Amen! If you find something you love buy it then because other people will want it and when you go back it will be sold out. Ask me how I know!!

Sometimes a piece of fabric inspires a quilt design, rather than the other way around. Like many other people who have posted, I will buy at least three yards of a fabric I really love, because it always seems to be gone when you go back to get it and then you kick yourself for not buying it.

I told DH what you have all said. So today I am going to buy the fabric. Thank you all for your comments.

Except for the basics, like marbles and fusions, they only make one run of fabric. When that is gone, there is no more to reorder. So - If I really like it, i buy it when I see it. Too many times I have thought I would get some later, and later it is all gone.

If you really like it you better get it before it's gone lol.

I would buy it if I like it a lot. Chances are if you like it, a lot of other people will like it too. I wouldn't take a chance. If I really love it I buy 3 or 4 yards of it. That way I have enough for borders as well as blocks. If I just really like it, I buy a couple of yards. If I just like it and are afraid that it might be gone, I buy a yard. Does that make sense? I originally bought 6 yards (I bought all the store had) for my F8s for the latest boomerang block swap. Used most of it for the F8s and and ordered 5 more yards online so I wouldn't run when it came time to make my quilt.

DHs! what do they know! Get it Girl before it is gone!!!!

From Don-isewman-Usually when I buy fabric, I like, or want the fabric in my stash, I usually buy 3-4 yards. Or sometimes when the fabric tells me "take me home"(ha-ha) it anywhere up to 3 yards(end of bolt). Don-isewman

I heard years ago that fabric manufacturers classify yearly designs. I don't know if this is right but here goes:
A classification means it will only be manufacturered this one time. When it runs out it is gone.
B classification means they will manufacturer once more or see how the sales go.
C classification means manufacturers will make it for a few years in a row.

Classifications may be based on how well the sales go and the marketing goals.

This is a good question, I would like to hear more on this.

If you ask the quilt store (whoever does the fabric ordering) what the classification is and she/he should know - that will give you an idea of how available it will be for the long run.

I read somewhere that if you see a fabric you like, but at least a half yard, however, if you really love it and might want to use it as a focus fabric in a quilt, buy 2-3 yards. My girl friend took me to a quilt shop where they had "sale" fabrics for $2.99/yd. as they were just making room for new fabrics in their shop. Some fabric I only bought a yard or two, but if I really loved it, bought 6-7 or even a little more to be used for backing fabric. I must admit that I am a fabric-aholic, and sometimes let my fabric "age - like fine wine", but I also make quilts to be raffled off by my church. I often let the fabric "speak" to me and I made a quilt recently where my backing fabric wanted a featured role in the quilt, so I did, and we raised over $1200 - it was a beautiful quilt, if I do say so myself. Now that we're both on Social Security, I'm glad I bought the fabric when I had the money, so now I have a great stash to support my quilting habit. Hope this helps.