Ditto.

I consider all of the above but right now, unless it's for someone/something extra-special, price wins out in the end.

All these ways. I buy sometimes by impulse because I see something that just catches me or by color when I am working on something specific.

Pattern, designer and price.

I am an impulse buyer. I see something I like and I buy it. Too many times I have walked away from a fabric I loved only to kick myself later on and have to search the internet for it. I do have a stash that needs to be used, so no trips to LQS because I know I will buy more. I figure if I don't see it I won't buy it.

Have to agree! Price can change the looks of a piece of fabric! LOL

all of the above! :)

Color, pattern, impulse.

MsDesigns

I tend to purchase mine by need, at this point one day I might have a stash built up. However when I do buy my fabric I always buy extra!

TreeFrog

All of the above. Sometimes I buy it because it calls my name over and over again while I'm in the store. I use it all eventually.

I buy for specific projects and always kit them up at home so everything is together. I don't keep stash. My brain doesn't work that way!:)

I only go to the store (G Street Fabric) when their 25% sale is on.

I stroll through the stacks/shelves and see what I'm attracted to. Sometimes it's a new collection; sometimes it's a particularly lovely mix/blend of colors.

I also force myself to seek colors that I am not usually drawn to but that complement those colors that I am drawn to.

I put out bolts and bolts of fabric on the cutting table and I mix them around until I "see" a vision for what I want to create-- at least in terms of color and print. I have NO idea at this time what the quilt will look like.

I purchase what I hope will be enough (I'm getting better at this), take it home, throw it in the wash, fold it up, add it to my stash. At these times, I usually take out my entire stash (no where near as large as the quilters here) and re-arrange what I've got into new groupings, seeking "just the right" combo. I may then go through my various quilting books, and the patterns I've saved on my computer and see if anything jumps out at me.

Most of the time, I group the fabrics for the selected project, and then put everything away.

Sheesh... writing this makes me laugh pretty hard.

All of the above.

Price here too.

Never by impulse, my pocketbook would never be able to withstand that!
I usually have a quilt in mind for someone in my family. I look for colors and cost. I try to find sales of course, and have a price I am willing to pay for good quality fabric.

Sometimes I just wander through the material isles. I may see something that catches my eye. I will not buy at that time. When I go back to the material I will pick up what caught my eye and go from there. If there are not at least 3 other colors that cordinate I will put the material back. My daughter has asked me to make her a quilt but she doesn't know what colors she wants. I have decided on making a cocoa brown, medium blue and mauve quilt. Have looked at material and nothing with those colors has found me yet so will keep looking. For my daughter I'm not to concerned with the price but for myself and just to have something to keep my busy, I go to the sale material first. JoAnn's will be my next place to look for the brown, blue and mauve material.
Rita

I usually use money!!!

Actually by color, and feel, velvets, etc.
That's just how us crazies are!
BJ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60446771@N05/

price first! All of the above really.
I love hitting the sale racks, and then there are just some fabrics that strike my fancy and I try to get a half a yard at least if it's not that expensive

I buy fabric because it is there

Price.

All of the above.

Have not bought quilt blocks on E-Bay before. However, I found some today I would like. In fact, I had purchased this lilac material at JoAnn's, plus the purple, and a green at LQS. Question: How hard is it to set up Pay Pal 'cause this Seller won't take anything but Pay Pal. Need some help here folks!

Color more than pattern. I love a good deal but the size of my stash attests to the power of impulse. I live within a few hours of Mary Jo's Fabrics. A trip down there usually results in a new pile of fabric for which I have no immediate plans. Best thing to do is stay away. ;-)

All of the above!

By impulse a lot of the time. I see a quilt that has been made and think gee I like that quilt in those colors and off I go. Have a lot of UFOs this way and am currently trying to only buy fabric for a project I am starting immediately and that has a deadline. I ten to procrastinate.

mltquilt

I'm a touchy, feely person. I usually am attracted by color first, the texture of the fabric and then the price. I rarely buy on impulse; I have learned they usually just stay in my stash. I try to buy for each quilt I am making, but if it calls for 32 fat quarters, you can bet that I will end up buying at least 40 before I get the combination that I like. That is why I have Fabric Galore.

I buy what screams at me, or jumps into my cart.... Fabric is very unruly and has a mind of it's own....And sometimes I go online and the fabric fairies take my credit card out of my wallet and purchase stuff....I am not in control....<sigh>

With a debit card 99% of the time.

I have a quilt in mind and I only buy what I need! So I would have to say...by color, by print, and by price! It has to meet all three criteria for me to actually purchase it.

Pattern and color, then price. If I'm impulsive I can get in a whole lot of trouble.

When I see something I like I pick it up and it is usually by one of three = Hoffman, Michael Miller or Marcus Bros...It's a bit of a joke around here.

by color, pattern, price and impulse

yes

I start at price then look for the pattern and color I need.

Color and pattern :lol:

Actually I use my credit/debit card or cash if I have enough. LOL

I quess most of the time by impulse. it has to "speaks" to me. When doing quilts for gifts, I go by colors the person likes, but I pick the fabric in each color that "speaks" to me

Price. There is a garage sale this coming weekend that is advertising quilt fabric. I have got to be first in line!

All of the above and maybe a few more.

All the above!

quality and when I need some for backing/borders/binding.