EllieGirl

I've looked at many of the pictures on here and am amazed at how much fabric I see. I've been quilting just a year and buy fabric for each project as I go. Do you all watch for sales and buy to stock up, are these leftovers from other projects? I'm organizing my sewing room now and bookmarked one picture I liked for fabric storage. But I look at it and wonder how I could afford all of the fabric.

BluegrassGurl

I have been sewing for years..... and have often bought fabric with good intentions of a new project... which never came to fruition.... (head hanging in shame). Also, I have come across some excellent buys at yard sales or estate auctions. Now.... I'm on a fabric diet and go to my stash first to use what I need and only purchase if absolutely have to. And last but not least.... I just LOVE fabric!!!! I look at it and see sooooo many possibilities.

karenpatrick

I'm always amazed at how many fabrics that I see on this board that I have as well. Makes me feel like we all have such good taste!

Lori S

I good stash happens over time.... for most of us years and decades. Shopping the sales and buying that fabulous must have fabric does accumulate since most of us... our planned projects or aspirations far exceeds our actual productivity. It really boils down to the a basic fundimental formula ...more input... not enough output=accumualtion/stash.
Yes some of the accumulation comes from leftovers from projects or a change of plans from concept to implimentation.
Just like any other accumulation it happens over time, not overnight... or even in just a year or two. I have stash that dates back 20 years, or more ....purchased with good intentions but just never made it into a final project.
There are issues with the unbalance of "too much input not enough output", such as changing tastes.. what once was a great piece got to have met its newer better got to have fabric... and the stash just keeps getting bigger.

Tartan

I have a nice size stash and I've bought most of it on sale over the years. If I liked a fabric and it was on sale, I bought a m/yd. If I loved it, I bought 3 m/yd. Now that my stash is good, I buy fat quaters of fabric I love and get one with the selvage info. so if I want more later I might be able to find it. I say might because it seems lately that if you don't buy this seasons fabric, it's gone before you know it. I am also glad I have a good stash because of the new bigger prints. I like the big prints but they don't seem to lend themselves too well to intricately pieced patterns. They do look lovely in the bigger block formats. The longer you quilt, the better your stash will be.

Gramie bj

I have been sewing and crafting all my life, I still have some pieces left over from my wedding dress, dresses I made for my daughters, ultra swade( cowboy chaps for my son), fabric I recieved from my grandmother, some from yard sales, sales on QB, some bought for future project and changed my mind, Some bought just because I really liked it, and I always over buy the yardage because I live so far from my LQS and Joann's that if I need more I know it will be gone by the time I get back to get it. Your stash will build over time time. My stash started about the time I made my first doll cloths, about 60 years ago LOL and it is still going and growing. I do go to my stash first when I start a new project.

crafty pat

I have been saving fabric for years, a lot is left over from other projects but I am bad about seeing something I love and buying and not having any idea what to do with it. I buy for projects I never start and it gets put into the stash. I love beautiful fabric and when I find one I think I can't live without I buy it. After a few years you have a stash.

donnajean

I have a stash that was mostly created when I 1st got into quilting & was still working. I went to all the quilt shop sales. With the cotton prices what they are now, I either shop in my own closet or buy only what the pattern calls for. I've even been trying to find new homes for some of my stash as I don't want everything to be trashed when I die. I don't have any relatives interested in quilting.

almond

I used to buy fabric ahead, but I found I did't have enough, wrong color, changed my color interest, the list can go on and on. A few years back I decided not to buy anything bigger then a fat quarter. If I decided on a project, then I would buy the fabric needed plus a little extra for mistakes.

My stash comes from left overs, fat quarters and inherited fabric from my Mom & sister that I use on backs or community quilts. I have only 1 cabinet full of this. I don't like clutter.

Scissor Queen

I don't have a monster stash but it's nice sized. I do buy fabrics just because I love them and know I want to use them in a future project. When I buy just for stash I buy anywhere from fat quarters up to 10 yards depending on what the likely use is. For blenders and designs where I'm likely to use several of one color I buy up to 1 yard lengths. For fabrics that I think will end up being a single supporting player I buy 2 or 3 yards. For focus fabrics I usually get 4 yards. If I think it's a great background neutral I buy anything from a 1/6th yard roll to 6 yards. For backing fabrics I almost always buy 8 yards. That way it'll work for the back of anything up to a queen size quilt. I don't buy a lot of fabric often though. I usually only buy big amounts of fabric two or three times a year at the most.