Clear see-thru drawer to me means a medium and or large* sterilite 3 drawer rolling cart w/o the rollers on..

I use Bonnies method- www.Quiltville.com

Works the best for me..

Hope this helped..

I have only been quilting since October of last year, so I am just starting on my stash as well. I first started like you only buying what I need. I just placed a pretty big order on quiltinaday.com. Connecting threads and fabric shack are also good sites. I always choose fabrics I like that are on sale, and if I don't know what I'm going to do with it, I usually get 3 yards.

I can't help because I buy anything! anytime! and if I'd actually sew more then I wouldn't have a whole house full of fabric. So if you have enough to do what you want when you want, the rest will just come in time, I think :)