quilterpurpledog

I play a silly game with myself. I keep track of the 'money' I save at the grocery store by buying special sale items and store specials and coupons. This is what I spend on quilting stuff-I feel 'entitled' since I am the one who makes the effort. I keep track of what I spend on food and fuel. I just totaled up my 'savings' and 'quilting related expenditures' for last year. The result: I spent only $53.85 more than I saved. Yeah, I think it is fun to play the game. I really don't have to do this but it is just fun for me.

lovelyl

I, too, started purchasing fabric before I retired. I went to sales and purchased yard cuts of what I liked and even mail ordered some "mystery" boxes of one yard cuts in different color ways. Turns out I didn't like about half of the fabrics in those mystery boxes and ended up giving it away. My biggest mistake was buying only one one yard cuts of fabrics I liked. Most patterns call for more than that.
Another big mistake was not purchasing solids, neutrals, and tone on tone fabrics! So, in the year before my hubby retired I concentrated on purchasing these types of fabrics and purchased them in 2-3 yard cuts. Best thing I ever did! I am able now to make some nice, large scrappy quilts with my stash and lots of smaller projects like table runners and wall hangings with my one yard cuts paired with my neutrals.
So, my advice would be to have a decent stash of solids, neutrals and tone on tones, and save some each week to buy the latest and greatest fabrics later when you have a specific project in mind. And get the sewing machine you want while you can!

Onebyone

I've never asked permission from anyone to do anything except from my parents when I lived at home. I mostly buy kits on clearance to use the fabric in other quilts later on. I rarely make the pattern the kit is for.

Barbpr

My advice is to ensure you have backing fabric for the projects you have. If you have yard ages to piece them, perfect. But that is what I found after I semi-retired. I didn't have the yard ages in matching colors for my many started projects.

AZ Jane

No stash, purchase what is needed for the current quilt. Possibly for the next one if almost finished with the first one. All the fabric I need is at the store, I see no need to have it at the house, taking up room. Some people buy, it's what they do, some people make tops, it's what they do. I concentrate on completing quilts. I also hand quilt.

Notwendy

I don't have a particular budget but try to keep it around a $100 a month (sometimes much less). It varies by sales, etc. It helps that I am many years from retirement. Regardless of age, the advice to buy blenders, neutrals and the like is very good.

But for patterned fabrics it really depends on what type of quilts you prefer. I think traditional needs more and of course preferred size of your projects is an important factor.

I actually started collecting sewing machines before I even learned to sew. I just really liked the mid-century modern designs of the post-WWII Japanese imports. Now that I quilt I also like that they are built like tanks, have few if any plastic parts, and I can usually fix them myself.

My fabric collection also started way before I started to sew/quilt. I loved buying fat quarters just because I liked the pattern. Oy! Once I started sewing I bought fabric with vivid colors and huge prints but not for anything in particular. I am quite the Magpie and impulse buy "shiny" new fabrics without a clear plan.

I try to keep my spending under control by shopping sales or thrift stores. But I know I should cut back and use what I have, if only to keep the stash from taking over my space. I've got it stored everywhere and could still use more storage (it doesn't help we live in an entirely open loft and I can't just close a door). Though goodness knows how bad I'd be if I had an entire room. : )

So, I mainly have a lot of stuff that doesn't match and not enough of anything to make a full quilt. Now I buy large pieces of solids (not really a fan of batiks or tone-on-tone at the present) in many colors, especially stocking up on various grays as my neutral and use my smaller pieces of patterned fabric as focal points. It helps that I prefer modern over traditional so I don't often need enough for dozens of identical blocks.

As to scraps, I like a controlled or minimal look over the Bonnie Hunter throw everything in type. I do use her storage method to keep things under control (or at least try - it gets away from me). So, again my mainstay would be solids. When I want a particular fabric collection I buy pre-cuts on sale and yardage of my favorites within the collection. That might be an option for you, so you don't end up with dated patterned fabric down the road.

I'm trying not to just buy random fat quarters anymore (trying - they are like crack!).

shasta5718

I knew that when I retired I wouldn't be able to buy the fabric in large amounts, so I did aquire a large stash when it was on sale. I guess it depends on your personal taste.e. I don't regret it at all. I find that I can buy smaller amounts now and combine them with items in my stash and I love it.

Mariposa

I don't have a budget. Currently, I am using what I have. My future purchases will be neutrals, tone-on-tones, and solids. Also batiks on occasion. Hope you find something that works for you!

Nammie to 7

I don't have a budget either but the money I do spend now goes to the quilting so I actually have a finished product! I have a big enough stash that I usually only have to buy for a backing or to complete a project. Last year I didn't purchase any fabric until December then bought the Star Wars line. I decided to make at least 6 Star Wars quilts in the next couple of months for grandkids.

madamekelly

For the first seven years after I bought my home, I spent every dime of my "mad money" budget on fabric. It became an obsession. Two years ago, one of the lovely members here issued a challenge to go as long as possible without buying any fabric, just using our stash of fabric. I took the challenge, and in the last (nearly) two years, I have bought no new fabric. I have spent less than $20 last year buying a pattern I have always wanted to try, and nothing else but thread. I guess my temporary fabric buying madness was way out of control because I am still working only from my stash. Now that my fabric storage room has been returned to use as a bedroom, I have no way to justify buying more for several years. My beautiful quilting room is now full of storage totes, drawers, boxes, etc. so still not going to buy more. I have OCD and just stopping a behavior is a huge win for me.