What are your criteria for buying fabric when on vacation?
 

I'm leaving Sunday to go to Ohio for a week. I got a fabulous list from one of the ladies here of stores to check out. (I saw Miller Dry Goods on the list and almost swooned!) We are also going to the Christmas store in Michigan and will be looking for stores on the way there. My question is, when you go on vacation, what criteria do you use for buying fabric? Great prices? Something you've not seen before? a group of fabrics that go together? I have a ginormous quilt store about 1/2 hour from me, and their prices are really good. So, I'm thinking, I'll just go and "look" at all the stores, take pictures (if okay with them) for ideas and maybe get a souvenir. Unless I see a really good sale, or I see something that is totally regional, or I see something I've not seen at my LQS, or I like the feel of it, or I like the color of it, or it jumps off the shelf and screams "buy me". What the heck, I'll just pack and empty suitcase to take with me!

I agree take an empty suit case along, just in case!!!!!!

When I travel I always take an extra large tote bag or suitcase with me. My rule is if it screams "buy me" I buy it. If I see something I really like and know I haven't seen it where I live I buy it. Depending on how much I like it I buy at least one yard. I never buy fat quarters, I find them a waste of money. My other tip is when you find the fabric that called your name, write down all the information on the end of the bolt. That way when you get home and decide you need more you can call the store with the bolt info or go on line and do a search for it. I've even used my cell phone and taken a picture of bolt ends when I purchased a lot of fabric.

I try to choose a project to "collect" for before we head out, otherwise when I go into so many different stores I can't really focus on anything to buy. Last year when we went to Yellowstone & Indiana I chose to collect blacks/whites/lime green and have made an apple core quilt with them, and I'm using them for the BOM on this forum and Aurifil BOM. The year we went to Nfld. I chose to collect fabrics for my Winter Wonderland quilt..... of course I end up with more fabrics than needed for that particular project but it's fun for me. Enjoy your trip!

I only buy fabric on vacation if I love it, or if it somehow reminds me of the trip and is suitable as a souvenir, or if I think I can't find it elsewhere.

Hope you're driving. There are a lot of breakable things at Bronners in Frankenmuth (I assume that's where you're going). Then there's no problem with volume of stuff you're bringing back, until you start squeezing out people. Gotta have it and super low price would be the drivers for me. Also souvenir would be a good reason.

When I go on vacation, if I see something I like, one yard; if it's something I love, 2 yards; if it's something I really love, 3 yards; if it's something I really, really, absolutely love, 5 yards. I end up with mostly 3 yard pieces.

Someone once said to ask for patterns by local designers. You may not find those elsewhere. Other than that you have pretty well covered the "need" to buy.

Something different than I can find at home.

I look for fabric collections that would typically not be available from local sources. For example, I work with lots of metallic fabrics and my local sources are limited , so I am always on the "hunt" for spectacular metallic fabrics. I also hunt for batiks every chance I get. So as not to waste time and gas I will call ahead to see if they stock items that are of interest to me. I learned this the hard way ...once traveled quite a bit from my travel route only to find out they only carried about 10 bolts of batiks.