Now that we have the "Newbies Challenge" underway, I thought that it might be nice if we could all share our ideas that we use in quiltmaking, to save a little money (so we can use it for fabric, of course!). so, I'll start: I save the plastic lids from coffee cans,etc and use them to make small template patterns. I also use the plastic rectangle that comes in bacon..Oatmeal containers are a great place to put your teeny tiny scraps...cans can be recovered and used for organizing your sewing tools. Okay...who's next??? :roll: :lol:

never pay full price for anything!

What is the newbies Challenge ?

I reuse the back side of paper for printing patterns, especially for paper piecing :wink:

Boy do I agree with this!!! :thumbup:

Where is the Newbies challenge. I totally qualify. I am so new I have no idea where the challenge is.

I like scrap quilts so I go to yard sales and flea markets and buy gently used 100% cotton clothes really cheap. I don't usually spend more than 50 cents a piece and get a yard or two of fabric out of it.

What an awesome idea!!!!

I love scrap quilts too, and I never would have thought to do this.

Me either..scraps from gently used clothes are flea markets and yard sales. You are one smart gal!I looked once at a thrift store, but they were kinda expensive, I thought..the mens shirts were about $3.50 and that was what I had looked at...but yard sales and flea markets would be much more reasonable, I bet! Thanks for sharing this with all of us.

I meant to add my "low cost" idea..I use GOOD sheets from thrift stores for the quilt backs. They are large, prewashed, set-in colors/ any fade is already done/ and usually about $2.oo per sheet, regardless of the size (here at Goodwill and Salvation army stores). You do have to look well about them, so no stains, no tears, no holes, no faded ones, etc..but you can tell by the labels sometimes how old they might be.I have often found good ones, and they are always larger than the quilt top, so you have some left overs for later scrap quilts too. I look for the cotton or cotton blend ones. That is a lot of fabric for $2.00

I use the slivery piece of soap left at the end of the bar to mark my fabric rather than expensive markers that never seem to work anyways.

I, also, go to yard sales and thrift stores. The best I did was on www.freecycle.com where you register by your zipcode and I posted a request for any unwanted or left over fabrics. BOY what a landslide. I was in a small group making lap quilts for shut-ins and we didn't have to buy very much besides the thread. Awesome!

Hear Here!

What a great idea! And you know it will wash out. I also use sheets, but for backing. I just get them at Walmart. the cotton blend ones. A king size will easily back a large quilt.

My most recent "find" was at a thrift store. I bought almost 10 yards of good quality fabric, all one piece, for $2.41, including tax.

One of my things is buying material by the bolt for backing and batting also when you get the coupons!!! Have also used cotton sheets. :lol: Also I save old clothing. I also keep very small scraps for PP. Never know when you'll need just a tiny piece of something. Don't like cutting my big for something soooo little.

The newbie challenge is where beginner quilters pair up with vetrans who are willing to teach you about quilting. Someone you can go to when you don't feel like posting the situation.

I love the idea of using coffee can lids for templates.

I have the ice cream buckets and I made one into a basket to hold my embroidery equipment. It's nice because it has a lid so I can put it on the shelf in the closet and I don't have to worry about dumping it on my head when I pull it down.

Newbie Challenge
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-38362-1.htm

I take old shoeboxes or such and cover them with fabric, usually upholstery fabric or fabric I cannot use elsewhere in quilting/sewing. I rather see that on my shelves than just plane shoeboxes. Cheaper than buying plastic containers. I sew scrap trim around the ends of thick clear plastic and glue the three sides to the end of the box so I can put in a label to identify what is inside.

GREAT IDEA ON THE LIDS. I GO THROUGH A LOT OF COOL-WHIP AND JUST TOSS THE CONTAINERS. I HAVE PURCHASED OFFICE SUPPLY FOLDERS (VINYL) BEFORE ON CLEARANCE. BEATS THE PRICE OF TEMPLATE MATERIAL.

second hand store, second hand store... always make time to cruise the thrift stores; you can pick up some great fabric, notions, heck a couple months ago I bought a quilting frame , still in the box , complete for 4.95! Look at everything; Wool clothing for penny rugs,beads for embelishing, floss for embroidery; yes, it takes a little time, and you have to visit more than one must times, depending on where I'm at in town, if I see a thrift store, I stop in. I've picked up hand made quilts for next to nothing! Bags of fabric 1 or 2 dollars, maybe you need an additional machine just for binding, or piecing, furniture for your sewing room.

I almost always make my quilts planned from new fabrics, but years ago my daughter asked me to make a quilt for her from all her old twin size sheets (memories). Instead of quilt batting I put another old quilt in its place, so three layers. I have been using all my scraps ever since to make this style of quilt because they are relatively easy since there is no hand quilting involved and they are way nicer than a blanket. Never thought about used clothing from thrift stores, but this web site triggered my interest. I volunteer at a thrift store where we sell everything for 15 cents and the money goes to our food pantry for the needy. What a great way to contribute to both my cause and the pantry!

I found a garbage bag full of shets at a yard sale, had 20 or more all new for $5.00

You know those annoying cards that come in the mail and fall out of magazines every time you open one. They make great English Paper Piecing templates.

Also, I keep a project in a tote bag ready to travel at a moment's notice. Just pick it up on the way out the door and I have something to work on in waiting rooms, traveling, etc.

I work at Staples and they put a whole case of copy paper with the 3 holes in it on clearance for $8.50 and since I like to print some patterns to look at next to the material I will be using, I use that to print on and put in my binders.

TOTALLY agree...love my thrift store finds. I very seldom go to any of the craft stores w/o a coupon. I also use blankets inside my scrape quilts and sheets for backing, I have p/u throw pillows from thrift stores, I keep them on hand to recover w/ a quilty design-espically if its a new tech. I want to just make a small sample. Baby blankets are usually very cheap at thrift stores , great for not only baby quilts but lap quilts as well.
The pic -little novelty items i picked up at thrift stores and repainted to match my sewing rm.
Before I started buying REAL rulers & templates I would use anything that I liked the shape of, plates,plastic lids, nice pieces of cardboard------Warning,[ that just came to mind], be very careful buying thread from thrift stores-you don't want to make a whole quilt only to have it fall apart from using old thread.

I use a fine point Sharpie marker to identify my self-cut templates, writing the name of the pattern, the # of pieces of templates (1 of 6, 2 of 6...), the name and page # of the book then put them in a baggie punch a hole in the top and hang them on a peg board. UNLESS it's from a magazine and then I just staple the baggie to the page.

Fine point Sharpies are also good for marking your settings on your machine. You can write on the machine itself. Alcohol swabs will take it off later.

My sister uses the top end of a roll of toilet paper for a pin cushion keeping the pins more toward the core. Then if she needs to blow her nose while sewing there's something right there.

I use the cores of toilet paper rolls to wind up leftover binding for future use.

When making scrappy quilts I use various lengths and color strips of the same fabrics in the quilt to make the binding. I did the same thing on my Civil War Era quilt and it looked wonderful!

Tiny squares, 1" to 1 1/2", of polar fleece and a pair of tweezers are the best things for cleaning lint out of sewing machines. The lint REALLY clings to the squares and comes out of the machine. (Canned air just blows it somewhere else inside the machine.)

When hand basting run your thread gently across a candle to keep it from tangling as badly.

THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: CLEAN AND OIL YOUR MACHINE OFTEN!

One of my favorite quilts is one that my mother made for me when I was about 9 years old. The quilt isn't that great but what makes it wonderful for me is that she used all my receiving blankets for the backing. Save your baby's blankets and make a cherished quilt for them.

I just bought a king size flannel sheet set for $10.00 to use as backings for all the charity quilts I make.

Use a free chopstick as a stiletto.

Use Half of a wooden clothes pin as a wooden iron.

Teflon baking sheet is the same as a teflon applique sheet.

Place your small seamripper, point up, in a thread spool to separate long chains of blocks.

If you don't have a lightbox, use a windowpane on a sunny day, a light under a glass table, a light in a drawer with glass on top, your plexiglass extension table on machine with light underneath. (light could be a small push light)

Lots of free block and quilt patterns on internet. Free Books at library and your guild library.

Put the word out that you are a quilter and accept fabric, thread, etc.

Garage Sales: Cannot be said enough.

My best find. A large ziplock bag w/$2.00 on it. It contained a new clover iron in pkg., a quilt pounce w/ iron off powder, 3 stencils for pounce, 2 pkg. of iron on ribbon,etc. I calculated that I got over $100 worth for $2.00. I giggled all the way home.

I agree, garage/yard sales are awesome. I got a sewing basket for $3.00 once. Inside was a good pair of fiscars scizzors, 2 nice seam ripers, plus pins, a new pin cushion.
Thrift stores are great too. I watch for baby blankets and make lap quilts from the, for next to nothing.
I use toilet paper cardboard to wind my binding onto.

I posted an ad on my local Craigslist in the Wanted section and asked for fabric and quilting supplies. I have picked up some very nice pieces of fabric. I always bring my dog or my husband with me when I pick them up though.

I do that too...but most of what I buy is only 25 cents. I'm cheap.

I love scrap quilts too and I usually go to Alco to buy my material...they are pretty cheap.

These are all so wonderful ideas/tips too.

You sound like me. I bought a large black garbage bag full of "cloth scraps" at a garage sale for $2. There were 2 full size quilt tops in it and yards and yards of cotton fabric. Most pieces were 2 to 3 yards long. A few were only 1/2 a yard and some were 1 yard.

Craigslist is another good place to look. I found a lady one day that was selling all her quilting fabric for $1 a pound. It takes around 4 yard of fabric to make a pound. I spent $95 the first time and $37 the second. I've also found free fabric on there.

I pick up nice material at garage sales too. You would be surprised how many women buy nice cotton material to try their hand at quilting and soon put the whole batch in their garage sale. Thank you dear women. I too buy cotton dresses at garage sales. I once bought a maternity dress that had wonderful material and lots of yardage, my DH about had a heart attack until I told him I bought it for the material.

I am currently working on 3 baby blankets so I was extra jazzed to find queen size mattress pads at the thrift store this morning @ 2.00 each [these will be used instead of batting], assorted 1 yd fabric pieces for 1.00 each....now that was worth driving in the snow for, not to mention the free coupon I had for Starbucks...yep good morning and now I am sewing watching F & P....what more could a girl ask for? well alot but for now I am good...lol

I go to 2nd hand stores all the time,I found enough mens plaid shirts to make a rag quilt.And I also made a crazy quilt out of gowns and evening dresses for my neice when she got married.It was the talk of the party.all hand done
and hand quilted.nanamo

Your computer screen also makes a wonderful light box.

you, too? I thought that I was the ONLY one that did this.... thank heavens, I thought that I was losing it... :shock: :lol: