Fabric stash
 

What's the best way to build up our fabric stash? Do you stash up yardages or pre-cuts? I have the tendency to do both, buy FQs or jelly rolls of my favourite collections, then 1-2 yards of nice fabrics from the same collection. Not sure if this is the right way to build up my stash though!

I do the same thing. I buy from a fabric collection. I buy a layer cake or jelly roll or a fat quarter bundle and some yardage from the collection so I can make a complete quilt top from that line. I have many fabric collections. I even buy charms. But I always buy yardage to go with whatever precut I buy. I also buy 5 1-yard cuts for "It takes Five" patterns. You need five 1-yard cuts to make the patterns. It's easier for me when I find a quilt shop and don't know what to buy.

This is a good question. Looking at my stash I am overwhelmed by how it all got here. I always buy a little more of a fabric for every project. I also buy a yard or two of a fabric if I really like it and hope to find a pattern to use it in, which prompts me to find more coordinating fabrics. I have been given fabrics by people who know I quilt and I have picked up some free fabrics at my library. I also buy kits which usually provide extra fabric just in case of a mistake or two. The same goes for fat quarters and jelly rolls. :o)

I don't buy precuts or jelly rolls usually. I just buy fabric that I love, usually just a yard, I have lots of variety but really not a great amount of yardage total. Of course these last 4 years have really made it hard for me to buy much. Hope things get better.

Until recently, most of my sewing was valances, curtains, baby bed sets, diaper bags, purses and hot pads. But, I have always had a "Fabric Addidction". I usually buy 2 yd pieces and have amassed a fortune in fabric. I just buy what I love (on sale). Ebay, online, quilting shops, fabric stores, etc. If I pet it, I buy it! :)

My mother says I see things differently than most people and can't help "changing" things as go along.

I buy fabric on sale. Hobby Lobby has sale fabric all the time and my LQS usually has $4 or $5 a yard bolts of discontinued fabrics. I buy 1 to 3 yards of good pieces from those. I also buy fat quarters, jelly rolls, layer cakes, and charm squares. That has built up my stash. I am also bad about buying kits. I have many of those. I have made myself buy less this year. I'm finishing quilts instead of buying.

I would not stash lines of fabric, personally. If I like them I buy them for a particular project (which may not happen for some time - I guess that makes it stash eventually :) ). My "stash" is all fabric found on sale which (hopefully) I can mix & match later. As others have said, I tend to buy a bit over the requirement, so that becomes stash. And other than that, I haunt the sales and buy fabric that fits my "type" which I can use later (I'm a tone-on-tone quilter almost exclusively, so I'd never stash prints).

I've always been one that when I get into a craft I go all in. Quilting is the one I wish I had waited to build my stash when I figured out what types of quilts I like to make. I thought quilts were only made with small floral prints and nothing bright. I love bright colors, batiks, and like to mix traditional prints with batiks.

I heartily agree! I've been sewing forever, but took up quilting a few years ago. Didn't have a lot of quality cottons for quilts. So I just started collecting things I liked. I love blue and knew I wanted to make a blue and white quilt someday. I have made my blue and white quilt, two of them, and still have enough blue and white fabrics to outfit a dormitory with quilts! Now that I've been quilting for a while I know more of the things I like to use over an over again. It's hard to make the most intelligent decisions about what to buy or "stash" until you've made enough quilts to know your habits. Start slowly and maybe you won't wind up with a bunch of fabric you've spent your hard-earned pennies on and yet may never use.

I have 2 jelly rolls and the rest is yardage. I just love fabric and if I see some I like I buy it. (Probably won't be there next time I go to the shop). I have so much fabric now I need to use some up.

I buy the fabrics I love ... those things that catch my eye with no idea of a project for it. Those are the ones that end up in my stash. I do buy pre-cuts occasionally, but they rarely end up in my stash. And I apparently have this thing for fat quarters - I have tons of them. They are absolutely wonderful for a variety of things - lately I'm into fat quarter quilts, so I have quite a head start on them.

I think the biggest quilting mistake I made years ago was to buy fabric without a plan. Now I have tons of fabric I dont know how to use it or there isnt enough or too much for a project that leaves an odd amount leftover. And now I cant justify buying any new stuff because of the loads of stuff purchased previously. Like clothing fabric goes out of style. I would love to buy the new batiks but just resist. Fabric stashes can become very burdensome.

when i shop for a specific project i purchase 1/2- 1 yard ( or more if i love it think i will use it alot) extra - that way i have extra if i make any mistakes- and i have some to add to the fabric shelves.
if i am purchasing fabric just because i love it & think i will use it in the future i pick up 2-3 yards...more if it is a good background fabric i think i would use alot of (if the price is a deal)
i don't generally purchase pre-cuts- once in a while a charm pack if i want a little piece of a whole collection- or if i am using yardage of a collection and i want to add small amounts of the complete collection- i don't consider pre-cuts part of my stash- i seldom buy fabric just to add to my stash- i buy it for a purpose & enjoy the left-overs :D

I never thought of a quilter deliberately building a stash. I know many of us has very substantial stashes (myself included), but I have no idea how it got there. Buy what you like, and hope you still like it when you make something from it. :o

Linda

I have always thought that "stash happens".

Missouri Star Quilting is a great way to build your stash. The Daily Specials did it for me.

Inherit fabric, accept gifts of scraps from friends, buy at garage sales or thrift shops. There are many ways to build a stash. I do also buy fabrics at quilts shops, Walmart, JoAnns, etc. but it is sometimes necessary to go a cheaper route if you are on a fixed income. You can use good parts of cast off clothing, linens, as well. I love making bags out of pillowcases and embellishing with parts of old embroidered linens. Yes, I have a stash of old linens, men's ties, goldwashed and sparkly fabrics for embellishment as well. Think outside the box!

I'm brand new at quilting, so the ideas are coming fast and furious with a variety of colorways. I am spending way too much time on the internet buying 1/2 yards of things that I like. My plan at the moment is to work with those colors, and then go back and buy backing and solids that will work with my color schemes. I am also a knitter, so stashing is very familiar territory for me, and planning projects is half the fun. I just finished my first quilt, and will post a picture when I look up how to make that happen.
Mary Ann in St. Louis MO

I don't know where all my stash came from but,personally I think they multiply like bunnies!!:p

I don't mean to hyjack the thread, but, about how many different fabrics are in a jelly roll or charm pack. Haven't ever bought either one. I like to buy the fabric then cut the strips or squares myself. It seems like it would be less expensive.

I have a small stash, I buy at garage sales or goodwill. I have some that was given to me and have some I've bought. I'm going by a ladies house Fri and pick up some scraps she advertized on the swap shop on radio.

I make a lot of t-shirt quilts and like to put a colorful border around each block. For that it usually takes about half of a fat quarter, so I stock up on a variety of fat quarters whenever they go on sale at JoAnn's for 99 cents or less. I've also bought several charm packs, layer cakes and jelly rolls from Missouri Star Quilt Co online, but haven't gotten around to using any of them just yet. When I find a good sale on fabric that I think would look great as the back-side of a baby quilt, I'll usually pick up 2 yards of it. I also like to use my 50% off JoAnn coupon to buy 8-10 yards of fabric that I know will be good to use as sashing in just about any quilt.

I will be adding quite a bit to my stash this month. My LQS is going out of business and everything is 50% off this month until she closes the doors the end of the month. It's very sad since this shop has been my 2nd home for a couple of years.