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I have always been picky and never just bought because it was a good price.
I figured I would soon have a stash of nothing but ugly fabrics I would not know what to do with. If I like it and I would buy it at a fabric store then it goes home with me. |
I used to but lots of "cool stuff" from the thrift store until I realized that it was ending up going back to the thrift store without ever being used. One person's junk is another person's future junk!
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Originally Posted by Suzi
Picky? No! I shop the thrift stores for sheets and tablecloths, books, teapots and VCR's and never walk out empty handed. I get more fabric in one sheet than in 5 men's shirts and it all matches ----- use them for backings ----- and each sheet costs me a grand total of $1.50. Some of the fabric is cotton/poly and it wears like iron and is no problem handquilting. I'm always amazed at the brand new items that people simply throw away ......... unbelievable! The one thing that I do is to donate a large trash bag stuffed full of goodies on each day that I go "treasure hunting" ...... makes DH happy that way.
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I make a lot of quilts for project Linus. If it is of a good quality, I know that I will use it for that. I can usually find as good or better quality at Jo Anns during a sale, or with a coupon...so it has to be a really good deal.
Johanna in WI |
Do you buy garments and use them for quilts. Our thrift shops don't have yard goods and I made one quilt from men's shirts but hadn't thought about buying them to use for fabric. I think more people are shopping our thrift stores now than ever and it is a good place for bargains.
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I only buy what I like. I don't have that much luck with fabric buys at thrift shops either. Also since we moved I don't have much space.
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I ended up with 200lbs (after felting and cutting away waste and linings) of wool coats from Goodwill before they figured out what I was doing. The coats were part of their tag sale - one color tag is 50% off on Sun and Mon-and I was getting the coats for $2-$5 each. One coat was a mens 5XL. I washed it in hot water to felt it and it was so heavy I had to have my DH put it in the dryer on hot to finish the felting. I use it all for wool applique. I was not about to pay for the mega-expensive wool my LQS sells. I also felted some blazers for more patterns, but you don't get as much fabric from them. I have also purchased beaded shirts etc for use in art quilts. You can't imagine the fun!
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Originally Posted by Joanie2
So, I am a thrift store junkie and proud of it. I have often found some really neat things. I've been reading a lot about some of the fabric finds you all are picking up and so I have a question for you --- are you particular about what fabrics you find and purchase at thrift stores or do you simply say to yourself "it's fabric! I have to have it! I don't need it for any project I'm working on but I simply can't pass it up. Surely I will find a use for it." ? I am starting to view my shopping in a different way in that I no longer purchase all the fabrics I come across just because the price is great. I look it over more carefully and ask myself if I will actually use it and I no longer buy it just because it's there. I'm getting more particular and thrifty with my thrift store shopping. How about you? Are you buying just to buy?
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I go to the thrift shops and buy old velvety dresses for a few dollars to use for Holiday crafts and table runners, fancy pin cushions, etc. I sometimes find baggies or jars of buttons, too.
Judy |
If it is cotton and I like it, I usually buy it if it is reasonable. Some of the thrift stores we used to like are jumping their prices way up - buying from them has certainly slowed down.
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