Stash building
 

When you spot some fabric you love, but isn't right for any projects you have lined up at the moment... How much do you buy?

If I like it, one yard. If I really, really like it two yards. If I love it, three yards, and if I really, really love it, five yards!

Depends on how much money I have to spend and how much
I really like it.

I just bought 1/2 each of some Green & Navy fabric that I saw
at hobby lobby. I want to get more.

If its on sale at a good price...3 yds. I can always use the leftovers for backing. Otherwise, usually a yard. I used to do half yds, but invariably it wouldn't be enough when i went to use it. I'm beginning to go scrappy ala Bonnie Hunter, so i probably should go back to half yds!

I'm a batik gal, so when I find something I love I do 3 yards. I used to do 2 but it has bitten me several times, afterall, there usually is no going back for batiks. Especially the multi-color ones, they go fast and are hard to match online. One thing I have started doing that has saved me is when I "stash build" while traveling, I photograph with my phone the end of the bolt. That way if I have to contact that shop again, I can say exactly what I need to purchase.

Depending on the price, I will buy 1 or 2 yards of it. If it is on clearance and I can afford it, I will buy 3 or 4 yards. That way I will have extra if I can't find any more of it.

Since I primarily do scrappies, I'm happy with 1/2 a yard of most fabrics. That way I can get more variety in my stash. If I really love it, I might get a yard. Now if it looks like a good backing fabric and the price is right, maybe 4 or more yards. But usually just stick with the 1/2 yds.

It depends on the day and my mood! If I think it will be a fantastic back I get at least 5 yards. I am starting to change the style of quilts I make...I still do a lot of scrappy '30's..I want Darlene Zimmerman to be my best friend! I seem so drawn to her quilts.

I usually by an extra yard of what the pattern/instructions call for. Also try to get it on sale or have a coupon.

I have found that in buying 2 yards of fabric, I wind up with not enough to make queen sized quilt patterns. So now I have a lot of 2 yard cuts in my stash, and am now looking for scrappy patterns to use them with. So from now on I'm buying at least 3 yards and possibly 4 yards if I can afford it.

If it's one I might want to use as borders, I'll buy 3, usually 2.

I was buying 1 yard, but now I might get 1/2 yd, 2 yd if it's a light color, because I tend to end up buying darker colors. I do mostly scrappy quilts. 2 yd will do borders. For wide backings, I always get 3 1/3 yd in colors I know I'll use.

I used to buy 1 yard but then never had enough, for even a twin-sized quilt. Now I buy at least 2 yards and usually 3 yards. If it's a really great sale and I love the fabric, I may buy more.

I couldn't have said it better !!

2 or more yards.

usually three

It depends on the style of quilts you like and the size ... if you like quilts( full size or larger) with lots of colors from a large variety of fabrics, one yard. If you like 5 or less fabrics in a full size or larger quilt then 2-3 yards.

Very rarely happens to me. So... I buy the rest of the bolt if the price is good. Minimally 3 yards. Usually I just buy fabrics for a project and just enough to make the quilt and a few mistakes...

I use this as my fabric buying guide as well. I don't seem to buy too many 1 yard pieces though! LOL!

It depends on the fabric and the cost. Blenders, 1.5 to 2 yards. Anything else that I really like or can visualize in a quilt, at least 2 yards.

I've gotten more of a fabric if the sale is ridiculously low priced ($1/yard), and have started donating some of it to my guild for charity quilts.

Even so, my stash is starting to take over the house!

I have to travel a several miles to purchase fabric so when I go, I stock up. Fortunately, they also have layaway. So I purchase fabric "to go" and fabric "to stay".


Last month our local WalMart had a bin of partial fabric bolts for $4 a bolt. Each bolt still contained several yards of fabric. I bought four bolts of their better fabric.

I used to have a 2 yard rule but I have bumped it up to 3 yards. Many times, as they are unroling the bolt and the fabric keeps getting prettier, I decide to get 4 yards.....just so I have enough. :)

My favorites are the remnants at Joann's -- I buy what appeals to me -- I have really built up my stash this way -- the remnants are usually 1 /2 to just under a yard each so I have a bit of fabric to work with!! I need to do a scrap quilt!!

I adore scrappy quilts so I usually get 1/2 to 1 yard pieces. I love remnants!

If it's something I will want to use for solid borders, I get 2.5 yards because I don't like to piece borders if I can avoid it.

If it's something I will use for quilt backing; I get 2.5 yards if it's wide, or 5.5 yards if it's not. That gives me plenty of backing plus leftovers. I love cutting long strips off of leftover wide backing to use as binding on my next quilt; I dislike seams in my binding so if I can bind a whole quilt with just 4 separate pieces of fabric I'm a happy camper.

If I love it and can afford it I will buy 4-5 yds.

I agree with SherriB, I generally buy 2 yds., but if I really like the fabric and I have the money, I like to buy 3 or 4 yards, unless of course I plan to use it as a backing, then I would buy more. Now how vague can I get, but it all depends on the fabric and the amount of money I do or do not have; but if it's a fantastic price, I would buy more, then use it for backing fabric.

I used to buy 3 yard pieces but since I'm usually buying for stash rather than a specific project, I've gotten into trouble with not having what I need. Now I buy 3-5 yards at a time. It all looks nice stacked on the shelves.:p I'll probably never live long enough to finish all of the projects that are works in progress, so have decided shopping from my stash is the way to go. Unfortunately, I can never find just the "right" piece or don't want to risk cutting it up and then finding another use of it I like better. Seems like maybe I'm not really a quilter -- more a fabric collector. :D It's a good thing just me and the dogs- no one to complain and I have a quilter's last will, etc. so it will all go somewhere worthwhile when I'm gone.

Seems like maybe I'm not really a quilter -- more a fabric collector. :D

Me, too!

This is the way I do it too! Sale prices figure into it also.

Two yards minimum. If it's on sale I tell myself I am getting one for free.

I generally buy two yards at a time. If the fabric is on sale and at a good price I have been know to buy up to ten yards because if it attracts me now, I know that I will use it as a backing for some future quilt. (I have used these large cuts and always just pat myself on the back for buying yardage when it is on sale even if it is two or three years later. :))

One problem with stash building is years from now you'll pull out that fun piece you bought and never be able to find coordinating fabric. I've done this so many times that now I try to buy coordinating fabrics when I find something I love so I have enough to create a project-I make comfort quilts for teenagers so I try to go for 5 yards total at least.

I am like Toverly, a batik gal, so I do tend to buy 3 yards as my usual minimum, or whatever's left if it's an end of bolt. However, I'm with Tartan as far as 2 yards minimum for other fabrics, since it will be enough for most borders.

I once found a beautiful burgundy tonal that had a flaw in it about two inches up from one selvedge. It was priced $1.00 per yard, so I bought ten yards. If you find a screaming deal on something you love, and will use, buy it! I have used the burgundy tonal in three quilts and still have over four yards left.

2 to 3 yards..

All of it!

3-1/2 yards so that I will have enough for most any project that I would use the fabric in. But this kind of buying has caused me to have a huge stash that I am not using. If I were really smart I would just buy the fabric to use to the quilt I am planning.

Usually 3 yds cause I might need it for border and binding, but I don't do that much anymore as so much new fabric is always coming to the forefront I prefer only to buy for the project I am working on. Not much of a stash anymore unless its Christmas Fabric.

If I have a pattern with me and it says to buy a 1/4 yard, that's what I buy. But if I just see a fabric that I love and want it for some time in the future, I buy at least a yard. Thinking about it, that doesn't make any sense!