msquilter59

It really depends on how addicted you become to fabric! hehe

sharkee

I buy fat quarters a lot for applique and whenever I buy yardage I also round up. Then I buy whatever talks to me at the store saying Take Me Home Please. LOL

Melrose R

AMEN to that! Holy seam ripper, that is so true!

clynns

My daughter and I went on an Ohio Shop Hop, that's where you get in the car and drive to 10-15 shops hopefully all in one day. (Yes it can be done!). We went to one that had a beautiful bright border that looked like it came from India. But we couldn't find the fabric anywhere. We walked into one of the shops on the tour and on our way out (we asked for the fabric at EVERY shop) I saw IT! It was a full bolt and I grabbed it and held on tight. I yelled for my daughter and she said how much do you want? I said at least 7 yards, she said I'll take the rest! This is how it starts.
Sometimes you go to bed, and the fabric fairy's get up in the middle of the night and make more fabric. Usually, you do online shop hops and see sales that are meant to 'entice' you. It works. When you see just the right color of coral or teal and know that it goes with that hard to find border - you buy it. Soon, your fabric has had little baby's. What starts out as lint, ends up costing a mint! I made a funny. LOL
Like someone said....enjoy the process. You'll know when it happens....

luvTooQuilt

If I like it I buy a yard...
If I love it I buy three yards...
If I can't live without it, I buy the whole bolt...


I usually buy lots of neutrals, blenders, solid, and non themed fabrics just to have on hand. As these will not go out of style and as you will notice neutral get used up alot.. I'd never get less than 1/2 yard cuts unless or was all they had.

Start with a color and build on that.. Then work on the next color. Bit seriously it will not take long to build a stash!!

DebQuilter50

Is it weird to keep thinking about a fabric that you saw, and wish you had bought? I guess I just need to buy it so I can sleep at night - AND it sounds like my stash will grow, but I need to be patient!

lots2do

Ahh, no, it's not weird. Well, I would say that since I have one I keep thinking about and need to find it again!

Jennifer22206

It just happens. See, there are these two fat quarters that you bought, and then you were a bad fabric mommy and you left them alone in the dark.. and the next day you heard the call. There were twins. Then those twins needed more fabric and they had triplets. :D

Trust me, it grows. If you decide that you might want to do a scrap quilt, and you keep your scraps, it grows exponentially.

If I like it - I buy a yard and a half.
If I love it - I buy 2/3 yards (depending on price)
If I can't live without it - I buy as much as I can afford.

If you shop sales, shop remnant bins, shop thrift stores and Goodwill, or online, or EBay, or swaps. If you swap with people you'll have to get fabric to match. :D

didi

Mine started with buying 1-2 yds at a time at Hancocks when they had a sale, friends knew I was starting to quilt, so they gave me fabric, went to thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales are great..seems like once you start looking for cotton fabric, you fine all kinds, like hitting you in the face LOL and then the next thing you know, you are saving money just for buying fabric. I also joined a swap link and thats alot of fun too.

mhollifiel

One thing no one has mentioned is colorways. You might develop fabrics in certain colors that are just "you." One of my quilting buds is all into jewel tones. I love earth tones. Your stash will begin to grow around your colors and style. BUT you will find odd prints and colors that you just have to have.These will add the WOW factor to your quilts. I do have crayon colors in my stash and they aren't the least bit earthy. I don't have cats but there are dogs, horses and farm animals in my stash. . .oh yes, monkeys too!
Now you are going to bring home lots of yards of something you wonder later why you bought. These are called backing!!
As to amounts, if you find a steal and can afford it and absolutely love it, you buy it all or 6-7 yards. If it's a deal and might work, a yard or two . . .and a half. If it's do die for, price matters little so you buy the largest amount your favorite pattern calls for. In my case 3 1/2 yards. . . at least!
Finally, for me I have to have a yellow gold and a small black and white stripe always at hand. For some reason, these in small doses can empower my otherwise ho hum charity quilts.
Have fun and share your stash building journey with us. We all love to be jealous when you SCORE as you have no doubt noticed!