How much fabric do you buy?
 

I am new to quilting, so what I am asking is........When you find fabric you like what is your rule-of-thumb as to how much to buy??? I live over an hour away from a quilt shop or fabric store. When shopping I see fabrics I like but with no pattern in mind I never know how much I should get!!! Thanks for your input!

It all depends on the fabric, when I'm looking at it I usually envision projects for it.... If I think it would make great borders I buy 3 yards, if it is a basic that could be backgrounds, or used in many different quilts I buy 3-5 yards ( usually depending on how much I love it & price) if I love it but really can not think of what I would do with it I might just buy a fat quarter, or half yard, just to have it - as time goes by I always find a use for it- if I love a fabric but feel its use is limited ( great for applique or fussy cutting) I might buy 1-2 yards. Being new maybe you should browse patterns you love, see how much of different fabrics are needed and keep those amounts in mind while browsing. When you have an idea how much it takes for borders, blocks, bindings it is easier to determine how much to pick up ( plus a little extra for mistakes and stash)

It depends on what you envision to do with a piece of fabric and how much is the fabric marked down. And sadly, it depends on your budget. It is so easy to buy fabric especially if it on sale but I stay away from fabrics that are cute but probably would never use. You learn from your mistake you made in the past. Now I just buy what I need in order to finish a quilt and lean only to buying tonal batiks which I seem to use in a lot of charity quilts. I use to buy 1/4 yard cuts if I was collecting for a certain scrappy quilt. But if I was going to make a queen size quilt, then you buy the 3 to 3.5 yards. It is fun collecting fabric but just don't let your stash overwhelm you.

I usually buy 2-3 yards if I really like the fabric. I like to buy fat quarters, too, for my stash. Recently I bought some light fabric for background for a quilt I was making and the more I sewed, the more I liked the pattern. I went back and bought the rest on the bolt. The more I looked at it, I decided that I needed more so I looked around on the internet and found some more and bought all that they had. I got 20% off for finishing the bolt, so I think I have enough for awhile (9 yds). I knew that it would be gone if I waited. I've never done that before.
Sue

I usually buy at least 1 yard, sometimes 2-3 yards. However if you make mainly scrappy quilts, you could probably get by with 1/2 yard cuts. Since I usually make more modern designs, they usually use fewer fabrics in number, but require larger yardages. Also, if a fabric is the 'focus' fabric of a planned quilt, I will buy more of it (2-3 yards) and smaller cuts of the coordinating ones. But I also want to have enough for the binding, so don't forget that. If it is a fabric you can use for a backing, get 6-9 yards if it is a really good deal.

It all depends on the subject/project. If I have to travel an hour, it better be something I really want and enough of it. Better be more than the price of gas to make it worth my while. BUT I'm fortunate that I am within 5-10 minutes max of fabric stores. I always buy an extra 1/4-1/2 yd to allow for shrinkage and faux pas. A habit I've grown is to take a photo of the fabric still attached to the selvage edge. It helps to pick coordinating colors and you have the information you need if you want to purchase more. If the selvage edge doesn't have much info then take a photo of the end of the bolt (edge of the cardboard).

Way to much! I have a STASH that is way to large. I usually buy 3 yards and have found out that I sometimes need more. I have been buying up to 5 yds now if I love a fabric and what I don't use on the top I incorporate into the back.

I try not to for the most part without a project in mind the reason is because you will have an odd size for future projects. Usually if I see a fabric I like I try to find a pattern I already have that would work with it and build my own quilt kits this way

I rarely buy less than 1 yard cuts. Backgrounds/blenders I often buy the whole bolt if the price is right. Otherwise 2-3 yards of coordinates and 5 or 6 of focus fabrics. If I have a particular pattern in mind, I tend to buy an extra 1/2 to full yard for oops and binding use.

It depends so much on what kinds of quilts you're going to make (size of the quilt, how big the pieces are, how many different fabrics), and since you're new, you probably don't know yet what you'll end up doing most, and it will probably change over time.

If you weren't so far from the fabric store, I'd suggest starting by planning the quilt and buying what you need for it (plus extra in case you change your mind or make a mistake). But since it's a drive, I can see wanting to get some on hand. If it's not a strain on your budget, 3-4 yards would not be unreasonable.

I like to buy 2-3 yards, but sometimes when I'm trying to plan a quilt it ends up not being enough, yet it's way more I'd need for a scrappy quilt. That's why these days I'm going back to (TRYING TO) plan my quilts and buying what I need for them.

I've also learned to only buy fabrics that I love and not buy something just because it's inexpensive. Even if it's just some tonal fabic, I like some a lot more than others. I'll use anything in a scrappy quilt, because it doesn't matter as much and I don't have a big enough stash to be choosy, but when the quilt has only a few fabrics in it, I'm reaching for the fabrics I love.

Thank you all so much! I guess being new I really need to pick and pattern and take it with me or write down the amounts that I will need. hanks again! :)

There is really no one rule fits all when it comes to buying fabric. It is probably easier when you are first starting to use a pattern and buy fabric specific to that quilt. You'll most likely have some left over and the start of your stash. Do that often enough and you'll be able to then start buying fabric with no specific quilt/pattern in mind based on what you have in your stash and experience. You'll also develop a rhythm as to what type of quilts appeal to you, what colors etc. I have found that 1/4 yard cuts are not very versatile so I usually buy a minimum of 1/2 yard. Fat quarters are more usable so will occasionally buy a fat quarter or have the shop cut me a fat quarter. Most quilt shops will cut fat quarters at no extra charge. I rarely buy fabric for borders, bindings or backings until the quilt top is done as I like to get the feel of the quilt and audition different fabrics but that's just me.

If I'm using a pattern I always take a picture of it with me so I can visualize the fabric I pick being in the pattern. I also make a checklist of sorts so I know I've got all the material needed. Otherwise, I get so excited and distracted by all the other fabrics I loose track. Especially if I find a fabric I absolutely have to have but not on the project I'm currently shopping for. I'm a little on the frugal side so if I see a fabric I just love but don't have an exact project in mind, I usually just get a yard. I have also found that some patterns leave leeway in the amount of material listed for mistakes while others assume you will make no mistakes, the fabric cut will be precise, and you will get exactly what you need and no more out of that 1/2 yard they have listed. So I always err on the side of caution and get just a little more than listed.

More than I should. LOL

I used to buy half-yard pieces but decided that was too small and went to 1 yard. I mostly make scrappies but sometimes I want to make something more "regular" or use it for a border so now I tend to buy 2 or 3 yards at a time.

A few fabrics I buy by the entire bolt - I keep bolts of black, white, red and grey on hand; plus a bolt of thinnest white muslin I can find (used for foundation piecing crazy quilts) and a bolt of heavier 108" wide muslin in natural for backing bed quilts. I also recently picked up a bolt of navy blue solid 108" wide backing just because it's a good color for my quilts and was a real steal price-wise.

But that also means I have four large cabinets stuffed with fabric!

If I don't have anything planned for the fabric but I love it, my next consideration is the price. If it is on sale I will buy up to three yards, if it is full price, I buy one yard.

I would take the pattern with me so you can envision where the fabric would go in the quilt. Then cut a piece of the selvage off, including the color swatch dots or square and about an inch of the fabric. That way you can take the piece of selvage and the pattern on other shopping trips to get all the fabrics you need for that quilts.

I make scrappy and improvisational quilts, so no patterns to go by. I usually buy about 1/2 a yard if it's a "love this, must have it" fabric. If it's a great price and neutral/blendy/will go with lots of other things, then I will buy 3 to 5 yards. If it's a staple, I'll buy a bolt when I find a fabulous price or use a good discount code or coupon.

When I started quilting I used to get just a quarter yard. Lots of variety but not much of any one thing. About 4 years ago I decided that it would be 2 yards or not at all.

If it is a neutral or blender I buy the whole bolt. I buy focus fabric by the yard. I tend to buy more pre cuts then yardage though. I find I save money having the bolts of blenders/solids/neutrals and buying the beautiful pre cuts to add to it.

Waayyy toooo much! LOL! Couldn't resist in answer to your original question, but I've been sewing for several years, and I've made a lot of purchases just because it was on sale/clearance/coupon, etc., and really to do over again, I would try to buy more tonals/solids, and amounts that were really for a particular quilt pattern/size. So now I have half a closet full of fabric, and it just overwhelms me, I stand there looking at it, thinking ok, what goes with what, what can I make with this, usually end up not making anything, go sit back down with my hexies! LOL!

For me it always depends on how much money I can spend shopping and how many fabrics I like so I divide it up accordingly to get some of all that I like anything from 1/3 cuts to 4 yards.

I make scrappy quilts, so fat quarters are good too. For basics like tone on tones and solids I tend to buy more for backgrounds. I prefer tone on tones over solids, I think they add more to the quilt without standing out like solids tend to do. I used to buy fabrics with no thought to what part of the quilt they would play a part in. Before fabric prices became so expensive, I'd buy 3-6 yards of a fabric.
I have been quilting since 1988.
Sharon

When a piece of fabric jumps into my arms, and I have to have it, I buy at least 3 yards, that should usually be enough for a quilt; however, when it comes to background fabrics, white, beige, grey, black, etc. I tend to buy 6 yds. if I can so that I won't run out. If it's a really good deal, I've been known to buy 6-9 yds., which would give me enough for a backing. I once ran into a fantastic sale at a LQS, who was selling from bolts of fabric that had been on their shelves, they were just making room, in that case, and I was able to buy it I bought 3 or 4 pieces of 6-9 yds. One background fabric I bought decided that it wanted to be on the front of the quilt, so I was glad I had purchased it as using it for the focus fabric in a Jacob's Ladder quilt, my church made about $500 from that raffle quilt. I have to be a little more frugal now that we are retired on SS, however, I am so glad I have my stash so I can continue to make quilts, buying usually fabrics for backgrounds and backings when I've run out of a particular color.

I will usually buy a fat quarter or 1/2 yard when I am loving it but clueless as to what to use it for. When totally gaga I buy a yard..as a result I have way too much fabric that goes with nothing else

As you can tell from all the comments there are several factors to consider: for me, budget and reason for the shopping trip- when I'm going fabric shopping for a project I try to allow at least a little bit in my budget for a gem I find that isn't for my project or shopping list. It also depends on the types of things you are currently interested in making and whether or not you've started a list of either definite future projects or at least one you think you want to make. I don't normally make bed quilts, I focus on wall hangings, lap or throw size quilts, bedrunners, table toppers, pillows, baby & kitchen items - so 3 yds would usually be the most I'd purchase. This would be for focus fabric, backing or one I think I could use in more than one project. If there are patterns or a type of project you know you want to make take a picture of it and the fabric requirements to consult when you're shopping. Enjoy!