If I see something I really like and the price isn't terrible (19.98 a yard) I buy 4 or 5 yards. If it's too expensive I wait for it to go on sale. I learned my lesson when I bought 3 yards of a material I fell in love with and when I found the perfect quilt pattern for it I needed 4 yards. Of course it was sold out so I had to punt and change the pattern. Oh well, we live and learn.