So, I am a thrift store junkie and proud of it. I have often found some really neat things. I've been reading a lot about some of the fabric finds you all are picking up and so I have a question for you --- are you particular about what fabrics you find and purchase at thrift stores or do you simply say to yourself "it's fabric! I have to have it! I don't need it for any project I'm working on but I simply can't pass it up. Surely I will find a use for it." ? I am starting to view my shopping in a different way in that I no longer purchase all the fabrics I come across just because the price is great. I look it over more carefully and ask myself if I will actually use it and I no longer buy it just because it's there. I'm getting more particular and thrifty with my thrift store shopping. How about you? Are you buying just to buy?

I have to forsee some use for it... even if way down the road or for just one possibility.

You bring up a very good point, Joanie. I used to be like that but I've gotten a lot pickier especially since I took stock last Fall and realized I bought way too many "bargains" than I'll actually use.
It's not a bargain if you end up never using it lol

With the prices of fabric going up, I am seeing a LOT of scrappy quilts in my future. So yes, I will not be as picky now :D:D:D

If it is something I think I may use and it is cotton. I buy it. But, I must admit the last year I have been a little more picky as I am getting way to much stach...

i look but very rarely do i buy anything even when its for pennies.

i find most of the fabric just isn't my taste and i wouldn't even enjoy using it in charity quilts.

i'd rather leave it behind for the next quilter who thinks its a real score then it buy it just cause its a good deal and have it never seen the light of day.

I am picky. I buy what I like. I am a new to quilting so I lack a stash. Put I am still picky. If I like it someone I love will like it.

If I like the fabric and the price, then I'll get it.

I only buy 100% cotton for quilting and only Men's shirts, the larger the better, with long sleeves usually and NO stripes, nothing thin! I have found that the vast majority of shirts I buy are from Old Navy!

My storage space is crammed, so really try not to buy it or even bring it home if it is free unless I plan to make it in 2011. Lots of yarn & fabric. Must complete more projects before buying more supplies. LOLs Can still go visit new fabrics and touch. Better than going to the zoo! Ha!

I am building up my stash, but I only buy cottons, designs and colors that I like and can foresee a project with them. So, I guess that I am sort of picky. But, my stash is filling up, so now I have to get pickier.

I don't have that problem. I have never been able to find any fabric at our thrift shops!

The last time I bought a little fabric at a thrift store, it was rolled up with tape and it was $2.50. I got home and it was all faded from sun when I unrolled it. I did not go back since. just said it was a donation. If it is rolled up and taped, beware, unroll it and look.

I seldom find fabric at our thrift stores. And if they do have any, most often it is polyester fabric. I did luck up one time and find a good sized piece of minky for $2.00 and used it for the back of a baby quilt.

If the fabric is 100% cotton and it appeals to me, then I will buy it. If not, I don't. No sense in buying to just be buying.

I've stopped going to the thrift shops because I need to be getting rid of stuff, not acquiring more stuff!

Well as I am still building my stash I buy it all, even if it is
polyester, for using in Utility quilts, I also buy cloths and shirts
and sheets and table cloths, curtains and the such , so no I'm not in the least picky :-D

I am getting a little more picky now that I have a stash. Don't usually find fabric at thrift stores. I do buy pieces for dog beds that I'm not picky about. I don't think they care too much!0

I wish I could control my addiction that easily! I'm not as picky as I should be! :(
If it's cotton and I like it and the price is under $1 / yd, I can't resist! :lol:

I am pretty careful, but will buy most things as long as they are sound. I can always use them for pet bedding or as backs for picnic/utility quilts. We are planning a move to the South-West in a year or so...it is much colder there, so I need lots of quilts! (Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!).

I found a real score recently @ a thrift store. It was in a large clear bag so I saw many of the fabrics. It was taped shut to discourage buyers from picking through the fabric. I bought it & told store clerk. "I'll just re-donate what I cannot use" - works for me. Often, there is no fabric worth buying, so I didn't mind getting some pieces I will give back for them to sell.
I should be more discriminating - my stash is getting out of hand.

I used to do that. Now I usually ask myself first if it is something I just want or need. A lot of times what I see is something I want but not really need it. It is very hard to turn my back on a beautiful fabrics especially the ones with the bright colors.

I shop in thrift stores, but am a little bit of a fabric snob. I don't like to buy from the thrift store as I don't know how the fabric was washed, or even if they take the time to wash the fabric before I buy it.

I do have that problem at garage/ estate sales. If I see fabric at one of those I have a very hard time NOT buying anything. I feel more comfotable buying there as usually the previous owner is there and can answer questions about what I'm buying.

I have to have at least an inkling of what fabric might be used for------------or just totally knocked out by it. I bought about a quarter yard of some chicks on white denims-----for heavens knows what. Big expense. 25 cents.

I passed up about 4 yards of grey/black/white herringbone wool a while back and I'm still thinking I severely screwed up leaving it in the store.

I go to St Vincents. They sell their fabric in clear bags. I stick my fingers in to feel. If there is enough peices I can use I buy it. It usually runs $2 or #3 per bag. I use what I want and I can return the rest back to the store later for someone else.
Last week I hit the jackpot. I got 2 boxes 12x 10x 2" full of cotton 2" squares. Plus a big piece heart fabric and more I will return later. All for $2.19

I only purhcase cotton or wool. Most of my cotton comes from men's shirts. But my problem is I love wearing oversized men's cotton shirts around the house or to sleep in -- so they seldom make it to the stash. Love the plaid men's shirts and their labels. In the beginnining I removed the labels, I now leave them attached and include them in my quilts.

Don't know whether I'm classified as "picky" or not, but here's my method. 100% cotton; Dresses, blouse and men's shirts; large sizes (more fabric); fewest battern pieces (less fabric waste; and prints and stripes; Children clothing (only with licensed characters that can be used to set a theme.
Some thrift shops have plastic bags of sewing/quilting scraps. I look for bags with 100% cotton; large scraps, and interesting prints. I stay away from bags with poly, satin, or other fabics rarely used in quilts.
Am I "picky".
One more thing, I always visit these places before I hit Walmart, JoAnn, Hancock, etc. I could quilt the rest of my life and never use the stash I have, but I keep buying. Being 70 years old and the mother of 4 sons, I've made it clear that #3 inherits contents of quilt room. Since I've been disabled, he drives me all over and he'l learned so much about fabric that I even trust him to go get "fat Quarters", colored batiks, 30s repos, Civil War repos, etc. He helps me spray baste my quilt sandwiches, etc. but he draws the line at siting down at the machine LOL. I haven't given up hope though. Each of my sons have their own special place in my life and heart, but every mother should have one of these.

Picky? No! I shop the thrift stores for sheets and tablecloths, books, teapots and VCR's and never walk out empty handed. I get more fabric in one sheet than in 5 men's shirts and it all matches ----- use them for backings ----- and each sheet costs me a grand total of $1.50. Some of the fabric is cotton/poly and it wears like iron and is no problem handquilting. I'm always amazed at the brand new items that people simply throw away ......... unbelievable! The one thing that I do is to donate a large trash bag stuffed full of goodies on each day that I go "treasure hunting" ...... makes DH happy that way.

I've really toned down my bargain fabric shopping. I don't have any thrift stores around me that have fabric.
I keep an eye out at garage sales, rummage sales and such, .

Since I make quilts for children and soldiers, if I find something that is good for either I'll pick it up only if I know it will match something I have at home or there is enough to do a complete quilt top. Or if it's enough for a back. If it's patiotic fabric I pick it all up. If it's good quality. If it's only one fabric that I'm not sure what I'd do with it I most likely won't pick it up.

I have such a stash that I haven't decided to use clothes in my quilts yet. Maybe once I run out and fabric prices stay high I may go down that road.

It is getting harder to find fabric at the thrift stores in my area. The early bird gets the fabric and I am not a early bird!

I am not picky! And proud of it I will buy any cheap bargain. Cause I have little stash. Works for me. I love finishing blocks already done. Great find!!

I used to buy just to buy - after all, it's a bargain. No longer! When we recently moved, I was astounded over the STUFF I accumulated! No more...! Not matter how cheap something is, it has to pass the WILL I REALLY USE IT?????

I usually will find something to use it for. Its when I'm trying to find something particular and no way can I find it I get really frustrated.

Guess I'm picky. They don't have much in my stores but when they do it's mostly poly or something I can't use. I recently donated yds and yds myself so I hope someone used that. I also have people give me their stash. I have inherited fabric stashes from 2 different women and partials from others. I certainly don't need any but, and there is always a but, if I really like it I buy it and when I'm planning something I never have what I need. I love it when JoAnn's has 50% off the marked down fabrics.

I'm getting more picky about EVERYTHING I buy...not just fabric. I no longer buy an "extra" whatever, just to make sure....I don't buy the "spare"....just because I might loose the 1st one...These crazy price increases on everything have certainly changed the way I shop at all!

This how I am also
;) ;) :thumbup:

Do you all have a Habitat for Humanity store in your home town or surrounding areas? A friend of mine works at an interior design store and they donate all their un-used fabric to Habitat for Humanity. I just found this out so I am going to look around and see what I can find there.

I used to buy whatever I found in the thrift shops because I didn't know better but now I'm picky. I do the touch, look and will I really use this process before buying now.

I'm with you I do the same. Of course I have asister who also quilts,she or I will always have what ever we need.LOL

It depends on how it's packaged and what it is. If it's just yardage and it's polyester, I won't even consider it. If it's a bag of fabric and mostly 100% cotton then I'm interested. I once got a beautiful Christmas tree skirt hidden in several bags of fabric from a thrift shop. It wasn't quilted, only pieced. I quilted it last Christmas and happily put it under my tree. I really got some good fabric from those bags as well.

I buy what appeals to me if its the right price. Four thrift shops near me have fabric so I can be picky. I am trying to "destash" so I will only buy the fabric if I know I have a use for it. Saying that, I just bought a panel at a thrift shop for $1.50 and then bought fabric to go with it at a LQS--at $10 a yard! Not my most thrifty moment! LOL.