All Thumbs

Ah-h yes, one gets non-quilting fabrics donated at times but when I got several yards of denim and jersey, I gave it to a lady in contact with a local HOSPICE group. They waste absolutely nothing!

MadQuilter

Challenge yourself to use your stash and try different color combinations from what you have WITHOUT going out to buy more. (A lot harder to do than it sounds.)

Or find a pattern that uses the amount of colors you have to work with.

maryb119

I use Warm and Natural batting. I save the left over pieces and then I cut the edges straight and butt them together and use the three step zig zag stitch to stitch them together. The three step zig zag is a stitch the looks like a zig zag but has three stitches one way and then three stitches the other way. The edges lay flat without a "ridge" that a regular zigzag leaves. Once the item is quited. you can't tell it it was joined together or not. Why wast good batting?

DebsShelties

Guess what I am saying, I buy on sale or wholesale to keep the cost down on fabric. If I do see something at a local quilt shop or they have a special like one is tomorrow 20% off whole purchase - bag lady day, you take a bag that you have gotten from them to get the purchase, I will go look to see if there is anything that calls my name.

MrsSew66

This past weekend a friend and I attended a guild quilt show and purchased several bags of "scraps" for $3.00 to 4.00 per bag. It was a good deal--good quality and some of the strips were at least two yards long.

kay carlson

Chain stitch whenever possible so you save thread and do not have threads all over yourself or the workroom.

Share or trade quilting books with friends, use the library to check out books, and use the internet to get patterns without charge. Save pattern ideas in folders while browsing on your computer. You don't have to print out everything you see. When printing, use black only and be sure to preview the item in case you only want to print part of an article.

Have fun and go with the idea of being resourceful and inventive, rather than feeling sorry for yourself. Attitude is important and when in the right frame of mind, anything is possible. Hugs to you:-)

GrammaNan

MommaDorina, I think I should get a bumper sticker that says that, don't you?

Bottle Blonde

Use any leftover thread from the bobbin for hand sewing.

Buy concentrated liquid starch and mix your own spray starch.

For lightweight quilts - use flannel purchased on sale instead of full-priced batting.

The best money saving tip I can share is ------ know what you need ----- make a list and stick to it! Know what you already have and where it can be found! It is a waste to buy the same thing twice.

Ramona Byrd

Yard sales and thrift stores are good, but I've discovered that church groups really do clean out their closets and seem to really give till it hurts. I don't want to ever make them feel unloved, so I do get lots of lovely fabric from them, in one shape or other.

Evelynquilts

When making my hexagons, I use the small amounts of thread on my bobbins and spools to baste them...never my better thread...I also use sheets for backing...when doing a scrappy quilt I will sew up all leftover fabrics and use that for my backing also...for string quilts I use fabrics I don`t really like as my foundation... I will also trade or borrow patterns when I can...