I tend to buy my fabrics online when they are having sales. Thought their prices are already lower than local fabric stores, I still wait for a good sale and then purchase 2-5 yds of each. Same goes for the quilting thread. As all my quilts are made as gifts I try to find the lowest prices without lowering the quality of the fabrics. I try to use up scraps from the previous quilt into the next quilt. Right now I'm looking to make placemats using fruit and veggie fabrics I acquired for a Brick & Stone quilt I have on the frame right now. Its fabric I doubt if I'll ever use it again so making placemats for someone who loves to garden would fit the bill in my book.
So far from my scrap bucket I've made up 6 oversized lap quilts 60 x 75 so I call these my freebie quilts. One quilt that's waiting to be quilt has a backing made up of all the fabric leftovers and most of the quilt top came from my stash too.