Depends on if you like quilts with say five patterns to them or ones with mixed patterns but similiar color schemes. When I dont have a project in mind to appease my fabric urge I buy 1/2 yrd pieces or 1 yrd at the most so that I have something I enjoyed and will one day find a use for it. Be more frugal? buy a fat quarter of something.. usually I do mixed fabrics in my quilts so this works. You dont want to end up with 3 yrds of something you might never touch because there is no project that comes to mind. Maybe shop patterns instead? window shopping those in a quilt store is awfully fun too.