I've found that collecting fabric is probably my favorite part of quilting. A family friend was putting his mother in a nursing home, and she had been a fabric collector her entire life. She kept it in great condition. When he had to go through her fabric room, he called me and my sister in law (also a quilter) and asked us if we'd like to come and take WHATEVER WE WANTED!!!! He wouldn't accept money, he just wanted it to be used. I'd died and gone to heaven. We're talking ROOMS full of fabric!! We lived in a teeny tiny apt at the time, so I only took as much as I could squeeze into our closet. Now that I have an entire craft room all my own, I tell my husband, "I wish I could've grabbed more!" But that was how I started my stash. People have already mentioned it, but collecting fat quarters and eights is a good start to any stash. It's inexpensive, and sometimes they'll go on clearance at Joann's for like $.99 for each, and I'll just buy and buy and buy. Even ones I don't think of as being my style, I know I'll use someday in a scrap quilt.