for tote bags i've always preferred the designer fabrics and Amy Butler is great for making bags because she typically puts a stripe or some sort of dot fabric in each new line she come out with.
for quilting i prefer batiks, ombre, gradations - i pretty much avoid all novelty fabrics in my quilts - unless its for a child. i am a sucker for paula nadlestern fabric though.
my stash is separated in the closet - one section is my quilting fabric and one section is my handbag fabric.