I have read several posts about stashes and buying fabric. When you find a fabric you like how much do you buy? I want to build a stash but I am not sure how much is enough in a piece. Thanks

If I really love the fabric, I usually buy at least 3 yards. That way I will have enough to make most quilt pattern. Have fun collecting!

I usually buy 2 to 3 yds if I love it but don't have a project in mind. (Big enough to use as back of a small quilt, long enough to cut one piece sashing, and enough fabric to complete quilt blocks with additional fabric.)

Thank you for asking, I've been wondering the same thing!

I guess I'm from the old school. I try to buy 3 yards of any fabric that I buy. One saleslady called me a true quilter by the way I bought fabric.LOL

If I really like a fabric, I buy the bolt. It helps if it is on sale or have a coupon. I will admit that on my recent shop hop, I did limit myself to at least 1 yard and if the bolt had about 2-3 yards, and there was a discount, I emptied the bolt. Then later on I have great sales with the excess if I am tired of it.

If it's something I think I can use as a back, I will buy 5-7 yards. But normally I will buy no more than a yard of one print, if I have nothing planned for it.

i guess this will show the price difference--when i started quilting i was advised to buy 30 cms not a fat 1/4 i have seen that this works better----[at 25 aussi dollers a meter average]

*twitch* ~converting~

mmmm 30 cms, centimeters, so 30% of a meter, a meter is more than a yard, so maybe a bit more than 12 inches.

Since I mostly make scrap quilts, I usually buy 1/2 yard pieces, sometimes fat quarters. If it is a fabric I think will make a good border, I will buy several yards. If it is a fabric I really love, I will buy 1 yard instead of 1/2.

The one mistake that I made when buying stash was purchasing too many focus fabrics and not nearly enough of the quieter blender type fabrics (tone on tone, mottled or marbled). As a result, I had a lot of fabrics that were very pretty or interesting but didn't go with anything. I also bought too many dark or intense colours and very few lights with no plan for their use. I ended up with a lot of fabric but less would have worked if I had known exactly what to buy. I'd advise only buying that wow fabric when you have a specific quilt and yardage requirements in place. For your stash I'd buy mottly or marbled or small print fabric (1 yard cuts)in all the colours plus some tone on tone cream, white and black for backgrounds. Buy the wow as needed and pull the co-ordinating fabrics and background from your stash.

This is exactly what I would do now. However, I didn't do it when I first started quilting and now I have many fabrics that are pretty but nothing goes with them. Shelbie gave you good advice.

My fabric buying habits have changed drastically as the price has risen and my income has not.

Me Too!!!! Now I'm running out for boring fabrics to go with them...I have a problem with buying just plain boring fabric....even today...I go out just to buy plain with my coupons but always return with that exciting print

I usually only purchase for a project I have in mind. At that time, I purchase 1 yd more than I need so if I make a mistake, I have extras. If I do not make a mistake, then I now have stash for another day. As I do a project, sometimes I feel the quilt is missing something and I go to my stash to find a fill in. :)

If I really like it I buy 3 yards.

Amen to this! I loooove novelty fabrics but never have anything plain-ish to go with them. Recently, I have been focusing and buying mostly plain, mottled, batiks, etc so I can actually use all my other fabrics.

As long as you like it thought...buy it...you'll find a use for it!

Its nice to know I'm not alone. I have so much fabric that sits idle. I'm a sucker for sale fabrics, end of bolt etc. I NEED blenders!

....my approach is to buy 1/2 a yard when I'm just drawn to particular fabric....and when I'm REALLY drawn, a full yard. There is no real rule to building up stash. Some say always at least a yard - but my finances just will not allow a full yard of fabric when I see about 20 bolts I just love!!! At least 1/2 a yard will give you 2 FQs....!

I buy at least 2 to 3 yards. {3 yards is better}.

If I think about it, my stash is totally made up of fabric I came upon that was at a good price.
Ok, so I see fabric at a good price. If I love it, and the price is extremely low compared to the quality, I usually buy 5 yards. As the 'love' goes down, and the price goes up, I might buy up to a yard.
I very rarley buy fat quarters, except one time they were .99, and were a good quality so I bought quite a few. Since then, there have been several times that I'm glad I bought them (it is soooo not in my nature to buy a quarter of a yard, no matter how they cut that quarter)

It all comes down to what makes you happy!

There is NO rules in stash building! If you lean toward scrappy quilts then you might purchase FQ's or 1/2 yards. Also the size of quilts you prefer to make can sway you in your yardage purchase.

Of course budget could can play into the purchases. The main thing is to do what makes YOU happy. :)

I used to buy 1/2 - 1 yard of whatever caught my fancy.

I'm totally with Shelbie & the others. I have piles of "I LOVE IT"s. But, when it's time to plan a quilt, I still have to buy. One table topper I did totally from my pink/blue calicos, scrappy style. But true scrappy is you are using up your scraps & I was cutting from my 1/2 y collection.

Now, I'm buying blenders & solids, unless there's an amazing sale. So, my fabric budget, and using 40-50% off coupons is going for those.

I'm a sucker for floral stripes, I always see "wonderful border" in those.

I saw a card trick done in stripes that I love, so now, if I see a stripe I like, I buy a 1/4 y.

Also trying to collect large pcs for backings.

If I absolutely love the fabric....4 yds. If I like it..3 yds. If it's pretty and I think I need some, 1 yd. Fat quarters are fun to collect. Choose some light shades, some medium shades and some dark shades. Only takes 6 to make a throw. Have fun! :D

If a fabric catches my eye, I will buy 3 yards, if it is one that screams I must go home with you I usually buy 6 yards. I am trying not curb my fabric buying as my stash is bigger than I will ever use up completely. I have a good collection of blenders, wow, coc, solids and focals. My biggest is my batiks.

Have a Happy 4th.

since I do not live near any quilt shops. When I do shop, I usually buy 3 yds. Having a project in mind. Anything left over goes into scarp bag. Larger goes into my stash, which I am surprised at how much stash I have. It's growing

I tend to buy 1-3 yards, or 7 if I think it will make a good backing. I now have so much unorganized fabric that I am going on a buying diet until I can really see what I have and what I might need. I have purchased the same fabric more than once because I forgot I already bought it!!

Am I the only one that collects FQ's? I do also buy anywhere from 1 to 3 yards of fabric. I have a lot of FQ"s also.

I started buying what I liked and when it was time to make the quilt I didn't have the blender. I'm now collecting batik, tone on tone. Have fun collecting.

It really depends on what YOU Like to make! If you think you might be scrappy then 1/3 yard is good...for borders 3yds, for backings 6-8yds!

IF you do not like scrappy but like things like the Turning Twenty, then FQ collections are good...if you like patterns that are very detailed and planned...then do not buy anything until you buy the pattern so you buy correctly!

I never buy less than 5 yards of a fabric, unless they don't have that much and I like the fabric, I buy what is left. If I really like it I'll buy 10 yards.

I have been know to purchase an entire bolt if the price is right! (Like $40/bolt!! - nice price for 15 yards) If I think I'll use the fabric for a backing, I'll buy 10 yards; if it is a blender I can use in many quilts, I'll buy 5-8 yards; if I just like it, I'll buy 1-3 yards.

I try to figure out where it most likely will be used (borders, sashing, backing, or blocks) and buy according to the most likely size of quilt I would make. Most of my quilts are lap size and most patterns I make need at least 7 different fabrics.

I, too, would buy three yards. When I buy fabric,I also cut a 2.5 inch jelly roll strip and save it as it helps to build my strip stash.

If I love and can afford it, I will buy 2 yards. If I love and can't afford it, I just buy one yard. But I mostly look for sales and can usually buy 2 yards at least.

I started out buying 1 yard, but now find that I usually need more to make a quilt. So I have been buying 2 1/2 yds, but I really should buy 3 yards like most here suggest. That is usually what I have needed and not had. I like to make mystery quilts, so 3 yards should be enough for most of them. I tend not to buy plains because I can always find what I need at a LQS that will work.

In this modern economy, I would opt to buy only what I needed for a project. I do have a stash and what ever I pull to use in a project is, more often than not, not enough.

I stopped buying fabric and now spend all my time now, using what I have. If it only makes scrappy quilts, so be it!
I love scrappy!
peace :D

2-3 yards if I love it.

i only shop sales, in person or internet. if i shop internet, i shop for no shipping, even if i have to spend over a certain amount.
when i shop sales, i shop with nothing in mind and i buy 3 yard pieces (remember, on sale with no shipping). if i have to wait , i do. but i don't buy backings until i need them. i shop the backings on sale also, but since i need 9 yards at a time, i wait until i need 2. then i wait for sales and only buy 2. i don't build a stash of backings. too expensive. the regular fabric affords flexibility for different designs, but the backings do not. i don't use sheets because i want the backs to reflect the tops.

EDIT: there's a fabric store in denver, pennsylvania, that used to have sales on their loading dock. they sold bolts that way. the bolts were so inexpensive that when they ran the sale, i would drive out and buy a few bolts. i went, i would say, every 2 years, and stock up. the store is sauder's. they have no email or mailing list so i don't know when or if they still have the sales. does anyone here know? please let me know.

Sauders sounds like a great place buterflywing...I did find an address and if you page down there is a nice long critique of what they stock and other good info.
Wish I lived closer though.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sauders-fabrics-denver