How to Build Your Stash Without Breaking Your Budget – Part 5 & 6

Almost Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am combining Part 5 and Part 6 of How to Build Your Stash Without Breaking Your Budget. Why am I doing that? Because I cannot believe how many Black Friday and Cyber Monday fabric sales I am finding right in my inbox. I would rather share this information with you today, so you can take advantage of these great deals. I will be!!


I generally have my main focal fabrics, which I know will be determining my colorway. Stephanie Ryan, a designer from Moda, has recently come out with a line of fabrics called Modern Roses, which I love.
This link from Fabric.com shows the entire line; https://www.fabric.com/SearchResults2.aspx?Source=Header&SearchText=Modern+Roses&CategoryID=1d5f47dc-9991-4088-93f3-26a376046a5e. I know those large roses will be those focal fabrics.

If I am going to use a boarder, and sometimes I don’t for a more modern look, I will choose fabrics that contrast with the main fabrics, because they are the star of the show. Boarder fabrics will often be a fabric that has more volume or brightness or less volume and brightness than those main fabrics. Sometimes they will be solids, because the quilting on them will really shine on that solid color.

I choose binding fabrics that are not directional, because it is hard to make the seams line up for the continuous pattern look. I go with small prints that pick up lots of colors to bring the colors in the quilt together. For me, as I look at fabric bolts or fabric samples I can usually tell the colors in the print will bring out lots of colors in the quilt. Sometimes I use the same fabric for binding, as I do for the backing, which creates a nice pulled together look on the back of the quilts.

Backing fabric is often sold in widths of 104″ or 108″. This makes it easier for the quilter, who won’t have to cut and sew large pieces of fabric together to make the back.

So to stretch your fabric purchasing power, keep your eyes out for online and in brick & mortar stores for fabrics that fit those needs.