When I first started quilting the only "stash" I had was from sewing clothes for myself and my daughter. Then I did a scrappy basket quilt, so I bought small amounts of lots of fabrics to add to the fabric left over from my daughter's quilt. I bought too much (is there really too much fabric?) blue and black through a miscalculation, however, there was enough to make my son a triple Irish chain in blue and black (maybe I was planning that all along) and so the stash grew. Now that we are retired albeit reluctantly, through illness, I am so grateful that when I was working and had the money I would buy fabrics on sale, always buying a little more than needed, except for basics like white, beige, black, etc. as those I would always buy 2 -4 yds. at a time. I hate having to stop a project to go shopping because I didn't have enough of anything to finish the project. Now I am using my "stash" to make quilts, table runners, placemats and my newest "obsession" bags, going to the store only to get fabrics I need to make those projects. I had to purge nearly half of my fabric when we moved to an apt., giving it to my dearest friend, who then took what she wanted and then passed on fabrics to another friend who makes charity quilts for hospitalized children, so it's not going to waste and I know where it went. I did, however, have to draw a line in the sand, telling my husband and son that I was not going to part with any more fabric. They certainly haven't objected to the things I make for their new house, and things for Zoe our DGD. LOL.