I built my stash by checking out fabric in every store I went into. I did purchase a lot of clearanced material at JoAnns and WalMart. WalMart actually had some nice material at one time, then they decided to stop selling it at a lot of their stores, but that decision backfired on them so they brought it back but not like they had years ago. I am not a fabric snob, it doesn't have to say Moda or Andover or any other big name. If I like the pattern and the color and as long as it feels nice and is that thin, flimsy stuff I would purchase it. My mom said that I should buy several yards if I saw something I liked, but I think because she sewed clothing she told me that. I now realize that you don't have to purchase more than 1/2 to 1 yard of anything, unless it's something really, really nice and can be used with many different fabrics do I buy more now. Like some other quilters I am now donating many pcs of fabric to a local place that makes quilts and pillow cases for children with cancer and also to shelters. No one builds a stash in a few weeks, it takes years.