I cant seem to figure this out !! I am a musician, which means funds are very TIGHT ..... I have a stash of fabric .. nothing over a yard ( only a few pieces ) that sits 1.5 feet high ......
When I find a project I want to do .... I usually squeeze out enough $ to buy fabric for the project ..... How the heck do you build a stash ?!??! I thought maybe if I bought 1/2 yd of one fabric for the stash .... but then they then wouldnt coordinate !!!
Any secrets ?

I just buy fabric I like when I see it on sale. Shop hops are a great time to accumulate.

I over buy when I'm making a quilt. The extra goes to my stash. I buy remanents (sp?) of whatever strikes my fancy. A few friends pass on fabric they don't want, etc. I just let it happen. I don't work too hard at it. I am a scrappy quilter so just about anything will work.:)

check out trying to make a few scrappy quilts. you don't need coodernating fabrics to make a scrappy work.....just put those pinks next to that lime green and that rich purple next to that orange. yes, it sounds so wrong but scrappy quilts always turn out wonderful

Bonnie Hunter has a PERFECT website with the most PERFECT directions for the most PERFECT quilts.....trust me, I've made all of them....several times!!

http://quiltville.com/

find some quilting friends and split yardage with them or go hog wild with fat quarters. you get a little bit for a little price but then with scrappy quilts, a little goes a long long way!!

jodi in leavenworth

I buy one yard cuts for stash buillding. I get them from joannes with 50% off coupons or during their sales, thrift stores, yard sales, garage sales, even on craigslist. eBay has some great fabrics too! Even though they may not cordinate it's just to build a stash. Don't expect to get coordinating fabrics this way, you may get lucky and come across a few in the same line but for those of us who like scrappy this is a great way for us to get varieties at the cheapest cost.

I don't have a stash like many of the quilters on here, but I feel I have quite a lot. Sometimes, when fat quarters or yardage is on sale, I buy them just to buy them - often within the same Collection, but not always. I do this because I then have fabric that I would have Never picked out - and am always glad I have it to go to. It has expanded my comfort zone. In the days when I was on a tight budget, I couldn't do this of course. But if you save all your scraps, your stash will grow and soon you'll turn around and say, "now, what am I going to do with all this fabric?!" String quilts and scrappies and crazies, oh My! :-)

I tend to buy blenders more now for my stash, and ofcourse prints that scream out at me :wink:
If you have blenders, they can be paired with many different fabrics. Black is another staple as well as white on whites. :D:D:D

I do most of my shopping at walmart. I always look for the fabric on clearance and the remnants. I can't afford most regular prices. I have gotten some really nice stuff for a dollar yard, 100% cotton with a very nice tight weave. I also buy from others on the QB in the classifieds. Before you know it will appear to be multiplying on it's own.

I also want to add that I shop thrift shops and yard sales a lot.

It may seem slow going now, but enjoy the entire process and before long you'll have bins overflowing.

Whatever shop I get to go to, the first place I head is the remnant bin. Have fun!

For a while I bought like they weren't going to produce fabric any more. Then I got to the point of not knowing what I had. I think some people do better than others with with stash method. I tend to do better buying what I need for a project. I just gave a lot away because I was stressed having stuff I didn't know what I was going to do with - Sales are good but it really gets expensive.

Stash is only useful if you're going to use it ---- unless you want a pile of fabric for the sake of having a stash.
For me, the fun of fabric is trying to fit what I have to a pattern, and what I have is mostly the result of garage sales and second-hand stores.

I love scrap quilts, so I tend to but fat quarters,in a big varity when I can!

I started out buying online when I was recoverying from a kidney transplant - I discovered fabric, designers and great deals. I signed up for a bazillion newsletters from quiltshops. I built up way too much of a stash --- well beyond my means. I had to sell some of it, donate a lot (which made me feel better about my purchase). At the moment I am on a total spending freeze. I have plently of scraps, some stash and lot's of solids. I seriously used to buy scraps. My friend told me that is the equilivent of buying items at the goodwill to sell at a garage sale. I don't quite agree with her but when I am not on a spending freeze (as I am not) I only buy what I need for the quilt I am making and that's it. No more shopping to build stash :-( .... geez I can ramble. Sorry for the long answer I think I am having fabric buying withdrawls ;-)

In answer to your question, the more projects you do the more your stash will build from the leftovers and the more scraps you will have for a lovely scrap quilt ;-)

Stash building is one of the few things in life I seem to not have any problems doing. Hm, when you say you select a project and then you go out and buy fabric for it....don't you pick from your stash first and supplement what is missing? That is what I would do. If you always just buy more fabric without any regard to what you already have, your tower will simply continue to grow. OR rather than picking a pattern - pick a few fabrics and find a patter to use with them? Whatever you chose - have fun.

I can SO relate to this :-)

I worked at Hobby Lobby for a year *moonlighting* so I could build up a stash. I certainly didn't make any money...lol...I had my paycheck spent before I got it. But I managed to build over 5000 yards of fabric.

Let me know what type of fabric interests you..I'd be willing to send you off a "starter stash" pack.

I have mostly novelty prints, in most every theme you can think of.

5000 yards?? Wow!!! I can't imagine. Have pictures?

Lack of self control.

I'm new also, what is a blender?

If you are on a budget go to yard sales and second hand stores,you will be surprized how much you can find,a few years back at a yard sale a lady was selling her fabric stash by the tote I bought a huge one for $20,and felt like a kid in a candy store when I got home and was able to sort thruogh it.

Oh how I wish I had your problem. I have so much fabric it's taking over the house!! I AM A FABRICHOLIC AND I DON'T WANT TO BE CURED! I buy fabric everywhere I go.

I began quilting this year and have never been lucky enough to find fabric at yard sales, etc, so have to look for sales at Joann's, and online. Some of us just have to be patient and our "stash" will begin to grow. If I had known a few years ago that I would love quilting, I'm sure I would have a nice collection of fabrics to choose from by now.

I usually find my STASH at yard sales & Good Will. It's not always my choice of fabrics but I do make scrappy quilts with them & look nice after they're quilted.

I am on a very tight budget and have not been able to purchase any new material for a while now so I have been using up the things I had and you will be surprised at the things you can come up with. Of course I rarely use a pattern like that just start and see what happens.

Yard sales and Goodwill are good places to find cheap fabric. I went to one yard sale where the kids were selling their deceased mothers tools, sewing machines, fabric and everything else they could sell. I bought several BOLTS of fabric for $1.00 each.

When funds are tight, I have found thrift stores, yard sales, etc. may have pieces of material. Also, a quilt guild generally has scraps that members bring in, anyway mine does and I have gotten lots of good pieces there. Of course, I am a scrap quilter. I also belong to another quilt group where people drop off material they no longer want or from an estate and I have collected a lot from that. So look around, there are lots of ways to collect fabric inexpensively.

I used to buy several yards of one fabric at a time just because I loved it but with no specific project in mind. Now I mostly buy for specific projects because my taste does change. Since moving upcountry, the only exception I make is if I see a fabric I love I will buy enough (even precuts) to make a handbag. Because I get specific color requests for handbags, this helps cut down on my trips to LQS (45-min to 1-hour away) and waiting for online deliveries.... which saves me money and time and I can get the handbag in the mail a lot faster.

I started mine by just buying what I liked and then anything I liked that was on sale. I have one LQS thats about 45 minutes away that when they have a sale I make sure Iam the first one at the door, because their sales are so fantastic. Since I have retired I have made alot of things from my stash, and let me tell you my stash has traveled from CT, to FL, to TX and its still growing.

For me buying fabric was always a visceral thing. I saw a fabric that had oooohhhhaaahhhh appeal and I bought it. Later I would decide what to make with it. Now I have a really too much stash (it is a storage thing) so I am doing only stash quilts for a year. I have to say sometimes when I was making a quilt I would want say a blue and with over a hundred pieces of blue I could not seem to find the right blue so had to shop. Sometimes I would see a focus fabric and buy coordinates to go with. Then I would bundle them together for later use...I must admit I still have a lot of those bundles..Just use what you have, buy what you can and the stash will come eventually.

I bet my stash is 3 - 4 ft high or better. When buying my fabric I try to buy a bit more...if it calls for 1/2 a yd then I will buy a full yd. And of course I try to buy everything on sale, but most of my stash has been bought at a couple of our local thrift stores. You have to go on a fairly regular basis to find it, but I can get anywhere from a couple of yds to 3, maybe 4 yds for $3 or $4.

Buying fabric can (has) become an obsession. Lucky for me, my 27 year old granddaughter has taken to quilting like you wouldn't believe. I started her off a year ago with a 30 year old Pfaff and a bunch of material from my stash. You can see some of her results. In the Spring, I will drive to Colorado and take her all of my stash that she picks out on her Christmas trip here. I am so proud of her.

I am trying not to build too much of a stash. It seems that nothing in my stash is quite right for new pattern. I try to buy fabric that is to be used for a specific pattern. It seems to be easier for my to buy pattern and then material to make. Aren't a lot of us tight with money?

You being a musician and most likley appreciate the art that goes into something like a quilt. As long as you are not hung up on perfection and types of materials like 100% cottons and high quality fabrics from famous designers.(don't take offense anyone these fabrics are top notch and outstanding if you can afford them,I am only speaking to those on a buget here)
Back on track here lol, Any way if you are the creative artistic , throw caution to the wind type you can make quilts for fun with about anytype of fabrics and not even worry bout matcy matchy;) .As said before yard sales, flea markets thrift stores etc. I have never paid more than 2.99 for an entire quilt backing. That is including a king size. I find sheets all the time at the local good will. never more than 2.99!

Jodi, I followed your quiltville address and spent over an hour looking at all the crumb quilts that were made and followed all the tutorials. What a delightful time. I have always been too sure I followed all the "rules", and frankly, some of my stuff is quite boring. I'm going to really get into my stash of scraps and just "wing it" and see what I get. I know I will cringe putting purple and orange together so I'll just go and get another cup of coffee.

I agree with all the other scrappy quilters. I am one. You can do a controlled scrappy. Say your block has 4 colors. Say yellow, cream, blue and green. You can use all kinds of fabric for each color. I built my stash mostly by buying half or 1 yard lenghts. Also the precuts from connecting threads are great and very reasonably priced.

I have a huge collection of fabric. I know what my favorite colors are and I know that I like calico prints so I buy those and fabric that will blend with my favorites. I also buy 100% cotton. I rarely get wild, it doesn't work for me so I usually give "wild" away. "Wild" meaning it just isn't me.

It is a tone on tone fabric or a fabric that has a few mottled colors mixed so they can be "blended" in with those colors in a quilt. They are often used as background in blocks to help the pattern stand out.

Why are you trying to build a stash? If you are a quiltmaker, stashes just seem to happen! I love scrap quilts and sometimes can't find enough. Bonnie Hunter is the best for scrap quilts. If you get an opportunity to attend to attend one of her lectures, don't miss it. Happy piecing!

Yard or garage sales but usually Estate Sales, means the kids are disposing of the Old Folks belongings and maybe Mom was t quilter. Also ask to be called by local Thrift stores when they get fabrics in. You won't always be successful but you also just might hit the jackpot.