I used to buy 3 yard pieces but since I'm usually buying for stash rather than a specific project, I've gotten into trouble with not having what I need. Now I buy 3-5 yards at a time. It all looks nice stacked on the shelves.
I'll probably never live long enough to finish all of the projects that are works in progress, so have decided shopping from my stash is the way to go. Unfortunately, I can never find just the "right" piece or don't want to risk cutting it up and then finding another use of it I like better. Seems like maybe I'm not really a quilter -- more a fabric collector.
It's a good thing just me and the dogs- no one to complain and I have a quilter's last will, etc. so it will all go somewhere worthwhile when I'm gone.