I decided today that I would get out and search out some Goodwill stores, thrift shops and anything else that I thought might have some fabric or other goodies. Well we went to 5 places and it was a gigantic waste of time. One had a Singer Touch and Sew in a cabinet for $9.99 but no cords for the machine. Don't really need a machine but always look anyway. Bought a couple of pairs of jeans at another but zip on the fabric or sewing stuff. So I guess I'm stuck going to JoAnns, WalMart and shopping online.

That's usually my result with Goodwills/Salvation Army/Thrift stores around here, too...not much!!

My sister and I stopped at maybe 30 garage sales last Saturday.

We did not see one speck of yardage - of any kind - available.

Saw one tan Singer sewing machine - that was it!

It takes usually several attempts before you hit the jackpot, and then you may never hit it again.

I once found a woman selling all the stash...3 finished tops, many sewn blocks ready to be put together, 9 rulers, fabrics, some on the bolts, stabilizers, scissors, pins, etc and I only paid $32.00. I never again found anything sewing related in a garage sale, and where I lived they had tons of them. Keep trying.

It is a hit or miss deal. I find my best bargains at "Savers". I purchase yarn, fabric, notions, books, etc. Senior day discount on Tuesday, and Military discount on Thursday.

My luck is usually not good

I never find anything either. I asked one time and the lady at Goodwill told me that they are snatched up as soon as they come in. I think someone has an in with the folks that work there. :-)

Just have to be at the right place at the right time...

Me too I love Savers and Salv.Army great deals all the time our GW stores are higher priced than WallyWorld

yes - sometimes your a day late and sometimes its perfect timing...

The shops near me are closed on Sun and Mon. That's when they restock. SO, first thing Tues morning is the time to go. Its luck o' the draw on when stuff comes in, I look at clothing that can be cut up and table linens - You can cut around the age stains or rips.
I once picked up a Singer Rocketeer in the cabinet for $5 at my favorite charity shop. I'll never top that!!!!

What is Savers ?

instead of just looking for pieces of fabric why not browse the actual clothing for usable fabric? a mans shirt can have well over a yard of good usable fabric- when taken apart- and you can find fabulous prints you sure can not find on fabric shelves...just check the labels to get cotton- or what ever you like to use- a skirt, jumper, dress can have 2-3 yards of great fabric!

i looked last weekend also. not a thing. 2 times in my life have i passed on going to a 'good' material estate sale, or etc. never again. prices are going up too much to by pass an estate sale with fabic.

Keep stopping in when you can! It is a matter of timing-being there at the right time.

Saver's:
http://www.savers.com/

Thanks Maureen. Come to find out, there's one not too far from me !

I tried that at Goodwill that recently opened in my area. Didn't work out as the men's shirts and other items were priced very high. $5 for a man's shirt it way too much.

Oh I hate that too. I gave up on yard sales, garage sales a long time ago when gas prices went crazy, and I hate getting up early in the morning.

I'm only happy when I find something fun at thrift stores. If I'm only looking for 'fabric' I won't find it. But look for mens cotton shirts, great plaids, stripes etc to be found for use in quilts. I just get discouraged if the shirts are priced too high.

Oops I see my idea wasn't original.

Yes I don't want to pay $5 for a man's shirt to cut up for quilts, but if it is for hubby to wear, that is different.

It is like playing the lottery. You can get some so-so buys, but that one big one is just out of reach. Mine was a few years ago at an auction. Came away from there with my Corolla filled to the top in the trunk and the back seat. I was wondering if I was going to have to leave DH there and come back for him later. I literally had to empty the boxes into the car. Got all that for $35.00. Got that back when I found a family member who could not attend, who wanted the old qult blocks. She went onto say this one was made by her aunt and that one by her grandma.. She was going to mmount them with there picures.

That's the way it is. When people put books on hold at the library (to read best sellers or popular books) I tell them, "You have to be patient to be cheap." Keep trying, one day you'll hit it BIG. "It takes kissing a lot of frogs to find a prince." Don't know what's with the quotes today. I promise to quit.

I like to check Tuesday Mornings - they sometimes have lot of sewing items.

We, all the girls in the family, love to thrift shop...and I have to agree with some many of you. It seems to be a thing of just keep going, eventually you will find the good deals. My oldest daughter has been dubbed the "queen of thrift" as she goes all the time and comes home with these incredible deals!!!

last week my husband and I held a garage sale. I had five tables of fabric I wanted to get rid of. hardly sold any. Sold a lot of big stuff including three sewing machines but we had to repack all that fabric and will try again in the spring

We have a lot of qulters in my area so if there have been things there, they went fast. I haven't found any good quilting deals yet either. I have found some new t-shirts for summer from time to time. I will continueto look- you never know.

Don't feel badly. Living in a border town, there is never ANYTHING at our Goodwills or thrift shops. Most of it looks like it has already made a trip to the local dump before coming to the store. I rarely go anymore, it is always such a disappointment.
Michelle

It is indeed a matter of timing. I too once hit a garage/yard sale where the lady was giving up quilting...my oh my; I bought 4 HUGE boxes of cotton fabric, yardage, fat quarters, scraps and oh-la-la. Got all of it for $20..unbelievable! So keep looking and check regularly as it is like a numbers game... sooner or later, your number is up and you get lucky.

Timing may be everything including good deals, but. . .when one spends too much time and gas driving around to find a deal, how much do you really save? I only stop at thrift stores or garage sales if they are on my route. Otherwise the gas and time are expensive. And I also have very little luck finding bargains worthy of the label.

I have learned to ask at garage sales..I told the lady I was searching for quilting fabric..she said wait a sec, my mom was a quilter and I have some of her stuff inside. I got several Mountain Mist linings, tons of fabric, notions, etc all for $10. That was a couple of years ago..sometimes they have things they didn't bother to put out for sale. I also run to church sales but you have to get there early for fabric...lots of quilters around here!

I went to a yard sale last weekend - advertised quilting fabrics. They did have a lot of fabrics, but she wanted LQS prices. I'll pay the $2.75 for a FQ occasionally at the quilt shop, but not at a yard sale where you can't be sure of the age or content of the fabric. Bummer.

I stopped at a new "general store" the man calls it - and it is all things people wanted to get rid of - I came onto a few pieces of 100% cottons, and then the lady showed me a blouse - it was beautiful blues, pinks, purples floral and stripe and had rose shank buttons on it - I bought it - the buttons were worth more than the blouse -but will tear it down and use it for fabric in a quilt, I'm sure... but it struck my eye too as a quilt piece vs a blouse. :)

I think it is a matter of just being in the right place at the right time. I seem to have the best luck at Goodwill and the ARC Thrift Stores. I try to stop in every week or so--Tues is Sr. day so I like to go then when I can get a discount. I leave empty handed more than I do with bags, but sometimes I really hit hit big--Our Goodwill also carries 'NEW' goods. The last time I went I got 6 heavy flannel shirts (xxl), a full size set of flannels sheets--still in the pkg. and a new Zebra print throw for my Grand-daughter who lives with us and paid $22. We're re-doing hher room in zebra print and purples, so she was more excited about her find than mine.

Pretty much the same for me...waiting for the BIG HAUL!

Last Sunday we drove to a flea market and there was fabric in two or three booths. I was able to get 1 yard pieces for 99 cents and 3 yard pieces for $2.00. It was really good fabric and I felt like doing a happy dance.

Fabric comes in the form of sheets and clothes as well

Don't forget to look at tablecloths. Some pretty nice 100% cotton or real linen might be there. I used thrift store tablecloth when making embroidered bread basket liners---embellished muslin towels and sewed to squares of the tablecloth cotton.

Found some yard goods yesterday in my favorite church-run thrift store. Old because some of it still had G.C. Murphy Co. and Hills price tags. Plowed thru the box--some was really nice, some was 5&10 cent store quality and some thin and cheesy. I was able to find an armload and was charged $3. It's been a year since I found any fabric in that store. Be persistent.

I look under "garage sales" in Craig's List and go on (name of your city)garagesales.com. If there is anything on there that indicates they have fabric, craft items or anything else that I want, I go. I will often go to those labeled "estate sales" also.
I know there are garage sales that do not advertise and there may be fabric at some of them but I don't go to as many sales as I used to. My best find, I think, as far as quilting goes is my Accuquilt Go for $75.
I have also found quilting quality fabric at Goodwill a a few times. I haven't found any at the Salvation Army Store.
As in any catagory, at a resale shop, you take what is there when you find it. Otherwise, keep looking.

I guess I am not in the right spot at the right time.

I've discovered that you need to ask at garage sales and especially at estate sales. If the seller isn't into fabric, they may think no one would be interested in it either. At one estate sale, I asked if they had fabric. She told me, "Oh, there's some out in the back shed, I'll show you," So we walked back to the shed and there on the floor were about 8 boxes of assorted fabric. I got four of them and they then took the others back to the house. It was clean fabric, so it hadn't been out there too long, but they just didn't see the value. So keep looking, you'll get lucky one of these days and it will be soooo fine.