I've been picking up mattress pads at estate sales. I figure I can kill anything on them with a heavy bleach wash. I like a nice heavy quilt, so I use the mattress pads for batting. I can usually get one for less than $5. - way cheaper than batting! Easy to quilt since they're already quilted, and the quilts have that nice heavy weight that I love to snuggle under!

Our thtift stores have so over priced everything that you can add and extra buck or two and go to Joanns, or for clothing at JC Penneys, Macies (sale) TJ Max, etc. So why not buy new rather than used at that price?

I find the prices much higher than they used to be. I never find any fabric in my local thrift shops.

I make string blocks and usually use calico (muslin) for the foundation. This past week I purchased a pair of long curtains and two sheets (all cotton) for $5 plus two metres of a boy's print quilting material for $4. Very rare to find cotton sheets around here.

I always love to hear what people find at thrift stores and garage sales. I haven't had any luck at thrift stores in my area.

The Salvation Army and Goodwills within a 30 mile radius of me don't carry fabrics, only a very rare and broken parts machine, and clothing/sheets are outrageously priced! Most merchandise is broken and missing parts. Cheap dinnerware sets are sold by the piece- plates $2, etc. The clearance men's shirts from WalMart that had been 3.99 with the tag still in it are tagged there at 7.99, etc. I am lucky enough to have a community Thrift Shop 3 miles away- decent men's shirts are only $1-$3! If they close I don't know where I'll go. Very occasionally I'll find nice fabric, but that's probably because someone from my Guild got there before me. All proceeds stay local. I ration my visits to 2x/month since there are bills to be paid. I don't go to garage sales, but do occasionally have good luck with Freecycle and Craigslist. Salvation Army donations from here immediately go out of state to a sorting warehouse. I picked up some books from a quilter that was moving and she'd just sent her husband to the SA with tubs of LQS fabrics! I raced there and was curtly told they were in the back and I could not buy them- at any price, that commonly fabric is just tossed since no one sews any more! I almost cried- missed the drop off by 15 minutes.

I went into a second hand shop (UK) to buy a skirt in the window. A snooty sale person looked me up and down and said, "it is only size 12" I replied " no problem I'm going to cut it up." You should have seen her face. My 6 year old nephew who was with me told me the lady looked upset when I answered her. After laughing I told him why. I cut up the skirt for applique roses it was perfect.

Not that good, but I got 15 yards of natural colored muslin (42") and a good bit of other odds and ends for $5 a couple years ago.

I"ve not been on Freecycle long but have never seen any sewing stuff. Craigslist has fabric once in a while, but generally the prices are way high.


OH, BTW, is $325 a good price for a Bernina Activia 125? (I think that was the name)

What a treasured finds, enjoy! thanks for sharing.