LUCYSMITH

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!

darcy1936

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

grammyp

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.

Boxer mom

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.

craftiladi

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.

raptureready

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!

raptureready

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.

dorismae904

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

hereca622

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.

hereca622

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.