Yardage purchases when buying for your stash
 

When buying fabric just for your stash, simply because you love it, how much yardage do you normally buy? I hate having too much just laying around but don't want to run short either. I normally only make baby quilts and throws. I am a serial hobbist so I have stained glass stashes, paper stashes, jewelry and bead stashes, etc, etc!

I also make mostly throws now. I think 2-3 yrds. of a main fabric & 1 yd. each of coordinating fabrics should be enough. If the price is good enough, I get 3 yrds. for backing. Most of my backs are pieced from leftover fabrics from the quilt top.

I usually buy 5-6 yards, especially if I really like it or a color, print that I will be using alot. I will have to live another two hundred years to use it all up.

I could NOT afford to buy in such quantity. I usually buy no more than 1.5 yard and mostly .25 or .5 yard cuts for my stash. I AM always running short but that makes me come up with a alternative ending.

Such a hard question to answer! I guess if I find a solid that is great quality at a great price, I would buy enough for a backing...if it was a primary color like black or white I would try to buy as much as I could afford. Buying prints is different as it has to be either a primary print fabric and everything will work with it....or it is a blender to work well with others....a primary print I would buy enough for 1 quilt and that may be 2/3 yards....a blender print will be as much as I can afford, as it will work into many different types of quilts. With all my fabrics/projects, I now do not save the small pieces. I cut everything that is less than 1/2 yard down....starting with 10" squares and going down to 2.5" strips. I end up with the start of great scrappy quilts or usable yardage. It takes the worrying about how much out of the equation....buy what you can afford. ;)

My niece has always said my hobby isn't DOING crafts, it's BUYING craft supplies! I have the same stashes as you. If you like it get a yard if you love it, get 3 if you want to marry it, buy the bolt. That's how I get into trouble!

i like to buy about 3 yards of a fabric that I really like. if it's something i'd use for landscaping or appliques, i may only buy a half yard. i don't buy much yardage anymore as i'm more into scrappy and have plenty of stash for backings, etc.

I usually by bolts of neutrals and blenders. I buy at least five yards of fabric I like. I have a big enough stash I only have to buy focus fabric to make most patterns. I buy a lot of precuts.

I will usually buy from one to three yards.

Just like mom-6 I buy 1-3 yards depending on what I think I might do with it. I do have lots of FQs too and half yard cuts so I have many options for scrappy quilts which I am doing more and more of. The only time I buy more is for backings, and lights/neutrals. Works for me.