tessagin

Like Macybaby, I love when I can find a bag of scraps at a garage/estate sale. Last week my little niece got a large bag of scraps and it took all of her $3.00 budget. She let me know which one she was going to. She took my business card with her so the lady host knew I often went to the ones she hosted. We went through the bag and I gave her some couple bucks back. I always keep as close to budget as possible.

Serianas

$2.. thats about £1.30 ish! I wouldnt be able to leave it for that price. My 15kg bag had just cost me £13 so it was a massive bargain just have to sell it to the OH as such...

Buckeye Rose

Buying fabric is like having a disease that you just can't get rid of.....when I go into a fabric store, I just walk through all the fabrics, petting the pretty silky ones, just soaking it all in....then it's down to business and find what I need....Some fabrics grab me by the hand and scream "take me home!" and for those it's a 3 yard purchase....and I always walk the clearance racks watching for basics/solids....I never walk out of the store empty-handed!

Bree123

I buy fabrics for a specific purpose. I just can't manage to buy someone's random scraps quite yet. We have 80+ people in my quilt guild and probably 1/3+ of them happily shop at JAF/HL so when bags of scraps show up at guild raffles, I never bid on them because who knows where the fabric came from or if it's going to tear the moment I put it in my machine (I'm not exaggerating, I had that happen; lousy fabric!).

The quilt shop is a different story altogether. I can literally spend hours picking out the "perfect" fabrics for my quilt. I try to buy just a little extra beyond what I need since I don't have much room to store remnants. I have one under-the-bed tub for fabrics & that's it. That has to hold remnants & whatever fabrics I'm using in my current projects(s). I did see a "Fat Quarters Organizer" at JAF the other day, though. It was very hard to resist. Seems like that would get me in too much trouble.

Judith1005

I've had to STOP buying randomly and start thinking before I purchase. One reason, I do not need it all and the second reason, money.

I now tend to buy blenders, tone on tone, solids or whites in bigger quantities. (Mostly white's and blues. I use those the most.)

If I must have something, a 1/3 of a yard or a fat quarter. (I have to be mindful of the first 2 reasons.) I do not want to die with the biggest stash!

I have over the years donated garbage bags of fabric that were what was I thinking or, just completely over whelmed with my hobby. So, now, I'm really trying to shop the stash first. And, I am predominantly a scrappy quilter. So, I really don't need big quantities.

I'm really hoping to get in the habit of only buying per project. But, I do so love variety and scrap quilting. So, I find just small regular purchases of 1/3 of a yard or a Fat Quarter satisfies the whim for "more".

A present of a scrap bag no matter the size would be such a lovely surprise gift. I think it's nice that you treated yourself!

ManiacQuilter2

I recently got taken to the M&L Fabric sale (located in Orange Co CA). I bought the new Hummingbird charms on a lark, but I bought a few batiks for a friend, I bought RK Kona cotton and RK batiks for some Bible bags, bought binding for a quilt and additional fabric to make two charity quilts. Also bought (3) half yard cuts of some of the new RK Fusion Meadow colors for a baby quilt. Fortunately, 20% off but still spent of $100. YIKES !!

Melanie Rudy

I buy what I like, almost always on sale and organize them in colors. When I am ready to make a quilt I usually have a good start.

WMUTeach

For me, and this is only for me, sometimes a fabric will just "capture" me and I know that If I walk away, drive away or try to be brave and not purchase it, that I will regret leaving that fabric behind. That is my signal that I really like that fabric and I use what I am drawn to. It has happens from time to time that I will walk away and then days and weeks later, that little beauty will still be lurking in my head and I have the perfect project in which to use it. Often when I get this "gut" feeling about a fabric, I will wander about the shop for 10 minutes or so. If after that time that piece is still calling my name or just lurking in my memory, after seeing hundreds of other choices, I buy a yard or two or more if it is a bargain. If I like it that much, I know I will use it.

The opposite happens too. I see a fabric I like but after my 10 minute wander I can't remember where it is or I am feeling others are just as nice, I skip it, even if it is on sale! A sale is not a bargain if it just sits and is not used.

citruscountyquilter

When I go into a quilt shop I always check their sale fabric first. If I can't find it I ask if they have any. Usually sale fabric is 50% off with a 1 yard minimum. If I see something I like I buy that but I never buy fabric just because it is on sale or if I need just a little bit because of the 1 yard minimum. Many of my backing fabric comes from this source.

I usually have a project in mind for future quilt and I look for fabric for that. I made a quilt for my husband with vintage car fabric which is hard to find. It took me several years to find a nice selection. I made a quilt using animal prints (zebra, tiger etc). Again, it took me several years to get my collection together. Same with the music quilt I made.

I collect 30's-40's repro prints so check out if they have that and buy 1/2 yard of something I don't already have. Someday I will use them in a scrappy repro quilt.

I also look for fabric that has lots of different colors in it because they are so versatile in bringing seemingly unrelated fabrics together.

I have only bought precuts once and a pattern only a couple of times. There are so many ideas out there that I'd rather spend money on fabric than a pattern. Again, I don't want to spend the extra money for precuts when I can cut my own and actually enjoy it.

In looking at people's stashes on this site and others I don't have a large stash but have a nice selection of fabric. I don't buy large amounts of fabric. Some buy 4-5 yards of fabric they like where I buy 1/2 yard. I also don't make a lot of large quilts. I like lap size quilts and things like pot holders, place mats and such with intricate patterns that don't take large amounts of fabric. I also love scrappy quilts.

DebbieJJ

...if you could just see my "stash".... I usually buy if it is on sale, or if I like the fabric, or if the color is one of my favorites (which is most colors these days). Right now, I'm not able to sew or quilt because of a shoulder condition and my dr. has me restricted on arm use, but let's just say that my stash keeps growing! Also, I buy at least 2 yards of the fabric at a time, and almost always wish I had bought more.