I started out that way. I raided the linen closet for sheets to ue as material., and made my first two quilts by hand.
Two years later my daughter found an old singer at a thrift store and paid a whole six dollars for it.I now have three sewing machine and lots of rullers.
I don't think in the long term quilting can be called a frugal undertaking. Most quilters are always upgrading in equipment and fabric.