Annz

I will usually buy all the material for the top at one time and then look for binding and backindg and also look in my stash.

np3

Sometimes a collection will really speak to me and then I have to buy a lot of it and I like to have an idea for the pattern in my head when I do that. But mostly I buy pieces that I see and know I will find a use for later. The binding and the backing are always purchased later. Since I favor the same colors, often my stash will have a perfect border just waiting for me to see it.

missionslady

I rarely buy it all at once. I purchase my focus fabric and maybe one or two of the complimentary fabrics. Then I go through my stash at home and often I'm able to come up fabric that compliments it well. I try to stock up on buying fabric for backings when I find a 'super duper' sale or clearance prices since you have to have so much of that. Should what I have on hand not work, I will try and buy some at the best price/quality I can find at the time. I remember Alex Anderson used to say on her TV show Simply Quilts, "Let the quilt talk to you. It will tell you what it needs." More and more I'm finding that to be true. As it comes together, you begin to get a concept in your mind of the kind of border it needs. Hope this helps a little. We keep learning as we go:-)

Woodster

I lived in the Charlotte/Cornelius area for 9 years. If one of our daughters moves to NC, there's a good chance we will also, but nothing definite yet.

arpdesigns28

It depends. For me personally, I have worked on quilts where I have gotten everything all at once, especially if I am at a place where I like the coordinating fabrics, or fabrics that I can coordinate and get the desired look and feel. Right now, though, I have found that while working on one quilt, looking in various places for your fabrics (and taking your time looking) makes your quilt a bit more unique, as they don't go along with the same theme as everyone else's. Check out some places online- there are some fab finds, such as a INCREDIBLE tiger batik panel designed by a batik artist in Indonesia. Nothing like that out there, and one of a kind. Take your time, in my opinion, and keep a swatch with you wherever you go. :thumbup:

Bev

I usually go through my stash and find as many fabrics as look just right for the quilt. Then when it's borders time, I look for something that's perfect. It always turns up whether from my stash, or shopping for it. Usually I make the back out of leftover fabric and blocks from the front.

Bev

[quote]"Take your time, in my opinion, and keep a swatch with you wherever you go." [quote]

Excellent advice! I always have a bunch of swatches in my purse. You never know when you'll come upon a fabric store. :lol:

buslady

The one time I did buy all the material for a quilt, I didn't use most of it, cause it just didn't "feel" right. That was 3 years ago, and just a while ago a friend was looking to make her DM a quilt and she used 2 of those fabrics, putting some others with it. It is gorgeous! Looks much better in her quilt than in the one I made. Of If I see a fabric I really like, I get 1 to 8 yards of it, depending on how much I like it, and if it looks like a "main" fabric, or something that would go with something else. My stash is pretty substantial, but I still have to look. And buy!

firecrackerpam

I will try to buy all the fabric for the top at once because I am a "matcher". I like everything to go together and when I am shopping, I am seriously shopping for the day until I get it done. So I generally will do the whole top at once. If the backing is calling then I will get is as well unless this is a top that I am randomly putting together and not sure about the total size. I recently did a "scrapbook" quilt for my son that included blocks of his favorite things like a camera applique, a car similar to what he drove, a dog like our lab, and a snowboarder. They were all different size blocks and needed filler blocks and strips between so I couldn't tell how much backing I would need until it was done.

soleegirl

i buy everything except the backing as that is easier to find the material for. I once did a quilt from a kit and wanted to make the backing the color of one of the blocks and come to find out, that color has been discontinued so i have been searching for something close to that color.