You make that sound like a bad thing-LOL

I usually buy a bolt of the fabric that I know will be good for backings and piecing. I don't like plain backing I want a beautiful print for backing and always thinking of that when I find a sale.

I usually buy a 1 or 2 yard cut of fabric. I have found that I love reproduction fabrics from the 1930's and have a good collection of them. One thing I have started doing is cutting a 2.5 in strip when I get a new yard. I am making my own jelly roll quilts from them. I am also doing this with the solid fabrics I buy. I just get them to add on 3 inches and then I don't have to worry about not having a full yard left.

I buy no more than a yard per fabric unless I have a project in mind. I've bought more at times and now I'm sitting on it. I figure even if I have to pay full price, it's a better deal to buy for specific projects and only buy sale fabrics in small quantities.

I also only buy sale fabric if I LOVE it. I've bought too much fabric simply because it's a good deal and now I'm sitting on it as well.

I always buy three to five yards of each fabric, more if I think I will be using it for backing. I learned early on that it is not good to run out of fabric or find just the right pattern and don't have enough of the fabric I just loved to make it. If I don't use it all,well that is why I have such a large stash.

Thank you for your responses and advice. I've sewn (clothing, craft items) all my life, but always just bought the amount of fabrics the pattern called for. With quilting, it seems I am constantly seeing quilts I love, sitting down with graph paper and figuring out the pattern. I have several tucked away in a binder to try as my skills improve. I will proceed with caution when faced with a sale and use the guidelines you all have offered here. Thanks again!

I often buy 3 to 5 yards. Lately I have been using 108" wide fabric for backing and I think I will continue to do that from now on. I love not having to put it together unless I decide to do something sort of artsy.

I buy usually at least 2 yds if not 3 yds and if its a blender fabric or a white and/or beige for backgrounds I'll purchase at least 5 yds as it will never go to waste here. My muslin I buy by the full bolt though.

I once bought 2 yards of a REALLY nice quality horse fabric for $1.50/yard. After I got home, I thought about it a bit more and decided to go back for the other 8 yards. They were gone, and I was disappointed. I would have used it for charity quilts, and horses are well loved by kids of all ages...darn. I found the same fabric on line for $10.99.

So if it's a good fabric at a really great price I purchase it and donate to my quild for charity quilts.

However, I never buy a fabric that I don't like, no matter how it's priced. Why? Because I'll never use it.

Other than that, if you can envision it in a quilt "some day", buy what you can afford to buy. Generally, I buy 2 yards for fabrics that make good focus fabrics, and 1.5 to 2 yards of blenders. If I think a blender will make a good backing, I buy more.

If you are just beginning to build your stash make sure you measure and label each piece you buy. I finally decided my stash was out of control, so started doing that. After measured and labeled, I tie them in a scrap strip or a selvage and put two address labels around the tie strip, sticky side together. Then i write the length and the width of the fabric on the label and tie up the piece of fabric.

I wish i started doing that when i started quilting!