bonbon777

Money is tight because we are builders and things are slow. I get it give to me or at secondhand store. I have more then I need and nice to boot.

quilt3311

Sales, auctions, garage sales.
Once went to an auction where there were 96 boxes of fabric, I'm not talking shoe boxes, but big boxes. I ended up with 19 boxes and after measuring ended up with 2,000 yards. Some of the pieces had the sales receipts in and the fabric was from 1926 - 1955. Found out that the lady who built the stash had worked at the local 5 & 10 cent store. She would buy the fabric on clearance and anticipated sewing and sewing when she retired. She retired and then became ill and passed. Her sister then kept the fabric until they passed and it was sold. If I had known it was all in very good shape would have bought more boxes, but was afraid it would be fraying or rotting. It wasn't, it was all in A-1 shape. Have had a ball using it and still probably have about 1/4 of it left. Shared with my quilt friends too. So we all had fun with it. Lots of charity quilts from it.
Oh forgot it came out to 10 cents a yard.

fosseldaughter

Garage sales, estate sales, second hand stores, Salvation Army, Goodwill and auctions is where most of mine has come from, paid pennies on the dollar. Also, got a wonderful solid wood sewing cabinet (with 1960's sewing notions) and a 1950's Necchi Elna Sewing machine work horse for $35 at an auciton.

dmyers

how funny, that's the same as me. i cleaned out my stash over the holidays and came across fabric i really dislike now. my taste has definitely changed from 13 yrs ago. i love michael miller, robert kaufman fabrics, riley blake and moda. i'd love to send the unwanted fabric to someone who would use it, but i'm almost to embarrassed to take pics.

gollytwo

willynilly - mostly on sale

Brendat0426

I really love reading all the answers, there are so many ideas of places to look and how to get the fabric.

Quiltzilla

I'll add this thought for the ump-teenth time: SALES!!!!! Hit all the sales and snag the highest quality fabrics you can find for as low a price as you can find.

I happen to know that fabrics are often sold at below cost through local quilt shops, and their on-line outlets. Once a non-basic fabric has been on the shelf for nearly a year, it is pushed out the door at a price below the shop's cost per yard. Many times it is sold for less than half the wholesale price just to make way for the new fabrics.

ambquilter

As you can see we all have a MAJOR problem. lol.

But seriously, in the past I would buy anything that caught my eye. Now, I buy neutrals that I know will make good backgrounds or I buy for a certain project that way I don't have to try to keep finding places to store it all.

I have found if I buy a yard for my stash, when I come across a pattern that I want to make, the pattern will call for 1 1/2 yard so then I have to buy fabric for that pattern. And you always buy a little more than the pattern calls for then you have the original yard of fabric in your stash and whatever is left from the new fabric. So a good way to build your stash would be to buy for a project then whatever is left is added to your stash. Then it is almost like getting your stash for free :lol:. Right????

Angie

cdufur

I seldom buy fabric with a specific project in mind. I hit LOTS of sales and buy colors that I like, or sometimes "just because it feels good" LOL. I tend to like darker colors, so I also look for light colors that I think that might be able to be used because you always need some lighter tones...even if I'm not crazy about them.

kajaza

I have a pretty good size stash! I buy what i like but always try to buy on sale, clearance, garage/yard sales, thrift stores sometimes i splurge and pay full price. rarely have a project in mind although i know it will make a pretty something or other someday :P