Crafty, so good to see you interested in sewing/quilting. Check with your friends and family. Ask if they have any old clothing, sheets they may want to get rid of. A lot of people quilt with only cotton fabrics, but you can use a poly/cotton blend like sheets. Also old jeans make a great raggy quilt. Thrift stores have good deals if you keep your eyes open. Sheets, both poly/cotton blends and flannel, old jeans, and even dust ruffles for beds. Often the dust ruffles have a polyester foundation but the ruffle part is cotton. There is a lot of fabric in those dust ruffles, especially if they are heavily ruffled or pleated. Mens shirts and house coats/dresses are great finds too. Especially if you can find large sizes. Use coupons and JoAnns and Hancock Fabrics. Hancock Fabrics often has their quilting cottons at half price but that is still $3 to $4 per yard. You can splurge there once in while. Just try to make sure that the fabric in the clothing is good quality. Thick. not so thin you can nearly read a newspaper through it! (ha ha) I'm sure you will find all kinds of fabric if you just keep your eyes open and ask around. Check with your friends. One may have a mom that would be willing to sit with you for a couple of hours each week for a while and show you some basics with a sewing machine or even with hand sewing. Thrift stores are also great for finding sewing machines. Must lest expensive than a new one. But, you do need to be careful and make sure that it works well. Don't be afraid to ask to try it out. Take some thread and fabric with you. Use a light or medium color fabric and use two different color threads so you can see how the stitches are. Check for video's online to show you how to check the stitches. A good key word to search is "checking sewing machine tension." Also just know that everyone on this board will be happy to answer any questions we can and to help you begin your journey. I know you'll enjoy seeing all the beautiful things you will be able to make.