I was wondering if you all gathered your stash from left overs from projects or do you buy stuff cause you like it? Fabric.com sends me daily emails of there sales. I feel like an addict as I have to force myself to delete it. If I dont I spend hours just buying a yard of this and that just cause I like the fabric. I cant possibly be alone in this.....am I???? :lol:

I usually buy stuff because I like it, and usually when I am looking for something else entirely!! :-)

I also cannot resist eBay fabrics....what a selection!! It's dangerous to go on there!! :-)

I have a huge stash gathered from garage sales, thrift stores, and when I see a super good sale price. I have only paid full price once or twice for something very special. I just organized it and I'm not going to buy any more till I get it down to half of the volume! ( I saw that lady on TV)It took years to get all this fabric and with prices going up I'm in good shape to keep quilting.

the prices going up has be really worried. so when I see cotton print fabric at 3.95 a yard, how can I resist? I have no plans for the material I buy, but I do like to look at it. LOL at least I will have a variety.

I usually find something that just calls to me when I'm looking for something else; much like jljack. Buy on sale mostly, very little regular price. I love a bargain!

I have run out of room so I have to stop buying - heavy sigh. Well - unless it is something I need for a project. At that point, of course I buy what matches/fits. When it's just me, I buy what I like (or used to anyway).

I am a bargin shopper. I don't like to pay full price unless it is a super special fabric or I absolutely NEED it to complete a project. My Joanne's fabric in town just moved locations, so they liquidated the old store, I got tons of fabs at 50-90% off the already sale price! I am in the "using" mode right now. My cabinet won't hold anymore.

I know a lot of people really like stashing blenders and patterns that "speak" to them.
My theory: If it feels right, do it. If you feel guilty after you buy it, then maybe its a time to cut back and cut into your stash.

I buy fabric when I see something I like but only at tax time. I'm really buying right now because in march the prices are gonna shoot up again.

When I began quilting a few years ago, I bought what I needed for the project I was working on, and built stash by buying FQ of stuff that looked interesting. These came in handy for small bargello projects I worked on. Just lately, I've been paying attention to the discount my LQS offers for "finish the bolt" and buying stuff (especially batiks) by the yardage (usually about 2 yards). Also been buying both yardage and FQ from folks here on QB!!

Until recently (last year and half) most of my stash was FQ. I would buy a few at the time that I liked. But as I was approaching retirement, I began to think in yardage. Still most of my stash is from yard sales and thrift shops. Right now I am looking for a bargain on black. I got almost a bolt at Joanne's 50% off but now it is almost gone.

Anytime I walk into a store and it is on sale or if I decide "I have to have it"! Once a week I go to thrift stores also and look. I have found some real bargins.

so when you just buy what you like, how much do you usually buy? 1 yard? 5?

Depends on what size quilts your likely to make. I don't make anything larger than lap size or twin, so 3 yrs. of main fabric is usually enough. Then maybe a yd. or 2 of coordinating fabrics. Currently I shop in my closet, but I used to make the rounds to the LQS sales before the went out of business.

Oh no, I am sure you are not alone.
I try not go fabric shopping very often because if I see something I really like----oops, there goes at least 3 yards off the bolt into my shopping bag.

I also like to finish the bolt---so I have been know to buy 6 yards if I really really like it and the bolt is close to the end.
I restrain myself pretty well these days.
What helps me is if I am shopping online, I go ahead and put it in my cart--then when I see the total--YIKES---I delete all the items. Silly, huh?
chris

My stash has taken years to build up. The way I started was to pick up fat quarters of different colors, from light to dark, when I saw what I liked. I do mostly scrappy (controlled scrappy) quilts and a lot of applique (with several shades of one color in a flower, for example) so small pieces has worked great for me. When I start a new quilt, I usually only have to buy the background fabric and borders. If you do quilts with just a couple of fabrics in them then you would need to buy bigger pieces. Often I will see a fabric that I know I will use for a border or background, then I will buy more.

Depends on how much money I have and the price of the fabric.

I just have a love affair with fabric!!! I have a tendency to just buy fabric for no purpose or reason, other than I love it! I don't have a lot. I would say my stash is very small when compared to most quilters. I think with the prices of cotton fabrics going up, I will really add to my stash when I can.

My first real stash started at the AQS show in Paducah many years ago. We went to Hancock's for the first time and we all went wild!!!!!!
Now, it just started multiplying as I slept, much like many others on the board have said :D:D

I buy some that I just can't live without, a little more than I need of most purchases and some just for backgrounds and fillers.

My stash is pretty small, but it happened by accident. I buy fabric for a specific purpose (usually). If I later decide I don't really want to do that project, so the fabric is added to the stash. Of course, since I have plans for that fabric (even though I may not remember what that purpose was any more), I can't use it. I do break that rule from time to time, but not often enough.

When on sale, when I like it, just because!

I don' t need a reason, didn't kow I needed one! (Haha)

I buy fabric, if I have a special project, also when I am in the mood, when I see great sales, just because. I need to rearrange my closet so I can get more in before the prices goes up! I have convinced myself, I still have room for twice as much as what I have! It is fun having a stash!

I buy what I like. I'm trying to only buy what I truly need. I HAVE to use some of my stash before getting more. However, it's nice to be able to go into my sewing room and have everything I need for a quilt.