LyndaK

I buy for specific projects and always kit them up at home so everything is together. I don't keep stash. My brain doesn't work that way!:)

jillaine

I only go to the store (G Street Fabric) when their 25% sale is on.

I stroll through the stacks/shelves and see what I'm attracted to. Sometimes it's a new collection; sometimes it's a particularly lovely mix/blend of colors.

I also force myself to seek colors that I am not usually drawn to but that complement those colors that I am drawn to.

I put out bolts and bolts of fabric on the cutting table and I mix them around until I "see" a vision for what I want to create-- at least in terms of color and print. I have NO idea at this time what the quilt will look like.

I purchase what I hope will be enough (I'm getting better at this), take it home, throw it in the wash, fold it up, add it to my stash. At these times, I usually take out my entire stash (no where near as large as the quilters here) and re-arrange what I've got into new groupings, seeking "just the right" combo. I may then go through my various quilting books, and the patterns I've saved on my computer and see if anything jumps out at me.

Most of the time, I group the fabrics for the selected project, and then put everything away.

Sheesh... writing this makes me laugh pretty hard.

matraina

All of the above.

grandma anna

Price here too.

EagarBeez

Never by impulse, my pocketbook would never be able to withstand that!
I usually have a quilt in mind for someone in my family. I look for colors and cost. I try to find sales of course, and have a price I am willing to pay for good quality fabric.

Ritacarl

Sometimes I just wander through the material isles. I may see something that catches my eye. I will not buy at that time. When I go back to the material I will pick up what caught my eye and go from there. If there are not at least 3 other colors that cordinate I will put the material back. My daughter has asked me to make her a quilt but she doesn't know what colors she wants. I have decided on making a cocoa brown, medium blue and mauve quilt. Have looked at material and nothing with those colors has found me yet so will keep looking. For my daughter I'm not to concerned with the price but for myself and just to have something to keep my busy, I go to the sale material first. JoAnn's will be my next place to look for the brown, blue and mauve material.
Rita

BJ SewKkrazzy

I usually use money!!!

Actually by color, and feel, velvets, etc.
That's just how us crazies are!
BJ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60446771@N05/

Jennifer22206

price first! All of the above really.
I love hitting the sale racks, and then there are just some fabrics that strike my fancy and I try to get a half a yard at least if it's not that expensive

IBQUILTIN

I buy fabric because it is there

ann clare

Price.