www.thousandsofbolts.com is my favorite online fabric resource for quality fabric at an affordable price. They have frequent sales.

Yep, Goodwill is a great place to find fabric. It's one of my favorite store to search and help someone else at the same time.

i have found lots of fabric at yard sales flea markets

I really have a problem recommending used fabric either clothing or sheets as by the time those things, especially cotton, get to goodwill they are worn out. When I first started I found a group of quilters that met at local quilt shop (LQS) and they didn't mind if I sat in on their Thimbleberries club meeting. I stated I was starting out and you wouln't belief the amount of fabric that quilters are willing to share. Another place was yard sales where I found cutting boards, rotary cutters and rulers: usually because someone tried quilting and didn't like it.

We are living on a low S.S check--but I still like to quilt. My friends know that--so they help me by keeping an eye out for fabrics at garage or yard sales as well as Goodwill stores. It is amazing what you can find. One of my friends even got me some fabrics left over from a Home Economics class in a high school. So get the word out to friends--and be sure not to give up on quilting just because of lack of funds. Where there is a will there is a way. Go for it!!!

I am with you. ALL of my family/friend quilt gifts are from recycled fabric. I also do the sheet backing and sometimes use the quilt for the center... Also on a strict budget...
~~~

If your local quilt guild has a yearly show, you can probably volunteer to get your entrance fee. I found 3 bags of fabric for $3 each on the last day of the show in the guild's stand (members donate). I believe the smallest scrap was a strip, but there were several 1-yard pieces, too.

That is what our grandmothers and gr-grandmothers did. They did not have quilt shops and fabric shops back in those days and their main supply for quilts and comforters was the cast off clothing.

i really have to disagree with you on the "worn out" part of your reply--i've found lots of useables with the tags still on them! maybe it's only in PA! LOL

i am amazed no one has mentioned the "Free Offers & Donations" section on this board.
{there is less than two thousand subscribers to that section}
some of the posts are those who are asking for "fabric help". there are many giveaways & lots of freebies--keep your eyes OPEN & it will find you!!

If you have an army surplus store in your area, you can find heavy army blankets for as little as 5 dollars. That will take care of batting for you. You may have to tie the quilts at first, but it will enable you to make quilts for your pleasure. Happy Hunting!

All such good information. Check the weave of fabric you buy, if it too looselyy woven, not a good fabric for a quilt.

Happy quilting.

Helen

I get my fabric from all over, including yard sales, thrift stores, Joann's red dot clearance, LQS's clearance racks, recycled men's shirts, and even estate sales.

About 10 days ago I added 345 yards of quilt store quality fabric to my stash at about 50 cents/yard...at an estate auction.

It's out there, you just need to keep your eyes open...

Recycling used clothing is always great. HYou could also ask freinds, neighbors and relatives to save their now unwanted old clothing for you and have an array of fabrics to do your project.

You are blessed with loving friends; you must be a good friend. God bless you.

I've used cotton thermal blankets (that had a hole in it) for the batting. That quilt had the most wonderful drape of any quilt I have made. I also have used fabric of any kind, old sheets, clothes for strip quilts or foundation blocks. When I made watercolor quilts I couldn't find many floral prints and used cotton blouses, etc. from our women's shelter. I have also bought wool skirts for wool applique, and penny rugs.

Recently when working on an applique I found I didn't like the flowers drawn on the back side. I ended up putting it on used dryer sheets, and plan on putting on the quilt, after I cut close to the work, I will whip it down so that the fine dryer sheet won't show. (I hope!)

Our ancestors made quilts because they were frugal. Most quilts were fabrics that the kids had grown out of,(or they had torn, etc.) and there were some pieces left, that could be used. {Early settlers had to spin cotton, then weave it into fabric. Can you imagine with the labor that was how very frugal they were with fabric?} Many times those fabrics were looked at by family members who remembered the person wearing the shirt, or dress, long after they were gone. Like a patched scrapbook of memories.

I remember my mom maing quilts, if it wasn't for a present for someone, she never bought "material" as she called it, she used old clothing and since she sewed all of us girls' dresses, she always had scraps left over. Batting was usually old blankets. I learned to piece using scrapes from her sewing basket. Thrift stores, yard sales are a great source of cheap, but good quality cotten.

[quote=spartan quilter]I find that doing SID for the quilting saves me a lot of money. I did invest in a walking foot, so it is a lot easier now. Just another suggestion.[/quote
SID ????

SID???? what is that?

Ohhh, stitch in the ditch :)

If you find a rummage sale with a $5 bag deal, you can buy a bunch of sheets, and covers and maybe even a sturdy blanket to use for batting.

My problem is I buy it and look at it!

Right-------------and try all the thrift stores. I've found brand new sheets. And bits of fabric for next to nothing.

And once 14 yds of muslin plus other stuff for $5

Remember that you're carrying on a great tradition. For centuries, woman have used what was on hand to create clothing and quilts that we now look at as art. It's about your creativity and vision, not the money.

I'm not on a tight budget, but I still check the thrift stores.. Shirts, jeans, and sheets are easy to find.. We have two Uniques near us, and I've found new blankets, and sheets of nice quality.. They were donated by Kohls.. I paid $1.99 for a twin size blanket.. It is perfect for a twin quilt.. It isn't cotton, but it's thin, and quilts up nicely..
Barri

When I first married and times were hard, but I still wanted to quilt I asked family and friends for their used clothing.

It wasn't long and I had plenty. I cut them up, cut off the buttons and even saved the good zippers.

It can be done, and you learn a lot in the process.

Some of the best family history can be found in a qult.

My DH & I have 2 quilts that my MIL never completed. When Jim and I got married I found the unfinished quilts tops under a bed in the house. I came to find out that my MIL had used their old clothes and made the quilts when my SIL was 5 years old. She did 5 tops and then thought that quilting was boring! Well my SIL is 56 years old now. When she saw them, she started telling me which ones were made out of her favorite clothes and even ones that were her brothers and my FIL (he passed aways almost 20 years ago). Then I found out that she had the other two tops I ended up finishing those tops for her!

Wonderful memories for a family that lives so far apart. I was glad to bring back some of those memories.

I have seen quilts made with t-shirts, blue jeans, flannel shirts, mens ties, oxford shirts. I bet if you just let your friends know you would like their old clothes for quilts, you will be over run with fabric. There is so many wonderful things you can do.

I feel your pinch in the wallet quilting on my social security budget too and have employed a few tricks to obtain fabric for little money. First one is to join the local freecycle.com recycling site. You can post for free what you are looking for. IN my case I asked for remnants of cotton sewing scraps. I also go to Goodwill often and look for fabrics, in complete quit tops, fabrics or clothing that could be recyled into a quilt top. Yard sales, estate sales,etc. if you have your heart set on certain colors, designs or themes to the fabric it can be tough but scrap quilts can turn out beautifully, are soft and cuddly and turn out to become peoples favorite quilts because they feel snuggly from the beginning. Good Luck and Happy QUilting...

I second that. I have just bought a heavily discounted set of queen sheets and hope to make two child sized quilts with them (and each will have a matching pillow!). I'll do applique from my ample stash of scraps.

Not too sure if the sheet fabric is "right", but hey, its a nice colour and the kids won't mind if the thread count is off!

Yes, and I still have a quilt that my grandmother made for me somewhere around 1936 or 37. I'm sure it was from scraps and/or clothes. It is a string quilt and there are some very small strings in it. The back looks like feed sacks. I've been using some of my mom's old blouses and you can get more than a fat quarter out of most and a lot more out of some.

I was working with a group of ladies from our local rehab center and because they had nothing and no money - even had to loan them my machines to quilt with. I put out a call at church for any extra fabric and it started rolling in. I got a lot of double knit along with good cotton fabric and at the time I didn't want double knit. But you know - I have a lap quilt that someone made my step dad 30 years ago made out of double knit and it's still as bright and warm as it was then. So...I'm digging out my double knit and making a top. My mother left yards & yards of new knit fabrics.

sale bins, Walmart, Goodwill, yard sales, and my favorite fabric swapping!!! Quilting on a budget can be done and the quilts will come out just as beautiful

Earlier in the year I got a next to new queen sized flat sheet that had roses on it for $2 at GoodWill. We ended up making 2 personal sized blankets and 2 baby blankets out of one sheet.

Just the other day I got a brand new set of sheets at an auction. Plus 2 shams, and 4 pillowcases. A cute springy print that included strawberries. The flat sheet will be a house dress/summer gown. Don't know about the pillowcases yet.

Oh, and also a yellow/gold print reg. size sheet set.

Stich in the Ditcjh

These are great ideas!

You should also get onto the Joann fabrics mailing list so you can see when they have sales. Their clearance fabric goes on sale for 1/2 off the clearance price. I get lots of good deals that way.

I also think that if you need more money to be able to buy some things, that maybe you could have a yard sale, sell things on Ebay or Craig's List and definitely ask for gift cards for birthday/Christmas.

If the general rule of thumb is when you don't have enough money is to 1. cut expenses or 2. increase income (or both).

Assuming you've already cut out food waste (many people throw a lot of food out of the fridge each week--that is money doing down the drain--food disposal), then increase the income.

Ask for gift cards to Joanns, or LQS, or other on-line sites, sell things on Craig's List or Ebay. Volunteer your time in exchange for fabric. Maybe someone has a bunch of fabric but could use a babysitter? Think creatively.

So, besides the coupons, the sales, the thrift stores, etc. try to find ways to come up with some money so you can spend it on fabric. Quit going out to eat (assuming you do)--eat frugally at home instead. Go vegetarian at least one day a week, don't throw food away, etc. Cutting back on the food budget can free up some money for hobbies, which, of course includes fabric! :)

Now talking DH into it might be a different story.

Just get the word out to those around that you would like their old fabric scraps, their cotton clothing (instead of donating to Goodwill, they could ask you first), and you can always ask at the local (non chain) thrift stores if they ever get clothing in that they can't sell due to holes, stains, etc.

I had great success with this when I wanted denim. I went to three thrift stores (not G & W Clothing or S & A Clothing :) but local stores) and they gladly saved things for me for three days. After three days I went back and had so many pairs of jeans that I had plenty to cut up to make several quilts...and that was from two or three thrift stores. I asked for the ones that they couldn't sell due to stains or holes.

Then, make what you can and be sure to say lots of thanks and give away quilts to those who are most generous to you. :) That way you help people see that you are indeed using what they are giving to you. Maybe you could even make a few charity quilts or baby quilts and let people know that you would like to do this. Working people often have a soft heart for charities and while they lack time, they will gladly help out someone who has no money but lots of time.

Hmmm, must be a regional thing because at MY goodwill and Salvation Army stores I find stuff BRAND NEW with store tags still on it for very little $$. Do you actually try going into your local thrift store, sallys or goodwill or are you just going by some unfounded old stigma? You may be surprised at how many items they have that are new or next to new.

My local grocery store and the post office have bulletin boards that anyone can post on. I have a p.o. box so am there every day. A lot of people in my town also have boxes; it's an every day trip for us. The boards list services, items for sale, apts for rent, all kinds of things. Try that, you may get a lot of answers.

I shop yard sales, Salvation army, use sheets, bed skirts. friends give me scraps as they know I do charity quilts. Bluejeans make excellent quilts fo boys.

Can anyone give us an estimated yardage you can get from a 100% cotton Men's long-sleeve shirt, size Large? Goodwill sells Men's shirts for $4.49 @.