well for two years now I have only purchased what was absolutly needed to finish a project. my DD has a basially unlimited fabric budget, so the projects that have suddenly appeared, she buys the fabric and I make her take the leftover pieces home with her ( she is one who will say "oh, the rest of the bolt", if she really likes something ) We have actually made entire projects from my stash and that is fun also. I will keep working from my stash and eventually will make a 'dent' in it but in the meantime my DD has a DDIL who we are teaching to sew and she is totally bitten by the sewing bug, and she just gave birth to a Daughter (my Great GrandDaughter) who has beautiful long fingers to sew with and a stash (leftovers from baby quilt and crib skirt) already started.