What length of fabric do you buy?
 

I am trying to build my stash. Whenever I visit a new quilt store and find fabrics I like but have no project in mind I have trouble deciding how much to buy. I like to make oversize double or queen size quilts. Please help this frustrated beginner.

I'm a scrappy person - so I buy fat quarters or half yds mostly. That won't help you. If you want to make queen quilts - buy enough yardage for your borders. They generally top out at 108" or three yards. You'd better like it! And that's just for the outside. I would imagine that a couple yards here and a couple yards there will work - but I don't know your style so it's hard to figure. Three fabric quilts? 18 fabric quilts? 100 fabric quilts - like me? That makes a big difference. Check out the remnant bins at your fabric stores. They are my guts and glory.

How much to buy depends upon the style quilting you do. Scrappy, matchy/matchy, art. I like scrappy and art so usually buy 1/2 yd. Then if it's a really good price, buy the back-the rest of the bolt.

From the time I started quilting to now, my style has evolved into what I now call "my voice". I regret spending so much money in the process and for big projects. I only have 2 beds in the house and my daughter has gotten more than she can use. Now I use those early purchases for donation quilts

I usually buy 3 -4 yards of a fabric I really like. Most of my quilts are queen size so don't want to run out. After making a quilt with left over fabric will make lap throws, table runners and what ever else I come up with.

If I like it I buy a yard. If I LOVE it I buy 3yds.

Be careful how much you buy just to buy for stash. Tastes change and evolve over time. (I have many, what was I thinking fabrics.)

Blenders and neutrals will mix in for a much longer length of time. You can have too many focus fabrics. Sometimes as time passes it is harder to match specific fabric lines.

I also agree, try to identify your style. Scrappy or match an entire quilt. It will make a difference on how much to buy.

I sew about like you do. I usually get about 2 yards. If I think it might be a border I buy three. But last night I was digging through my stash for border fabric, and found 2 perfect ones--grrrr both 2 yards. I needed 2 7/8. I did find one 3 yard in the same colorway, but not my first choice.

I usually get my backing fabric on eBay, because I can type in "blue quilt fabric 6-12 yards", and come up with more than one choice (usually) on sale. I have been an eBayer for over 13 years and in all that time I have had only one problem and eBay returned my money and my postage within 24 hours. And I got to keep the fabric which was quite pretty. The people that I choose to buy from have small shops, they just have them on eBay instead of a website.

My stash, which I just about doubled last week by cleaning out some project drawers, is in bad shape for lights. At the moment my lights are mediums, so next month, when the money rolls in, I'm hoping to first in line at the LQS.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I have only made three quilts so I can't really say what type of quilter I will be. I have only been buying a yard or less for most of my purchases and I was thinking this might not be enough for many projects. So at least 2 yards will be my goal for fabric I really love.