I found out a few days ago that my Walmart will be closing their fabric department in June. I'm so sad. :(
Here's the problem, I want to build a stash. What should I aim for? Do I go for solids and little prints or should I be looking at the novelty fabrics? Before I moved to Texas I had a fabric stash for clothing and costumes (SCA...), but a quilting stash is different. Any help would be appreciated. How do you decide what to buy for your stash?

I don't know how much help this will be but I tend to buy prints and novelty prints and then when I start a project I usually end up having to go out and get the solids on tonals I need to coordinate.

I buy what I like. If it is for a specific job, I have a color scheme in mind. All my leftovers go into containers or cut up into squares.
I have a lot of fabrics given to me, or I look at Goodwill. I find lots of neat fabric there.

It is always good to have solids and blenders on hand in every shade. You can always find a focus fabric.

It really depends on your tastes! I don't buy novelty prints unless I have a plan for them...I'm just not a novelty kind of gal. When buying for strictly stash building purposes, I try to stick to blenders, tonals and small prints, occasionally a bolder print if I really love it.

Blenders of all colors, solids in a wide variety of colors, and then whatever fabric 'talks' to you.
If you have quilts in mind that you want to make decide what colors/prints you want to use in them
If you don't really have any quilts in mind at the moment keep your eyes open for inspiration.
Then frequent the department to see what fabrics 'talk' to you and wait (if you can) until they go on sale.
Also look at what fabrics you already have and see what colors are missing in solids as well as any type print. (I tend to have very little purples, or light colors for some reason)

Sorry you will be loosing the department, but happy planning and shopping.

be careful what you wish for. =)

I love novelty prints, so when I buy on impulse that is what I tend to get. HOWEVER, what happens is that when I want to make a project, I have lots of fabrics that don't coordinate. I think a few novelties is fine, but it's good to buy a variety of tone on tones, marbles, and solids so that when you want to make something, you've got fabric to go with your novelty fabrics.

For the basics, Stock up on FQs in different colors/prints/patterns.
Stock up on good quality Muslin (the best you can buy), Kona Black, and WOW (white on white). With these basics, you're good to go.

If I like it, I buy it. I love the different blenders, marbles, fusions, etc. I only buy panels if I've got a specific plan for them. Love Kaufman Kona muslin and the printed muslins.

Who do you plan to quilt for? It's good to get a variety of colors if you can. There are some colors I have very little of, such as greys or browns. Mostly I have blues, purples, greens in a variety of prints and different size designs. Don't get all the same print in a bunch of colors. You need more variety! :)

Solids and blenders are good to stock up on, I'd go for the good quality cottons and poly/cotton (if you do a lot of charity quilting for hospitals, or sewing for babies, avoid the poly/cotton because the synthetic in the poly can cause a skin reaction). At our Walmart there is a big discrepancy in the quality and the weave of the solids so be sure and feel them - that's your best indicator. Otherwise, I would go for what appeals to me the most because that's what I would enjoy working with.

I agree....go for blenders and fabrics that read solid.
I started quilting in July and within a month or so I had a few fabrics but no real "stash" because all I had was leftovers from the quilts I had worked on. Then....when I started doing swaps, mystery quilts, etc. I didn't have things that would match other fabrics so I have been buying up alot of blenders from folks here on the board. Have fun..you will have a stash in NO time!

Thanks ladies for the advice!!

I noticed that I am drawn to darker color fabrics & then I don't have enough lights for contrast. I took one class & the instructor told us to look for small, med., & large scale fabrics to have a varity in our quilts. I also like to have solids. I guess it's personal taste & varity. PS- about Walmart closing their fabric dept- When all 3 of mine did the same, they started selling it at 75% off. Keep a close eye on it. The whole dept. sold out in about 2 days. THE PRICES WERE FANTASTIC!

my walmart is closing this month. went there the other day. I brought some fabric in every color, brown, blue, red. pink and etc. i also got alot of black and white fabric. I seen so many quilts in the black and white that were so pretty. also seen purses in the black and white.
i now feel I have a stash. Also brought fabric for the grandchildren. I spent over $100.00 at a yard for $1.29 each. I waited for the fabric to be 75% off.

Quick start is buying FQs in colors you love and grow your stash from those. Not a novelty print person so I buy those only for a particular quilt. I am starting to thin my stash out and will be delighted to mail a box of goodies to you at the end of next week. Just let me know if you are interested. It is all 100% cotton from LQS.

buy what you like that when you look at it you see a dozen different projects you could use it for...if you love it you will use it...regardless whether it is a novelty a solid or a print. try to find some coordinates that go with many different fabrics, and dont forget the neutrals...my stash always seems to be lacking a selection of neutrals...and greens...i don't know why but i seldom seem to have what i need. it also kind of depends on what types of quilts you make...kids quilts mainly? lots of bright colors and novelties...more cottage quilts? big florals in pastels are going to be the ticket... traditional quilts? reproduction fabrics... see lots a choices, but it really boils down to what you fall in love with and feel you have to have...and buy as much of it as you can afford, because you may never be able to find it again.

oh dear - you scare me -------------- BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

Start with some fabrics you like. I wouldn't buy a whole lot at this sale unless you have plans for it. Give yourself a couple of months and you will have a stash before you know it! And didn't you know that the fabric multiplies when you are not in the room???

Me too!

Shop with your heart! Buy what you just LOVE first!

Then go for the basics, whites, blacks, other solids and blenders.

I have a decent stash (although not nearly as large as some of the pics I've seen here), but I need more neutrals, so I'd suggest buying lots of those.

I buy what catches my eye. But when I started, I realized that I had all theme prints, and no backgrounds. So then I supplemented with more tone on tones, grays, blacks, and whites. The backgrounds are more often found on sale.

I have read about quilters and their stash, made comments about how I only buy material when ready to quilt, never have anything unfinished, etc, etc..... Well, I found already cut 4" squares on E-bay with free shipping. So, I got two sets of those. Then I was in Wal-Mart and was in the $2.50 a Yard section and 4 pieces of material screamed at me I just had to have. So, for one that never has a stash, I've started. I chose my material at random. It was there and so was I. I don't know if I had to go buy stash because I had to, if I would of been able to.
I didn't know how much to buy, so got 4 yard of each. Now I side step the quilt department, unless of coarse I'm called.
Rita

Same here

I wonder if our WalMart is having a sale on fabrics......it's been awhile that I haven't shopped at WalMart.

You mean you need to have a plan? Oops. I just impulse buy. Oh well.....

Last winter our Walmart did the same thing. I spent about $300 and got over $1000 worth all at either 50% or 75% off. some was even just labelled $1 a yd! Depends on what you will be making. Since I make a lot of charity baby quilts (always backed with flannel) I stocked up on flannel, childrens prints and matching "solids". I also bought batiks, reds for redwork and any fabric that I just coould not leave behind. BTW, I stopped at $300 because by then the good stuff was gone LOL.

I buy what i like. The patterns and ideas will come later. I used to have a 2 yard rule but I have bumped that up to 3 yards, more if I really love it.

go to the 50-75% off rack. every fabric store has one, and I also buy holiday, and seasonal fabric after they are over.

When I started building mine I went for florals and it didn't matter if I had anything to go with it. I loved them. Then when I started to make a kit I didn't have any tonals to go with them. So now I concentrate on tonals. I do not like solid, it has to have some motion. Now I'm finding that I don't have enough med to smaller prints. And also when I really like a fabric I usually buy some of the whole line or 4 or 5 pieces of the tonals they usually have to go with it.

I would lean towards small prints, tone on tone and things that can be used with more than one project. You can then look for focus fabric for a specific project and choose fabrics from your stash to coordinate. This way you can get a variety of fabrics on sale as they close out the fabric dept. but only have to look for and spend on the focus fabric.

Or, put your focus fabric and prints and tonals together with a project in mind for those and have it all together when you are ready to work with that fabric grouping.

Good luck and sorry you are losing your fabric dept. There was a thread on here not too long ago about keeping the Walmart fabric depts. and bringing them back. We'll see what happens.

I'm kind of a new quilter, so I'm currently working on my stash as well. This is how I categorize my fabrics.
Civil War
Baby for gifts
1930s
Christmas
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Bright colors: primary and secondary colors
Pastels
Tone on tone ivory and tone on tone white
Black and other dark solids.

After I sorted and organized I could see where the holes were in my stash.
I've been working a little on landscape fabrics; just a dab of brick, stone, grass, wood, sky etc.
And, trying to get a small assortment of florals that can be incorporated into things.
If I really really like something and think I might use it in a large quilt or as a border, I'll buy 3 yards. For just building a stash of maybe use here and there, I'll buy 1-2 yards. That's enough for a small border or binding.

I just buy what I like for colors and then for a theme for who I will eventually will make quilts for. I like going with "themes" and the hobby/interest that the person has that I want to make it for. I am not a traditional triangle etc designs. Fine if you want to sell them but I make them for my family and friends. Eventually you will make a baby quilt so get male colors and female colors for that. Themes are great.
But u might want to go with colors that go together.

Hope this is helpful.
Eisgoow

I learned that I really dislike (HATE) solids. They suck up the light and don't offer anything in exchange, IMHO. I prefer fabrics that read as solids. And, as I am "evolving" in my quilting preferences, I actually tend to prefer my own hand-dyes over blenders. So, I tend to buy things that call me. I have a ton of brights that I often use because I love making quilts for kids. If I don't have a kid in mind, my local Linus person is happy for my quilts. That makes me happy because I love the entire process, start to finish, and am thrilled that the end product makes someone happy,whether I know them or not. I also often buy white-on=whites for backgrounds of applique projects or black-on-black for anything.

PS, I don't tend to buy fat quarters because there is simply not enough fabric if I like the print and too much otherwise. I'll buy fq's only if they call me and I will use them ASAP

Laurie

I buy what I like - usually a print - I figure that I can always find blenders and solids to go with it.

Buy plenty of white on white. I use white on alot in quilts.
Do you use florals or geometrics more? I would think of the quilts I have made and would go with that.

buy what you like and what you think you can use

When I first started quilting I bought a lot of fabric for my "stash" and after six years too much of it is still in the stash. Now I only buy if I have a specific project in mind. No matter how beautiful the fabric there will always be more when I need it. Wish now I would not have bought all that fabric.

What is the definition of a blender? Is it a fabric that has a lot of diff colors in it, or what? I understand neutrals, marbles, tone on tone and prints but blenders???? (p.s., I'm pretty new to this, as if you couldn't tell)