How do you make a small fortune on horses?



Start with a large fortune.


There's a lot of expensive hobbies. Quilting is what I choose to spend money on.

The main things I do are:

1. I don't worry about fancy backing. I use whatever is laying around. I piece chunks together. During covid, I even used sheets.
2. Same with binding. I use whatever is around, typically whatever is left from sewing the top. Rarely I will buy fabric for a binding (if it's a special gift).
3. I buy batting by the roll. If you quilt a lot this will save you a bunch of money. I also sew together batting pieces to get bigger pieces.

:eek: :DThis made me laugh this morning.

I have used a lot of sheets for backings they are used. I do not feel that the backing has to be coordinated with the front of the quilt. I have found a lot of fabric over the years at thrift shops most of that was not new fabric, but it was usually unused. I have just recently started piecing the backing there are many different ways to do that with different fabrics and even orphan projects left over.

I'm right there with the homebodies. We don't do vacations except a weekend here or there and since I have a lot of food sensitivities, we don't eat out. So we spend out money on what is really important to us. Sewing is important to me! I love scrappy quilts and have a huge stash so I've been making a lot of scrappy quilts. I'm still working part time and with Darby on hospice and the business not doing well, my sewing time has been limited so I make what I want when I want to and don't worry too much about it. I do watch for sales especially for batting and backing since that's mostly what I make. And, no, I'm not filthy rich. I"m not even a little rich. ;)

I've used coupons and collected packages of W & N for a few years now. I cut up several of my deceased brothers' all cotton, button down, business shirts. Our local quilt guild has a "Mall in the Hall" sale twice a year. After 7PM items are discounted 50%. Absolutely hit the sale bolts at the LQS. For backing I will use Cuddl Dud flannel sheets, around Thanksgiving they can be bought at Kohls for a great price.

I too am a homebody. One way to spend less is to do big or more complex - time consuming quilts. You may finish less quilts in a year but you are not buying a jellyroll or other fabric for a new quilt every month.

I liked your post petthefabric
Quilting is one of my favorite hobbies and it brings me joy. I’m not filthy rich but not extravagant either…we just live comfortably and feel very blessed.

I have made very few quilts where I start from scratch and buy all new, all coordinated fabrics. That said, just this week I met with a man who has asked me to make a quilt for his wife for their anniversary. Ok, can do. But when I sat down and calculated just the materials all fresh from the quilt shop and not from my stash, it came to nearly $200. He say OK without a blink. So it is.

Most of my quilts come from my stash.. Thus many of my quilts are scrappy. I pick up fabrics at my quilt group when someone is cleaning out their stash or occasionally from quilters who are no longer going to be quilting and just giving away fabric. Truly the primary expense I have is backing and batting. I bought a HUGE roll of batting two years ago at the start of the Pandemic on sale and delivered to my door, yeah JoAnns. I still have enough for several more quilts. I also piece my batting for smaller quilts. Lots of ways to save a few dollars and to keep quilting without devastating my budget.

Oh yes, I limit the number of quilts that go out a long arm quilter, about 3 a year and those are the really special ones or the really big ones. All the rest of the quilts are done by me on my domestic machine. That is why I bought it, right? :)

I bought a longarm when I retired, a lot of my friends took a cruise. I thought about it long and hard as it was a chunk of money, well I have had it now for about 11 years and made at least 60 quilts on it. I have over this time had one quilt sent out to a professional (Judy Nieymer pattern) This was gifted to my nephew to hang on his wall, and I just don't have the talent for that. I figure that longarm by now has actually almost paid for itself by what I have saved, and I am very happy that the longarm is probably the one and only thing related to my stitching habit that has actually paid for itself! Tee Hee!