vivientan

Does anyone here have the habit of purchasing FQs for your stash, or do u just purchase fabrics by the yards?

There are a few very pretty collections that I'm in love with now. However, purchasing every design by the yards is very costly and I'm thinking if I shd just purchase the FQs. This is a dilemma I face pretty often when purchasing fabrics.

When buying just the FQs, I face the problem of whether I should purchase extra yardages and how much to buy, especially when I do not have a project in mind.

Can someone help me pls?

Jammin' Jane

If I like it and I have the money, I buy it! Because I know I won't find it if I go back!
I typically buy a yard, sometimes 2 or 3 if I really, really like it!
MOTTO: stash, stash, gotta build my stash!!

roselady

I buy FQ's often. I like using a lot of fabrics in my quilts so FQ work for me. I also do a lot of applique, I might do a flower with each petal a different shade of pink, so I need many colors in my stash to choose from. To buy yardage of all those colors would cost too much at once. I have been very surprised how far a FQ will go. There have certainly been times that I wished that I had bought more than a FQ, but unless you are buying for a specific pattern and don't really plan on having a stash, that is bound to happen. Or if you buy several yards of a fabric and only use half of it, will you really want to make another quilt with the same fabric? The longer you make quilts the better you will get at judging which fabrics to buy by the yard and which to just get a FQ. FQ's do usually cost a bit more than a 1/4 yd. cut, but sometimes it is worth it to not have to stand in line waiting to have fabric cut.

cctx.

It depends, but usually I buy both, FQs and yardage.

wanda lou

I like both FQ's and Yardage, If I really like a fabric I will buy 3 yards.

vivientan

When u quilt, do you prefer to mix and match fabrics or use everything from the same collection? I have a tendency to gear towards the latter.

katier825

I have bought more FQ in the past than I do now. Then I started buying 1/2 yds. I think I'll stick with 1 yd pieces for the most part.

If you plan to do some FQ quilt patterns or scrappy quilts, it's a great way to add variety to your stash.

If it's a beautiful large print that would be perfect for a border, I buy 2-3 yards.

heather1949

Yep I buy both as well. :lol:

sewcrafty

I'm a more yardage person myself. If you want the whole line :) then look for the fabric that speaks to you the most and purchase yardage of that one. That way you can use in the quilt itself and maybe borders. Then fill-in with others.

carolaug

Link to Fabric Calculator
How Many Squares in a Fat Quarter? Roughly - 99 - 2 inch squares , 56 - 2 1/2 inch squares, 42 - 3 inch squares, 30 - 3 1/2 inch squares, 20 - 4 inch squares, 16 - 4 1/2 inch squares, 12 - 5 inch squares, 12 - 5 1/2 inch squares, 9 - 6 inch squares, 6 - 6 1/2 inch squares, 4 - 8 inch squares, 4 - 9 inch squares