GrannieAnnie

If I find something I really like, I'll buy 4 or 5 yards. I'm working on a jelly roll quilt now--kinda like a rail fence but 5 strips each block.

Just depends on strikes me at the time.

Tollergirl

By nature, I like to be efficient, so I usually only buy fabric when I have a pattern in hand. Once in a while I will get a bundle that strikes me. Just go w/ your gut. and your budget!

Feathers-N-Fur

Before buying a lot of fabric, I prefer to have a pattern planned. Fabric is expensive and I'm out of work. I have a stash, but it is mainly thrift store finds or great deals off the clearance sections. What I have done when I wanted to do a layer cake pattern was to wait till Joann's had FQs on sale for a dollar, and bought 40 of them that I liked. I figure that was what I would spend on a layer cake, and I cut 2 layer cakes and still had decent size scraps left that could be cut into charm squares or half strips, but I left them as 8x20" pieces to use for something later. I have bought precuts, but not usually.

MacThayer

I almost always buy yardage, but I'm careful about it. There are certain places I go where I know I'm going to find great fabric at clearance prices. The bargain bin at Keepsake Quilting is one, and the clearance fabrics at Connecting Threads is another. I have a couple of other "proven" on line sources, and a couple of local sources. I made out Big when Keepsake Quilting did that week-long 40% off all fabrics in their bargin bin, and I try not to buy fabrics from Connecting Threads that are more than $3.50 -$4.00/yard. I've found terrific fabric there for under $2.50/yard. I try not to pay more than $5.00/yard. I have my lists my things I need: blue focus fabric, tan background fabric, coral background fabric, etc., etc. And as I cruise through my sites monthly, I'm looking for fabrics I need, although if I find something I can't live without, well, that ends up in my basket too. I'll buy anywhere from 3-5 yards, depending on whether it's a focus fabric, or a background I can use in lots of places. I've been know to buy more than that for something I dearly love (up to 9 yards) and expect to make use of in a big way. There is nothing like planning a quilt, going to my stash, and pulling out every fabric I need without any additional trips to the fabric store, unless it's for thread. Anything left over can be made into Fat Quarters or Jelly Rolls, which are nice to have on hand -- in colors and patterns I like! Or I leave it as fabric if there's enough left. So that's my strategy!

SueSew

I bought Tonga Treat Mango Charm pack for a table runner 'Little Charm' project at my open class (I have to buy fabric from the store to take the class). I am so happy the pattern did not call for 5" squares, because their 5" is off. Anything bigger than 4 1/2 would have not squared up so good thing 4 1/4 is all that was need for most of it and I had leftovers to deal with the rest. It called for 19 charms but I used more.
I am still in FQ-recovery from buying FQ's for a hand-dye project. One FQ was 16 1/2 x 23! Now I know the game, I can play by their rules. Or should I say 'rulers'?

I have never tried turnovers or whatever little foodie thing they call the bigger blocks, but I would recommend buying that way only if it is a quickie not subject to actual measurements as opposed to relative measurements, and if you can't play with your stash and accomplish the same thing.

ArtsyOne

I almost always buy yardage and never have a particular pattern in mind. If the fabric will be suitable for a backing or is neutral (cream on cream muslin) I buy 2 yards at a time. If it's fabric that I know I will use soon, I buy 1 yard and if a fat quarter screams my name I'll buy that too. Sometimes I'll have only a yard of something that turns out to be so wonderful in whatever I'm making that I want more and can't find it. That's how I found this board - one of the members had 5 yards for sale of a fabric I desperately wanted for my project. Made my day!

deemail

buying precuts is THE most expensive way to purchase fabric...

Annaquilts

FQ and then yardage for the border and backing.

Digitizingqueen

I have purchased Jelley rolls and charm packs of lines I truely love - but for the most part I buy yardage - I buy the most I can afford esp if I love it or it is a nuetral I also tend to buy fabric for specific projects if I am makeing soemthign for soemone....or for myself

Buckeye Rose

If I were to buy just to build my stash, I would stick with blenders and solids. Unless you have a humongous stash, you will have to buy specific prints/colors for a pattern...at least most of the time. A bargello I recently finished required 24 different fabrics, and while I could pull a few from my stash, I would guess that I ended up buying 75% of them (over a period of several months and quite a few road trips to different stores looking for the perfect shade teal). When I have spare cash and a 50% off coupon to JoAnn's, I try to buy the Kona cotton solids for my stash because I know the quality is good and I will use them with most of my quilts.