Thanks for all the responses.
I understand what you're saying; however, I can't afford to build a stash of stored yardage with no purpose in mind, and as far as scraps go, I just can't see working with tiny pieces 2 1/2" square and then sewing a 1/4" seam on all sides. No, thank you. Maybe I'm just too picky and too impatient. Maybe it's because I don't like to do pieced quilts - only hand applique, and I have to have a pattern and color scheme in mind before I go fabric shopping. Maybe I'm not as avid a quilter as I thouoght I was. Anyway, as far as stashes and scraps go, I still just don't get it. Sorry. (But more power to those of you that do!)