Thanks for all the varied responses! I guess I will just wing it. I think I need to concentrate on some solids. My eye catches the novelty prints but then I don't have the basics to tie them in. If only I weren't snowed in I would add to my stash now. On line just doesn't give the same satisfaction

Minimum of 2 yards. If I really like the material and it is close to the end of the bolt, I may buy the remaining amount on the bolt.

Admittedly, this is a very foreign concept to me!

3 yards in general. (I also have a hard time buying a fat quarter of anything)

I am a scrappy girl so how I collected my stash will be a lot different than someone who isn't scrappy. I love sites like thousands of bolts, hancock paducah, fabric shack, places with great sales and I could buy 1 yd pieces and start my collection. Then fabric shack found out they had a whole stash of pieces that they sold for $2.95 a yard and I went nuts. I think I bought over a hundred yds, but I have a great stash now. Now I buy 2 yds because I love to make unique monogrammed pillowcases and I have leftovers from them. And I buy wides when on sale - actually I have bought neutrals in wides because it is a good deal. This works for me.

If I just like the fabric, I buy at least 2yds. If its a staple fabric such as a light background I buy at least 5 yds if not 10 yds as I know it will get used up. I find the designers keep changing the fabric collections around and later down the road I can't get it again so I make sure I have enough for at least a year or two........or until I can find a replacement fabric. Just finished buying 2yds each of Connecting Threads "Lotta Dots" collection as they will be a great blender fabric. Their "Mirage" is another great blender fabric. I picked up 11 yds of their "cream" as I use it alot for a background fabric. I used over 5 yds of it on one quilt recently. If the fabric is on sale I'll try to buy up to 5 yds. depending on the funds I have available. So much for this year's "Fabric Moratorium". I blew it big time again.

When I started quilting in 1992, I almost always bought on quarter of a yard. Well, I had lots of variety but not much of any one thing. Four years ago, I made the decision that it would be two yards, or not at all.

I mostly make children's quilts which I donate to various charity organizations. If the material is on sale...I buy 3 to 5 yards. If it is not, I tend to buy 1.5 yards...I can always find something I already have to match it up. Of course if it is on sale and the end of the bolt (with discount) all that is on the bolt. I'll match it up sooner or later with something I have already in my stash.

guess that makes me married to my yellow with the tiny butterflies and bubbles !

I buy three to five yard's depending on how much I like it.

If I can afford it I always buy three yards. If I fall in love with a fabric and I know what I'm going to do with it then... FQs are really a great thing to keep on hand, they have saved me many a time when I needed a rush project.