My Stash

Most patterns in quilt magazines are designed to showcase a particular fabric range, so it was refreshing to see the gorgeous quilt designed by Valli Schiller in March's 'Quilters Newsletter'. This quilt is made from fabrics from her stash. She says she rarely buys fabric for a specific quilt, buying instead "on speculation". Here are are the five reasons for her to choose a particular fabric.

• it's so beautiful she has to have it


• it fills a colour/style gap in her stash


• it's useful from a design standpoint


• it's polka dotted or striped


• it's on sale and she felt sorry for it.

Since I buy fabrics in exactly the same way, as and when, it made me think about the reasons I buy fabric.

1. It's so beautiful I have to have it.

I love colours (all of them) and don't often buy 'pretty' fabric.

2. It fills a gap in my stash.

I often have enough fabric to start a quilt (look before you leap has never been my motto!) but often have to go and buy more fabrics in a particular colour or style to finish it off. Here are some of the 'extra' fabrics I have had to buy recently.

3. It's wacky.

I love novelty fabrics and always buy them. Sometimes I use them as feature fabrics, but often just go with the colour and use them in scap quilts - they add interest to the design.

4. It has writing on it.

As a teacher, it is my mission to bring literacy to the masses, and I try to include a piece of fabric with writing on it in every quilt. I like scrappy quilts, and many of these fabrics are neutrals, which blend in well.

5. It's reproduction or vintage.

I am very interested in social history, love old fabrics, and old quilts. While I'm not especially interested in reproducing old quilts, there is something charming about their look, and I cherish the link I feel to our foremothers who made such beautiful items.

6. It was in the sale bin, and I thought it would 'do' for backing.

I am such a cheapskate, that I have quite a few fabrics which seem to lurk in the bottom of my boxes. Sometimes they come in, but often are sludgey and difficult to use. Sometimes they are just what is required for a certain design, when they give me a great feeling of achievement (and keep the bank manager happy!) Never mind, they were all bargains!

When I first started quilting, I bought lots of cheap fabrics, but now I try (and try is the operative word) to be more discerning. My current maxim is to buy 75% of what I need and 25% of what I want. Except if it's in the sale bin, of course!