Honestly, my purchases are made from gut feelings. If I like what I'm buying, I believe that I can sell it to other quilters. (Lately I've been learning and trying my hand at search engine optimization, so looking at fabric is a welcome reprieve from data entry!!) There are so many beautiful fabrics to choose from and I have limited space in the building we occupy now. It's safe to say that Christmas fabrics always make me happy, so I spend a lot of time perusing my distributers' websites making wish lists and checking them often. If I can envision what I would make then I go from there.
One thing I am thankful for is how my distributers have similar color waves so it's not difficult to make quilts that look lovely from different companies. I seldom buy an entire line of a designer's fabric because not all of their line sends me over the moon, so I pick and choose carefully. And when I first started quilting I didn't have the desire to buy all of one designer's work for a quilt. I wanted to use my stash and add a few extra pieces to make a splash. It becomes a mystery to solve and pull off successfully.
I am always hopeful that my customers are intrigued enough by my inventory to try new colors and patterns to grow their quilting experience. I enjoy watching them discover a different designer and fall in love with color and pattern. That's how I got hooked on quilting.
Happy Easter!