When was the first time you bought
 

fabric to cut up for quilting? I know the first quilts I made 40 years ago were made with bits and pieces left over from my childrens clothing and when my husband asked me why I didn't go down and buy some fabric that I wanted to cut up for quilts I was in shock. Well he shouldn't have said that because, of course, I have never stopped! I still hear from people that say that it is weird that people cut up whole cloth to put it back together in quilts, and many thing it is a dumb thing to do.

So when did you decide, or have you always from the start, buy fabric (yardage) to make your quilts? Mine was 35 years ago when we were still using templates and a pencil to draw out our pieces and then cut with scissors.

i kind of did it the same way you did- 35 years ago---but i was not an (avid quilter) back then- i still made my children's clothes-and used the scraps- but when a new baby was coming along for a friend/family member -at times i would buy some fabric and make them a baby quilt- i didn't really become an avid quilter until 10-11 years ago---and i did walk into a shop and buy yardage---lots of yardage!
i still use lots of scraps---but i do not hesitate to purchase yardage too. :)

I made my first quilt block in 1986 when I was in high school, and swore I would never make another, I hated it. I made a fan block. So I guess the answer would be 25 years ago.

Well, I only started quilting about 4 years ago when my dear neighbor got me started with placemats. She and I would go to Joanns and she would help me choose the fabric. I have been an apparel sewer since I was 5 years old, so quilting was an entirely new realm for me. After spending so many years "matching" it was very difficult to learn to "coordinate" or "contrast". I still wrestle with making fabric choices and 2nd guess my decisions. Guess that's why I love jelly rolls, charm squares, and layer cakes so much. They also help me to analyze what the designer chose for her collection, so when I make choices many times I think back to the colors and prints in those collections.

30yrs ago money was tight i got sheet offcuts to cover my boys beds --they came in 8x8 squares--all colours--in my wisdom[unsuspecting] i thought the squares sewn together would be boring--so i sewed a cheveron pattern i had made the boys clothes [at least before they went to school] angles on angles to my credit[ no choice] i stuck at them---they lasted through to high school--the dogs then got them one went to cover an oil spill---i rescued the other and have it tucked away--never to see the light of day except by me----my 6year old helped with the angles no not a quilter but an engineer--my daughters a quilter aint life grand

First quilt I made was for first grandson and he is now 15 years old. Didn't have any fabric so had to buy for the entire quilt and an obsession was born with fabric buying. Have recently been breaking myself of that to some extent. Still have a lapse now an then.

mltquilt

I bought my first fabric to make a quilt (chose the pattern Hearts and Gizards ) in 1969 when I was 16. I bought 10 yards of a bright green/yellow/orange print and 10 yards of the bright green solid. The fabric was 100% cotton, 36" wide and purchased at my local 5 and 10 department store with my babysitting money. I cut out and made a few blocks but never finished even a small quilt from that fabric. However I did use it to make a 4-H pillow, pin cushions, purse, blouse and a Hallowe'en clown suit for my daughter. Just this fall I used the last of it (I think) in a scrap quilt. I have never seen fabric that has lasted so long! It makes me smile everytime I find another scrap.

My first non-scrappy quilt was 40 years ago for my first child. I still like making scrappy better.

I signed up for my first quilt class in January 1981 and had made three quilts by the end of 6 weeks. I bought fabric for each of them and began my stash at that time. :)

Jan in VA

I have been a fabric "stasher" for many years. I make dolls and their clothes. Most of my fabric stash was cotton with a few fancy fabrics thrown in. Silk for my antique dolls, lace, satin, velvet and other specialty fabrics for my fancy fashion dolls. I would always buy extra fabric. If a pattern called for 1 yard, I bought 2. My stash grew and grew. When I decided (does anyone really decide) to quilt, about 7 months ago, I had enough fabric to make a dozen quilts. I did have to buy some backing fabric for a quilt last month. The first time I bought fabric! However I have bought more since then. I am making another quilted flag wall hanging (this time it is the Texas flag) for my daughter.