I tend to get at least one yard - I can usually get two Bow Tucks bags out of that, plus my bags are unique with limited fabrics. However, if I see something that jumps into my cart, for example, I would buy 2-3 yards, depending on my budget, then I might buy a couple 1 yd pieces to coordinate. However, once my girlfriend and I were visiting a LQS that had a discount bin of fabric at $2.99 - the owner said they were making room for new fabric and thus willing to charge less,even though it was the same quality fabric. Well, at the time I had picked up several 6-8 yds. of several different fabric to use as backing fabrics. Never let it be said that fabric does not talk to you - when making a raffle quilt for my church's holiday fair I went looking through my stash and lo and behold, one piece I had purchased for backing, refused to be a backing and wanted top billing, so it became my focus fabric,I picked up a yard or two of coordinating fabric and I ended up with a gorgeous quilt that made over $1000 for the church. When fabrics talk - I listen. LOL. But if there's a piece of fabric I just have to have I will try to buy at least 2 yards of it, especially if it is on sale. Now that my husband and I are both on SS, I am so glad that I had been able to buy that fabaric when I did, now I only need to pick up an occasional backing or background fabric and I'm good to go. It's nice to shop in the convenience of your sewing room.