Quilting on a budget......
02-05-2016, 11:33 PM
#72
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 4,833
There is another site I have ordered from called Spare Fabric. Their prices are great and the service is phenomenal. I want to destash my fabric and would sell here, but I seem to run into problems every time I try to post.
https://sparefabric.com/store/
Leslie
https://sparefabric.com/store/
Leslie
02-06-2016, 06:06 AM
#73
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 471
I also signed up for my local fabric store's emails (this is not an LQS..they sell all kinds of fabric, quilting cotton included). This way, I get quick notice of sales, whether in-store or online for their shop and when I go in, I head straight for the discount bins. Often sales include notions, which is a great time to get other supplies such as needles.
Take advantage of liquidation sales, clearance sales, thrift shops, coupons, etc... Thrift shops in my area actually have bins for sewing fabric, so I often just pop in, look and see what's in those bins and leave. It's not time consuming, but since it changes over so often I keep popping in to peek.
Ask family and friends for their clothing when they discard them. Men's shirts and ties are handy.
Lots of patterns are available free on the internet along with tutorials. Youtube is great for those. Check out Missouri Star Quilt Company, they have great tutorials. Any pattern can be adapted to use any color fabrics. Don't be put off by quilt patterns using jelly rolls, charm packs or layer cakes, you can easily make your own from fabrics on hand.
There are online shops with great prices and others have listed those, so make sure to check them out.
Even thread....I buy thread on cones rather than individual spools. Much more economical. Buy neutral colors and you'll be able to use them on any quilt. My fabric store has their own brand of serger thread on spools (polyester). It's dirt cheap, so I bought a spool and tested it out. (I've heard of people trying serger/overlock thread and having issues so I tested before I tried using it in a quilt) I sewed two strips together of fabric with it and then ironed it like I normally would and it was fine. I actually yanked on the fabric, trying to pull the stitches apart and I couldn't. So then I tried to see what the limits were on that thread. I set the iron on it for wayyyy longer than I would normally, on a really hot setting and tried to scorch it and see if it would melt or fail and tested the seam again. Used steam, no steam, etc... The darn stuff is indestructible apparently, so I have no concerns of it holding up for me during my normal use. And it's much cheaper for me than the name brand stuff.
And starch...I make my own starch for just pennies a bottle. I can't get liquid starch here in the stores (only the stuff in a can and I don't want to breathe in those chemicals). Rather than ordering it in, I make my own. Super simple and works great.
Take advantage of liquidation sales, clearance sales, thrift shops, coupons, etc... Thrift shops in my area actually have bins for sewing fabric, so I often just pop in, look and see what's in those bins and leave. It's not time consuming, but since it changes over so often I keep popping in to peek.
Ask family and friends for their clothing when they discard them. Men's shirts and ties are handy.
Lots of patterns are available free on the internet along with tutorials. Youtube is great for those. Check out Missouri Star Quilt Company, they have great tutorials. Any pattern can be adapted to use any color fabrics. Don't be put off by quilt patterns using jelly rolls, charm packs or layer cakes, you can easily make your own from fabrics on hand.
There are online shops with great prices and others have listed those, so make sure to check them out.
Even thread....I buy thread on cones rather than individual spools. Much more economical. Buy neutral colors and you'll be able to use them on any quilt. My fabric store has their own brand of serger thread on spools (polyester). It's dirt cheap, so I bought a spool and tested it out. (I've heard of people trying serger/overlock thread and having issues so I tested before I tried using it in a quilt) I sewed two strips together of fabric with it and then ironed it like I normally would and it was fine. I actually yanked on the fabric, trying to pull the stitches apart and I couldn't. So then I tried to see what the limits were on that thread. I set the iron on it for wayyyy longer than I would normally, on a really hot setting and tried to scorch it and see if it would melt or fail and tested the seam again. Used steam, no steam, etc... The darn stuff is indestructible apparently, so I have no concerns of it holding up for me during my normal use. And it's much cheaper for me than the name brand stuff.
And starch...I make my own starch for just pennies a bottle. I can't get liquid starch here in the stores (only the stuff in a can and I don't want to breathe in those chemicals). Rather than ordering it in, I make my own. Super simple and works great.
02-06-2016, 07:19 AM
#74
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 21
I use every coupon I can. JoAnn Fabrics honors Michael's if it's not on a cut of fabric (since Michaels doesn't cut fabric), so I use Michael's coupons for batting, patterns, thread, etc I also use coupons from my phone. Joann's doesn't limit you to one coupon, so I can use one from the flier, one from newspaper, e-mail, phone and Michaels and they will take them all on one transaction.
02-07-2016, 10:40 PM
#75
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,497
Agreed... quilt supplies, patterns and fabric can add up and land anyone in the poor house. Here are some suggestions.
If there's a Hobby Lobby in your area, shop there - go online and print the 40% off coupon before you get your fabric and supplies.
Try miniature quilting. It will require less fabric.
One of the most underutilized resourses are public libraries. See if you can check out quilting books and magazines.
Finish what you start.
If there's a Hobby Lobby in your area, shop there - go online and print the 40% off coupon before you get your fabric and supplies.
Try miniature quilting. It will require less fabric.
One of the most underutilized resourses are public libraries. See if you can check out quilting books and magazines.
Finish what you start.
02-08-2016, 04:23 PM
#77
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 4,001
Fil-tec has gone to wholesale only with a tax number, boo hoo.
Originally Posted by katier825
When I had more money coming in, I got spoiled with the quilt shop quality of fabric. But locally, it's about $12-14/yard now. I started shopping around and now I find some really great sales. Stores vary, I shop at many different places, mostly ones I discovered on www.quiltshops.com . I signed up for newsletters for some of my favorite shops and watch for sales. Some places have lower prices all the time, like Thousands of Bolts and Marshall Dry Goods. Some have lower than average everyday prices, and great clearance, like Over the Rainbow. I've gotten brand name fabrics for as low as $4.00/yd. I do shop at Joann's sometimes, but I get better quality fabrics for less money at other places usually. My local Joann's is a mess and I don't care to shop there.
For batting, I like Hobb's 80/20, which I can get very reasonable at Connecting Threads (when it's on sale) or Michael's (coupon). I usually grab a queen size, which is often on sale around $12-13.
Thread can be expensive. Many people like the Connecting Threads brand. Personally I don't. I tried it a few years ago and was disappointed. Bought some last month to try again and am still disappointed. I use Aurifil mostly. I shop around for that too since prices can vary from about $8-13 for a large spool. Fil-tec/Bobbin Central has a nice cotton thread called Cairo-quilt. It is very similar to Aurifil, but about 1/2 the price. The only thing about them is they just increased the minimum order to $50. If you can get a couple of people together and all order a couple of things, it's not so bad though.
For batting, I like Hobb's 80/20, which I can get very reasonable at Connecting Threads (when it's on sale) or Michael's (coupon). I usually grab a queen size, which is often on sale around $12-13.
Thread can be expensive. Many people like the Connecting Threads brand. Personally I don't. I tried it a few years ago and was disappointed. Bought some last month to try again and am still disappointed. I use Aurifil mostly. I shop around for that too since prices can vary from about $8-13 for a large spool. Fil-tec/Bobbin Central has a nice cotton thread called Cairo-quilt. It is very similar to Aurifil, but about 1/2 the price. The only thing about them is they just increased the minimum order to $50. If you can get a couple of people together and all order a couple of things, it's not so bad though.
02-08-2016, 04:33 PM
#78
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 4,001
I have to stay away from Hancocks of Paducha, it always costs me big bucks.lol Great fabric, I have never been disappointed, they have fabric starting, on sale, at 2.99 and goes up.
Originally Posted by 5moose
Also Hancocks of Paduch. They have a sale right now that is batiks for 5.99 and 6.99. Amazing price for batiks. Name brands too. I ordered over 20 yards today for 143.00.
02-08-2016, 04:41 PM
#79
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Somewhere in Time
Posts: 2,697
We have a store that has a flat-fold table where all the fabric is $3.00 a yard. You really get lucky when they remove fabric from their bolt fabrics to the flat-fold table, prices go from up to $8.99 a yard to $3.00. Sometimes the fabric is stacked above my head, but I love the hunt.
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