The most frugal quilter I ever knew was my late mother. Cut her squares from a paper pattern by hand with scissors. My Dad bought her a Singer when he went to Korea in 1952 and she never had another machine. Stitched all her quilts together by hand. I look at them and see fabric from my old maternity tops (also made by her), curtains and daughter's childhood dresses. Though they would not be of much value to anyone else, they are priceless to me.