Today I stopped by a charity storefront in Fairport, NY....it's called "Bits & Pieces". The store accepts donations from the community of arts and crafts supplies....anything you have in your sewing, quilting, knitting, beading etc stash that you no longer have use for. I brought in a bunch of zippers, a large amount of lace curtain fabric and some knit fabric that I will never use. Volunteers repackage it and sell it in their storefront using the funds to pay for a senior bus service in their town. Well, I have to tell you the place was hopping with shoppers. I managed to buy 30 yards of cotton fabric and 4 cones of thread for $37. The fabric is priced at $1.00/yard....no matter what type it is.....and of course it's pure profit since they don't buy any of their merchandise. It has taken off so well, they had to establish a separate place for you to bring in your donations. It's wonderful and such a creative way to repurpose craft supplies.

That's a Great Idea !!! Nothing in this area that I know of other than regular thrift shops.

I think that is a great idea! I wish there was a place near me like that. The closest I get is Goodwill, or Salvation Army. I went into the Goodwill on Friday, they had 6 fat quarters from Jo-Ann Fabrics, along with 2 patterns taped together. There was no price on it, so the girl took it to the manager to ask how much to put on it. When she came back, they had put a $15 price tag on it! I told her good luck with that!

I don't think there is a place like that around here either. I've not heard of any.

There are a couple of thrift shops in one of the larger towns near me. Both of them have the whole gamut of items, but it's just what people bring in, so it may be anything from furniture to baby items to kitchenware to clothing. Sometimes they have fabric, sometimes not.

What a great idea for a store and charity.

Nothing much greater than finding a wonderful thrift store!

I saw some neat jewelry made from old zippers, at a gift shop last week. Does anyone know how to do that?

Pm Dotty, she posted some on here. Just do a Search for Zipper Roses.

Wish we had a store like that!

I can tell you where the fabric is in amost all of the thrift stores in Denver. It's funny how we all look for the same thing in the thrift stores huh??

New Goodwill shop in my area, been checking it out but no fabric as of yet. May in Jersey

Try http://www.ehow.com/ they have directions for just about anything!

I know, I love Ehow - always checking it when I have a computer problem.

I live in the Denver area and would love to know where I can find some thrift store fabric.

Momofthree,

I live in Westminster. Unique Thrift on Sheridan and 88th has fabric. The mile high thrift on S sheridan has fabric. Unique Thrift on Iliff has fabric and most Arc's have it Savers have it. Mile Hgh Thrift in Commerce City has it just to name a few.

I could only wish for a store like that around here.

Annie, I had to register to reply to your post. I live 25 miles from Fairport and try to get to Crafts Bits and pieces at least once a month. Usually I take in a box of donations and bring home 2 boxes. I found it very useful when making picture quilts where you need small amounts of lots of colors. I love this store. Maybe those who don't have such a place can look into starting one for a local charity.

We have thrift stores but I wish they had one for crafts. I have a lot of lace, ribbons and zippers I would donate. I guess I could take it to any thrift store but one that deals only in craft supplies would be so much fun.

Pattypurple.....Welcome to the message board. Isn't the store wonderful?...and it gives us all a chance to recycle and reuse.

What a fantastic idea...nothing like that here. I am off "opshopping" (thrift store) today...only 2 in our town..luck of the draw...sometimes bargains other times you leave empty handed.

How wonderful for everyone! Unwanted items find a new home and seniors benefit too.

I have noticed that Goodwill has really increased their prices in the last 2 years. Some things I pick up.. see the price and right back on the shelf it goes.
They seem so picked over lately. I am wondering if things that are donated don't always go out on the shelves. I was looking at online auctions and Goodwill has their own auction site. Public can buy/sell items, but I noticed that there are auctions posted by Goodwill as well.
Any other Goodwill shoppers feeling the same as me..prices to high and not as many super finds.
My favorite has become the salvation army. Their prices still seem to be reasonable.

Actually we have noticed that most of the thrift store prices are going up. I can't understand it as the stuff is donated to them.

I would bet that $15 price tag won't apply to the manager later in the day!! LOL!

I was disappointed at the prices at the Goodwill that opened near me a few months ago. Looked at men's shirts and at 4.00 and higher they weren't a bargin for quilting fabrics. May in Jersey

Wouldn't it be fun to open a store like that?? If you had a building (large) for all the donations PLUS a sewing area in the back (no walls) where you could sew while waiting for customers!!! Heaven!

What a good idea. Wish we had something like that around here.

Thanks for the info, I am going to have to check them out. I live in Thornton but my kids go to school in Westminster, so I am familiar with UF on Sheridan.
Thanks again.

Having never heard of this before I followed some of the links in this message and came across this "Zip Pinning" store on Esty?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/zippinning

Wow! Such a variety. Did you see the prices?!!! :shock:

Fabulous for those near enough to go there. What an excellent idea.

Excellent idea. We need more ingenuity like that.

Ooh! Wish I was closer to that side of town. Maybe some day I'll get over there, and maybe they'll have some fabric I like.

Have you ever stopped at any of the Good Will or Salvation Army stores in the Rochester area? I find it hard to believe that I would ever find fabric in one. And getting DH to stop at one for no solid reason just wouldn't go over very well.

Fantastic idea. I wish someone would start something like that up here. They have a similar concept in Portland but it's to help teacher's with school supplies.

Someone should explain 'second hand merchandising' to them. We call those people MSIG (my s**t is gold!).

I love to hear good things like this.

Priceless!!!! (Your MSIG, not the fat quarters and stuff!!!) LOL!! Been lots of places who thought they had "gold"!!

We actually have a "thrift" store that is just like that. It's all fabric, yarn and everything else sewing. They sell by the pound. It's a really great place!

What a wonderful place. Wish we had one here.

Thank you for introducing me to ehow. Just spent way too much time there. LOL