A friend and I stopped in a local thrift store run by local school for mentally retarded and got fabrics, one plastic shopping bag we filled with fabric and each bag was a dollar, and I read all the time about people getting stuff cheap at yard sales, and try craigs list and free cycle for low cost fabrics. Lots of times people decide they don't like what they loved a few years ago, someone is moving to smaller living and have to thin out, or people pass away and watch for $1 days at thrift stores for used clothing, and look in larger sizes.. You can do it and don't need all the fancy gagets, remember out ansestors didn't have them and they made great quilts. Let us know how it goes.