When I fist started to quilt, I bought Joanns's fabric...not a whole lot, just a little. Then as I became more aquainted with how things worked etc....
The shop I took a couple lessons at always had a midnight night sale once a month, where for 10 minutes you could grab all the fabric you wanted or anything else for 40% off. We would make a list of things to grab lo..
Later on When I discovered The LSQ near me and they had three 40% sales a year.
A few weeks ago a friend came by and dumped some fabrics she didn't want anymore. I picked through it and have a table full....my cup runneth over...good things comes to she who waits lol....
Then I ran a quilt shop for about a year and when I sold the shop for her, she told me to take two yards of every fabric I wanted...oh lord.
And then one of my girlfriends was moving and she told me I could purchase at 3.00 per yd. any of her fabrics and she had tons. I bought 1000 yads and the good part was..no money would be exchanged...she would send me her quilts to quilt and it would be deducted and that was a good deal for me. .
Another time I bought some from an ex quilter for a 1.00 a yd and all this is quilters cotton, designer fabric.
Needless to say, I don't buy fabric anymore lol...I have enough to last me my lifetime and I can go in a shop and not buy. I don't have to have it. I use what I have.
I have been making a good dent lately in the stash and I am so happy about that.