Just wondering if there are other quilters out there like me, working within a tight budget? I do buy the odd fabric remnant at the sales etc but mostly I use fabric scraps or off cuts from my sewing to make my quilts, I buy recycled clothing from stores like Red Cross or the Salvation Army. It is difficult finding the 100% cotton garments these days as I think other quilters have the same idea but I am always on the look out where ever I shop for that special piece! Some of the op shops sell odd lengths of fabric to that is always an exciting find!! I wash all the garments unpick them and press the fabric ready to use.
The challenge is that it can take a while longer to gather all the fabrics together which are need to make a full size quilt! I got my patterns from books in my local library or off the net.
I make rag rugs and it was from this that I thought some of the fabrics were good enough to use for quilting. I like the scrap quilts and the country or nieve quilts for this reason, you can work with the smaller amounts. I wait for the fabric sales to buy the calico for the backing and all threads and notions etc to try and keep the cost down.
Having to keep to a tight budget has its drawbacks and can be a challenge but to complete a quilt within those restrictions is a very satisfying reward I find, to make a pretty, functional quilt with what others might throw away, well, I now know what those clever old timers must have felt like, very proud indeed!!!
Would love to hear if there are any other quilters out there who enjoy doing similar.
Gal