I am on a relatively tight budget, I cannot just go into my LQS and buy full price fabrics off the shelf. I do buy needles and thread and batting from them and always try to buy a small amount of sale fabric from one of the bargain bins for my scrappy quilts.
I source my fabrics on line, in op shops and recycle clothing, I go to garage sales and car boot sales. I do not have a stash as such. I only make one quilt at a time and when that is finished I get on with the next one, I like to hand quilt so I am not very prolific.
I get my patterns mostly from library books or mags or on line but also like to create my own designs from what fabric I have at the time. If I have an idea in my head, some times it is a while before I have sourced all the fabrics I need.
It is quite a challenge but I feel an affinity with those wonderfully creative ladies of yesteryear and try to keep by those old fashioned principals. I do not work with any fancy tools or equipment, apart from a cutting board and soon a Hera Marker! I use an ordinary cheap quilting hoop.
Just because I cannot afford to buy expensive fabrics and the like, does not stop me from enjoying making quilts. I am extremely happy in my little old quilting world, I keep my quilts for family members and friends since a lot of the fabrics are second hand or recycled.
The largest quilt I have made to date is queen size and all up it cost $50.00 NZ, I think that is approx $25.00 US.
Gal