Mimimum investment to start quilting ?
05-13-2015, 05:46 PM
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: East Central Wisconsin
Posts: 679
Just think of all the money men spend on their hobbies! Hunting can net about $20 a pound, or a lot more, for the meat they get. Same with fishing. If you factor in the boat, it could climb to $100 a fish!!
05-13-2015, 10:56 PM
#42
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
Originally Posted by Madan49
A view from the other side... some of the younger "just starting" quilters would do well to hook up with some older ladies that are isolated for one reason or another. Many of them can no longer go to guild meetings, etc., but would be willing to teach these younger women what they know, share their skills (and their tools, and frequently even their fabric stashes) in their homes in exchange for a little good company and maybe a little help with grocery shopping or something like that. Maybe there would be fewer huge quilting estate sales if these women had someone they were passing their wonderful heritage on to!
05-14-2015, 03:30 AM
#43
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Somewhere in Time
Posts: 2,697
I would suggest your County Extension Office. Ours has mats, rotary cutters, rulers, and yes even a couple of machines available for use. This can be a valuable asset if one is just starting -- one that is usually overlooked by people in larger cities. When I lived in Ohio, I frequently drove past the Extension Office, but never stopped to check it out. But now I spend lots of time there. We have canning classes. Two quilt groups -- one day and one night one for those who work. It is a frequently an overlooked resource.
So technically you could make that quilt for the price of your fabric and thread, and the price of Homemakers' dues (ours are $7.50 a year). If you are a mailbox member, you don't have to attend meetings, but you do receive a Monthly Newsletter which lets you know what activities are available. I know this was one of my grandmother's resources.
So technically you could make that quilt for the price of your fabric and thread, and the price of Homemakers' dues (ours are $7.50 a year). If you are a mailbox member, you don't have to attend meetings, but you do receive a Monthly Newsletter which lets you know what activities are available. I know this was one of my grandmother's resources.
05-14-2015, 03:52 AM
#44
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 15,368
Then you might luck out and find a quilt guild like we have where they have 6 sewing machines, mats, rotary cutters, quilting frames, irons and boards, even donated fabric. So you could be fortunate to only have to spend $12 for membership plus $6 for your membership pen. And you also have some great teachers. Good luck to you.
05-14-2015, 05:16 AM
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 835
You have that right. How you spend your money is important. Most of us would rather shop and buy quilting supplies then shop for clothing or other things. We get days week or months worth of pleasure working on a new quilt either to keep or to give and put a smile on someones face.<object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>
05-14-2015, 01:19 PM
#46
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,198
I bought a Bernette model 65 on eBay for $75; these machines new run around $400. The original owner bought it to fix a portion of a seam on a dress and never used it again. Her fiance actually put it up for sale on eBay because he said that it was always in his way. Her loss, my gain. It was my "travel" machine for several years, then I gave it to my son when he got married. He still uses it. His wife doesn't sew (but she bakes and decorates the best cakes, cupcakes and cookies).
Originally Posted by Cam's gram
So glad I read this. Nice to know I wasn't the only person that had to buy a sewing machine because she wanted to make a quilt!
05-18-2015, 07:07 AM
#48
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
There is alot of good information here, but the truth is all we really NEED is a piece of fabric, a pair of scissors, a pattern, thread, and a needle. That is the actual minimum you need to start out.
05-18-2015, 07:40 AM
#49
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,436
Originally Posted by madamekelly
There is alot of good information here, but the truth is all we really NEED is a piece of fabric, a pair of scissors, a pattern, thread, and a needle. That is the actual minimum you need to start out.
05-18-2015, 10:46 AM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,688
Originally Posted by bearisgray
Originally Posted by madamekelly
There is alot of good information here, but the truth is all we really NEED is a piece of fabric, a pair of scissors, a pattern, thread, and a needle. That is the actual minimum you need to start out.
However, I can't remember not having a sewing machine, not ever, and would rather live without a vacuum cleaner than give mine up, so that's staying on my 'must have' list.
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