I, too have sticker shock when I go into the LQS..... most fabrics are $11 and up. My stash doesn't always give me what I want so it's off to shopping for another piece of yardage. The UFOs that I have been working on usually cost me $50 and up to finish..... Arghh!!
I do find some nice fabric at estate sales and try to pick up anything that I think I'll use. I have been very lucky to find some nice things.... and usually they are priced more than reasonable. So, the stash is a nice size and whatever I have to buy to finish up something is not as bad as it would be if I were getting everything for a quilt at the LQS.