I tend to build my stash by theme and color. If I have some patriotic projects in mind, I add stars & stripes, etc. whenever I find something new. I love civil war reproduction fabrics and tend to add those to my stash according to color. If I'm low on blues, I add to that stash, etc. Then, when I'm ready to start a new project, I have a wide variety of colors to use. Works for me! :)