Sewing can be a very expensive hobby. Fabric, thread, machine maintenance, and other supplies quickly add up to cost a pretty penny. This is why budget friendly projects and cheap sewing ideas are so popular. It can be hard to decide to spend a lot of money on a project that you do not have a ton of confidence in making. Luckily for you, we have this brilliant sewing hack that is going to change your life. If you need new fabric, check out the local thrift shop. While stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army may not sell fabric per se, it is easily a great resource to find sewing supplies. Need some vintage fabric? Walk right over to the bedding section! Older sheets and pillowcases usually come in swell patterns. You could easily craft your next floral wonder out of an old sheet, pillowcase, or even some abandoned curtains! Sewing Tips and Tricks Tuesday: Thrift to Find Cheap Fabric is going to show you exactly how to use these discarded pieces.
What to Thrift
What should you be looking at the thrift store when looking to find fabric at a bargain price? The short answer is everything. Keep your mind open and keep in mind that everything there (mostly) is made of fabric and is therefore a mini stash for you. If you need larger chunks, consider looking at housewares for bedding and curtains. Just need some smaller pieces? Check out all the clothing. You can cheaply create a t-shirt quilt for under ten dollars or find a lovely sweater to turn into some mittens. Thrift everything! Just make sure you go to the store with some idea or what you may want to purchase. While your brain might be spinning when you are in the store, try to avoid buyer’s remorse. This is especially important as many thrift shops do not take returns.
Try out these creative thrift store creations!
- How to Sew a Pillowcase Dress and More: 16 Easy Sewing Projects that Use Pillowcases
- Thrifted Clothing Sewing Kit
- Thrifty Tablecloth Tote Bag
- 50c Thrifty Fashion
Know some sewing tips and tricks that you would like to share?
Comment below and we might feature your trick here on Seams and Scissors! A great sewing hack can make a world of difference and there is absolutely no reason to keep them to yourself. Interested in writing a Sewing Tips and Tricks Tuesday post for us? Go ahead and email us at editor@allfreesewing.com or click here to submit your idea.
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I’m making a quilt out of old jeans and old flannel shirts. Most of the jeans were given to me by my best friend who just recently passed away so it will be treasured for ever. To make it larger I buy jeans and flannels at garage sales and the Salvation Army shops. I cut them up right away and put them in there draw so they are ready to use.
I don’t have a suggestion, but I have a problem, hope you can help. I have 6 sets of king sheets. We have decided to change out our king bed to two twins. Can you tell me how to cut down a king fitted sheet to two twins fitted sheets?
Diane,
You can not cut down a king and make it two twins but you can make one twin out of each. Your first step is to take one king and open one of the corners so you can use it as a pattern. For this you will need to pick out the stitching and iron the wrinkles flat. measure across the top of your twin mattress and mark your sheet so you can move your corners in. I do not know how to finish this explanation without a hands on demo. It may be easier to put one side of your fitted sheet on the twin mattress properly and mark with a basting stitch where the other edge of the top is then transfer the corner cut and work from there. You will need to purchase some thin elastic to create the snug edge and sew it onto the new cut edge. I recommend against cutting and seaming to save you making new corners. The seam will be an irritation and weak spot no matter where you put it. Hope this gives you a good place to start and your imagination will be able to figure out the blank spots I left.
I love using thrifted clothing and bedding for my fabric stash. I’ve purchased king size sheet sets in beautiful vintage floral prints for less than $10.00. Tablecloths also have some beautiful fabrics for three or four dollars each. Even bedskirts can be a wonderful source of fabric. I used one to make a tiered, ruffled curtain for my pantry. Need some satin to make fabric flowers or other accessories? I’ve picked up gorgeous formals for as little as $8.00. Just the buttons on some of them are worth that much…usually more! I scored a gorgeous wedding dress once with pearl buttons for just $20,00. Women’s dresses and skirts are a marvelous source of fabric for little girls’ clothing. And I have at times found actual yardage at thrift stores, not to mention other crafting supplies. Hitting up the local thrift stores is like an adventure in shopping for me!
One of my local thrift stores sells 13-gallon bags of fabric for $3.50 per bag. Of course I’ve scored enough fabric this way to choke my sewing machine gears! One was full of designer upholstery fabrics. One had 6 yards of blue jean material along with a host of other goodies. One had material for backing blankets and my new bedspread. It’s so cheap, it’s virtually free.
I have been doing well getting boxes of vintage fabric at auctions. Usually I get a big box of fabric for 2 or 3 dollars, and other boxes are thrown in along with the one I’m bidding on. So I might get a big box of fabric PLUS a box with some tacky worn out 1960’s plastic Christmas foliage in a beautiful hobnail milk glass vase PLUS some vintage doilies (nobody wants this sort of stuff anymore). All for $2.
My husband and I attend auctions. He buys collectible cast iron and depression glass. I buy fabric and any sewing notions I can find. We know which auctioneers are likely to have boxes full of sewing notions for a dollar each. I have scored big time twice. Once purchased six boxes of fabric for $12. It was all clean and neatly folded! I still washed it. I haven’t measured it all, but I must have a hundred yards of fabric – quilting cotton, knits, solid colors, prints, satin, jersey. You name it, I’ve probably got it! In one box were over 100 sealed packages of ribbon, rick rack, and bias tape. In another box was batting – cotton and polyester and blends – some still in sealed packages. At another auction, I scored three boxes for a dollar each. Had to wash all of the fabric three times to get out the musty smell (vinegar is great stuff!). At the bottom of one box I found a collection of embroidery hoops ranging in size from 4″ to 15 inches round and three ovals in different sizes.. I do have to be careful about the fabric, because occasionally I’ve seen fabric infested with weevils or so musty I know I’d never get the smell out. We also purchased a matching dresser and chest in very good condition for $25 for the pair. Had to have something to store all the goodies in. Auctions are great!
Awesome. Great find and deals. Its like Christmas. Good job
So how do I know if an auction is going to sell boxes of fabric? How are auctions advertised. This has me very intrigued.