Quilting on a budget...
03-28-2018, 02:40 PM
#11
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,201
I don't have a stash so no money tied up in fabric. I've become enamoured with scrap quilts and it seems like scraps multiply. I am also lucky that my quilting group ladies give me their scraps - they are not so enamoured!!
03-28-2018, 02:45 PM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Oro Valley, AZ
Posts: 4,121
NZquilter, I agree, quilting is only as expensive as you let it be. I shop sales and very rarely pay $10+ for fabric. My no longer loved fabric gets used for backings and I stay away from pre-cuts. I shy away from those "specialty" one use rulers, I'll just use my basic rulers. Oh and both my hubby and I are retired as of last year.
03-28-2018, 03:31 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Michigan
Posts: 354
One thing I will do for backings is when I find fabric on clearance, I will buy a lot of it for backings. Hobby Lobby near me usually has clearance fabric for $2-3/yd. Wal-Mart also clearances fabric for $2 as well. When I find those fabrics, I buy 4-6 yds and I have a backing for a similar price of a flat sheet.
03-28-2018, 03:33 PM
#14
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Victorian Sweatshop Forum
Posts: 4,096
A good majority of my stash is from thrift stores, garage and estate sales, the clearance section of various places, and the remnant bins. A few weeks ago I got two 7/8yd pieces of tonal extra wide backing from Hobby Lobby and I paid less than $10 for both. That's a lot of fabric. For table runners and large quilts I usually use wide muslin for the backing, no one seems to care what the back of the quilt looks like and I'd rather spend my money on the front fabric. It surprises me how often I find large pieces of yardage or partial to full bolts of wide muslin at thrift stores. Plus I don't like piecing backs.
Cari
Cari
03-28-2018, 03:35 PM
#15
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Outside St. Louis
Posts: 38,190
I bought a lot of fabrics, large yardage pieces. I use as much as I can and only buy rements like fabric I already have.
I mainly make quilts now for kids in foster care. The important thing is --they need a warm cover. They have very little "stuff".
I mainly make quilts now for kids in foster care. The important thing is --they need a warm cover. They have very little "stuff".
03-28-2018, 04:39 PM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Dakotas
Posts: 2,978
Originally Posted by Prism99
Quilting is an expensive hobby. I didn't realize *how* expensive when I first started, but now that I am retired I am more aware of it. We are all in very different financial situations, but I thought it might be interesting to share tips and insights about how to quilt in a way that is more budget friendly and also, hopefully, more creative.
Someone started a thread on economical quilting recently that got me started thinking about it. Took me awhile, but this is what I came up with.
The most expensive fabric is the fabric that does not get used. Economical quilting, for me, means using what I have first. It's hard to do because I have so much fabric in my stash that no longer appeals. Sadly, in spite of my stash, I find I still lack backing fabrics and background fabrics. I wish it were easier to find good quality flat sheets, as these would often work well for my needs. Does anyone still sell flat sheets by themselves instead of bundled into sheet sets?
Anyway, I'm just wondering what others' thoughts are on this topic.
Someone started a thread on economical quilting recently that got me started thinking about it. Took me awhile, but this is what I came up with.
The most expensive fabric is the fabric that does not get used. Economical quilting, for me, means using what I have first. It's hard to do because I have so much fabric in my stash that no longer appeals. Sadly, in spite of my stash, I find I still lack backing fabrics and background fabrics. I wish it were easier to find good quality flat sheets, as these would often work well for my needs. Does anyone still sell flat sheets by themselves instead of bundled into sheet sets?
Anyway, I'm just wondering what others' thoughts are on this topic.
The fitted sheet is used in blocks on the top and matching flat sheet for the back.
03-28-2018, 04:59 PM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Alturas, CA
Posts: 9,393
I find good sheets at thrift stores/yard sales quite often, in fact I just bought 7 for $7 for a quilting friend, since she doesn't drive anymore, although the shipping was quite a bit more than the sheets. LOL
03-28-2018, 05:18 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 547
i find flat sheets at Ross and Marshalls all the time and I have good luck at my big box store, they have seasonal flannel sheet sets that go on clearance regularly. I save the cling sheets for FMQ practice and use the flats for backs. I gave the pillowcases away or use them for practice too. I'm also working on using up fabric for quilt backs that I'm not super fond of anymore, or I give it away to someone else to love. I've only bought one bit of fabric for binding and two bags of scraps for a quilt for my child so far in 2018 which is a record for me lol
03-28-2018, 05:39 PM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,414
I bought most of my stash from thrift shops and attic sales. And, when I first joined y'all, there was a challenge (I think it started as a New Year's resolution) not to buy anything for our stashes. I took "the pledge" and haven't bought even an inch of fabric since then, but I do have a very large stash!
During hard times in the past, quilters used old fabric from dresses, etc. to make quilts to keep warm.
My suggestion for that fabric you are tired of ... can you find someone to trade with? There are people who will love what you have. Folks give away stuff to thrift shops and are always quickly sold.
During hard times in the past, quilters used old fabric from dresses, etc. to make quilts to keep warm.
My suggestion for that fabric you are tired of ... can you find someone to trade with? There are people who will love what you have. Folks give away stuff to thrift shops and are always quickly sold.
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