Adding to stash question
12-07-2012, 02:48 AM
#31
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Northern California mountains
Posts: 12,538
My stash NOW is obscene. After almost 500 quilts, I have a very good sense of what I am likely to want. IMHO, you can't go wrong with "reads as solid" in colors you like. I also have a large collection of 'naturals' (like scenery) and 'kid prints' for the foster kid quilts I make. I have a smaller collection of stunning oriental prints, usually with a specific quilt in my head. A fine quilter I've loved for years says that is you generally make smaller projects, get a yard or even a fat quarter. If you mainly make really big things, get 3-4. I have found that everything I buy gets used.
12-07-2012, 03:03 AM
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Rosedale, Indiana
Posts: 2,003
The biggest mistake that I made buying fabric was buying far too many focus fabrics and not nearly enough blenders, tone on tones and lights. These are the only fabrics that I buy now and I don't know when I'll ever get some of my deep, intense prints used. Remember that new designs and colourways are always coming out and it is good to be able to say that you "need" some fabric and purchase one of the new collections. If your stash is extensive, more buying doesn't make much sense.
12-07-2012, 03:45 AM
#33
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 48
Jan of VA you have such wonderful advice. Wish I had this info when I first started quilting about 2 yrs ago. Went to work at Hobby Lobby (fabric dept) and bought everything on sale at least 2 yards are more. No thought to coordination only bought based on price..sometimes $2 yard. I have made it a design opportunity. I seldom follow a pattern just look at my stash and say what can I make. Seldom purchase any more fabric just batting. It has been great fun but I do not buy anymore with complete abandon. I only buy what is necessary for a particular project. To answer the original question, I never buy less than a yard.
12-07-2012, 04:12 AM
#34
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 260
I don't buy fabrics specifically to build a stash. However, I always overbuy when i'm getting fabric for a project - by 1/2 a yard to 1 yard - because I like to play it safe. And then, I'm left with enough fabric at the end to put in my stash and use in another project! Works perfectly and doesn't cost much extra money.
12-07-2012, 02:05 PM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 674
I remember one of my first quilts and going to a LQS and haveing them cut 1/8th yards - yes you read right. I can't imagine what I was thinking, but it evidently was before Bonnie Hunter - she changed my quilty outlook and there is no going back. I was always a scrappy girl - the more fabrics the better, but now I know how to do it better. I guess I'm tight, but I don't buy fabric unless it is one sale or is a terrific border fabric from which I can design an entire quilt - I just did that Wed - found the most gorgeous neutral piece for my neutral quilt which has been floating in my head for years. Guess this might be a start. I bought 3 yds of it. I mostly buy 1 yd for colors, 2 yds for neutrals, I buy lots of pillowcase fabrics - love to make these as gifts with monogrammed cuffs. And I do the Bonnie thing, every fabric gets a 1 1/2", 2, 2 1/2" strip cut for a grab basket quilt. And now the strings. When I even up the ends I make the cuts at least 1" for strings - wish I had known about this when I first started.
Have I told you I'm a scrappy girl? Extreme at that! lol
Have I told you I'm a scrappy girl? Extreme at that! lol
12-07-2012, 03:42 PM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Southeast Georgia
Posts: 2,526
My mother and grandmother always told me to buy 1, 3 or 5 yards--I have no idea why, but that's what I do. If I think I might use it as an accent, 1 yd. If it's something I like and may use, 3 yds. If I have an idea floating around and I see the fabric in it, 5 yds. If it's something that I will just die without, or if it's a bargain that's too good to be true, I'll buy the rest of the bolt.
12-08-2012, 05:02 AM
#39
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Timberlea, Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 1,262
OMG Woman..........just RUN!!!!!!!! don't listen to anybody, these people (of course not me) all escaped from the pscyo ward!!!!!!!!!! Take my advise and only buy as you need...there are worms in every single piece of not needed fabric that get in your skin and make you buy buy buy and before you know it, you've outgrown your little fabric spot, causing you to go buy a cabinet, the worm keeps growing and you buy 2 cabinets, 3, 4 5 6 and omg you have enough fabric to cover a small town!!!! then you need to get an entire room to house all these cabinets, because they just don't fit with all your sewing machines, cutting area and whatever......God help the guest who comes to stay overnight, but they will be able to slither through the cracks and get to the bed....oh wait, there's fabric there too, oh well, at least they have a place to sleep......just buy as you need!!! Wendy
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