Quilt in a Day Forums

In 2007, in Paducah, I bought 2 yards each of a number of fabrics I really liked in the Fabric Frenzy tent. I have hardly used any of it. If I'm just making a scrappy quilt, I hate to cut into 2 yards, if I'm not making a scrappy quilt 2 yards is not enough. So this year, I bought a whole bolt of two different tone on tone fabrics, for backgrounds and backings and have used MUCH of it already. Maybe some day I'll have this figured out!

Thanks everyone. I think I have somewhat a better idea of how much to purchase....

I buy 5 - 7 yards of blender fabrics, the ones that would make good backing, sashings, binding, and background. I buy 1/2 - 2 yards of the fabric that has the colors, prints, or design I love. I buy lots of fat quarters to add a spark of color to my quilt. If a fabric is on sale at a fantastic price I buy it no matter the color or design.

When I first began doing any quilting I just did wall hangings, table runners, etc. so fat quarters and up to 1.5 yards was the usual amount I would buy. But now that I have moved up to larger quilts if I anticipate using the piece for a border, I get 3 yards. If I know what I am going to do with the fabric I buy for the pattern and always get 1/4 to 1/2 yd extra fudge factor. Most of my quilts have a lot of patterns in them, so I get 2 yd min. A good sale where I know I could use it for a back, I'll get 6 or the remainder of the bolt. But no matter how much fabric you have, when you you pull it out pieces to do a quilt you will need at least one more fabric and HAVE to go shopping again. Oh, the hardships of quilting.

If it's 44" wide fabric off the bolt, I will buy a minimum of a half yard. 1/4 yard is just too skinny a piece to be of much use in quilting. At least if I have an 18-inch piece, I generally have a fat quarter left over for future projects.

If it is something I really like, but no pattern in mind, I use Jennifer in AZ method. I have been known to buy 4 yards of a particular fabric. If I see a fabric I like, i will buy what I think I might need.

I will buy FQ's if I like the fabric and just want to have some. If I really believe I may put in a pieced lap - twin size quilt, I always get at least a half yard. I don't make much in the way of bigger quilts after the last king size. If it is an 1800 piece, i will usually buy at least a yard. If it looks like a great boarder, then 3 yards min. If It looks like a back 6 yards if its available. I will buy 4 - 5 yard cuts for back if I have too and piece something else in if necessary. A couple of years ago I bought some 1/2 yard pieces of lavendar and greens with good intentions of doing something with them. Well, it never happened. And then last month at a class I found the perfect matches for them and bought 10 more 1/2 yards, 2 1 yard pieces and 4 yards of background. These are being used now for the pick and stitch sew along. Mostly what I buy now is kits with patterns. Buying separately, I have ended up with many pieces which do not match anything else in my stash. I have been trying to use these up in swaps, etc.

When I buy my fabric stash I usually buy 1/2 a yard of the print, 1 yard of for solids. When I think about background colors I get 2 yards. If I think it is a good lattice color I usually get 2 yards that is good for even a king size quilt. Most 31/2 or smaller borders can be 1 yard, if you think it needs to be a wide border get about 3 yards. 1 yard will take care of most quilts for the binding. Of course if I have a particular pattern where everything matches I buy for a whole quilt on one trip. We just live so far from fabric stores that it is difficult. Anyway it seem to work for me.

When I started quilting I bought mostly FQ and 1/2 yds. unless it was something I really liked. Now I never buy less that 1 yd of a fabric. This summer on my vacation I spent a day in Intercourse, PA just to shop at the Amish quilt shops. There I bought a minimum of 2 yds of each. If it is Civil War reprpoduction material which I collect I buy a minimum of 2 to 3 yds. Basically I have no set rule just an addiction to material.

I just buy the occaisonal FQ, but mostly I buy for a project. I can't really afford to just buy it cause I like it.
I guess I really thought that "Stash Happens" and didn't realize that folks just bought fabric for the sake of buying it... I am so jealous.
OHsue