Tips and Techniques

— for quilters and fabric lovers

How much fabric should I buy?

In answer to that age-old question — "How much fabric should I buy when I don't know what I'll use it for?" — here is a rule of thumb to go by:

• If you love a fabric and expect to use it in a border or major part of a quilt, buy at least 3½ to 4 yards.
• If you expect to use it as one of the major fabrics in a quilt, buy 2 to 3 yards.
• If you expect to use it in string quilting, strip piecing or other small areas, buy 1½ yard.
• If you have no ideas whatsoever what to do with it, but love it anyway, buy 1 yard.

Back to Tips and Techniques