I built a nice stash by first buying fabrics that caught my eye. Now I have a lot of "theme" fabrics, but not many background type. Now I'm looking for those, and I find lots of nice ones on sale or in a remnant bin. But you can also find a pattern and go from there. It just depends on what you want. Not everybody works from a stash, but I like having one. I bought 3 yards if I really liked it. 2 yards of I sort of liked it and 4 yards if I really, really, really liked it. Now I think 4 yards is too much unless you have something specific in mind for it.

When you finally go, make sure you stop in "Bird in Hand" Great quilt shop on the main street and also signs point to an Amish bakery that is to die for. YUM..Several in "Intercourse" Olde Country Store. Amish Drygoods. Have a ball, its my favorite place to shop.

I buy what I like to abandon. I usually buy 2 yards.

If nothing else it's always nice to have lots of marbled fabrics for blenders in future quilts and for some reason lately I have been hooked on blacks - they really make jewel-tones pop!

I buy what appeals to me and may blend with another piece or something I already have. Have fun shopping.I have learned from this board-there are no real rules. Its your creation.

:lol: :lol: :lol: You opened a can of worms. With a question like that you will get as many answers as there are folks on this board.

Do what is right for you if you can afford it.

Starting out, I used to purchase random "just can't live without it" fabs...and "fill in the gaps" when "the right pattern" appeared. But, as time goes on...am purchasing in coordinated groupings. There are so many groups of fabrics to chose from these days. I just zero in on favs...and whatever seems to work for my pattern...several selections from "the group," and add other accents as needed. (Of course, there are always those strays a gal has to round up!)

Buy what you like, and for goodness sake don't start hiding the stuff from your hubby......LOL

I look at the thrift stores for fabric, Joann's, Wal Mart and Hancocks. You don't need quilt shop fabrics to make a quilt into a memory.

I like to do scrappy quilts,so I usually buy 1 yard to build my stash, but I will buy a couple of yards of background fabric or focal fabric. basically just stuff that catches my eye.

Welcome from Oregon. god bless. penny