Sewing as a hobby can become expensive really quickly – especially when you want to sew with quality fabrics, and you want to create garments that will last. In fact, sometimes, the cost of fabric can be completely prohibitive.
It doesn’t have to be. I have a ton of great fabric that I love. Most of the cuts I have cost less than $5.00. That’s right, I’ve paid as little as $.50 for 4 yards of wool suiting. I’ve found some amazing patterns for $.10 and notions for around the same price. Sure, it can be a bit of a treasure hunt, but that’s part of the fun, right?
What’s my secret?
I buy most of my sewing and craft supplies second hand. There’s certainly an art to it, but I can’t tell you how many amazing fabrics I’ve found second hand for less than I can buy half a yard of brand new fabric off the bolt at the fabric or craft store. In fact, recently, I made a shirt where the fabric cost less than the thread. Unless there is a specific pattern I want to make that has a specific fabric requirement, I’ll dig into my fabric stash and let the fabric dictate the pattern I use. When it comes to choosing patterns, rather than dig through a pile, I simply use a few keywords (tweed, skirt) to search through my OneNote database. Here are some tips for buying sewing goodies second hand.
Fabric and pattern lots
I almost hate to give this secret away! Sure, you can hang out on Ebay looking for fabric and pattern lots, or you could hop over to ShopGoodwill.com. This is a great way to build up a stash – if you don’t mind taking a flyer. The downside is that the lot you win for $5.00 may also come with some hefty shipping charges. It’s still worth it, though if you see some fabrics (or patterns) that you are interested in within a given lot. I recently scored a group of about 20 big 4 patterns, fabric, yarn, interfacing, buttons, beads, and random notions for $5.00 plus shipping and handling ($20). Another box, however, came with a few fabrics I really, really liked – and then a bunch of felt. My son wound up making a mole for his chemistry class out of some of the felt, and i have plans to make some baby shoes out of some of it. It’s a lot of felt, though!
With pattern lots, you have to be willing to take a shot that some of the patterns will be things you don’t care much for or that will need to be graded to a larger size. I’ve found some fun things this way, though. It can be a good way to build a specific stash of patterns (children’s and baby patterns, for example).
Thrift stores
With thrift stores, you really have to be open. I’m pretty picky, so I won’t take patterns that have been cut unless it is vintage and it hasn’t been altered. I have found patterns for as low as 10 cents a piece – including some of the newer release patterns from the big 4. I have found some really cool things this way. Recently, at the local Goodwill, someone got rid of a very large stash of patterns from the 60s and 70s. There were a lot of A-line dresses in that stash. I grabbed a bunch, and plan to try my hand at pattern grading. It should be a fun project.
You can also find some great notions for less at thrift stores. I’ve found rikrak, ribbon, seam binding, zippers, thread, and more that have been unopened for ten cents a piece. This can be a nice way to build up on some staples. One of the most awesome finds I’ve had notions-wise was a few packages of unopened interfacing for 50 cents a piece. Since just about everything you sew requires this, I grabbed it and brought it home.
Fabric can be a bit tricky to find at thrift stores. Sometimes it is located with the craft items, but I’ve also found it mixed in with the linens. When you’re purchasing fabric from the thrift store, check it for odor (sometimes you get a musty smell or faint cigarette smell), check it for stains, and check to see whether anyone’s already cut from it. Some stores like Salvation Army will price it so you can guess at the yardage ($1.00 a yard…though, I’ve found that often there is more there than they say – as it’s not folded with the selvage lined up). Don’t be afraid of sheets that are in good condition to use as fitting/practice fabrics. I even bought a curtain that was in amazing condition to make a great skirt out of.
You can also find items to refashion at thrift stores. I found a stretch velvet dress that, while dated as a dress, will be cut and turned into a skirt. I also found a dress with a cute print that was too small to fit as a dress, but once the top was cut off (and I’m turning that into a skirt for my daughter) it fit nicely as a skirt. I just need to sew the waistband casings for those and they are done – no hemming involved!
Yard and estate sales
Like thrift stores, yard and estate sales can be a great resource for fabric, patterns, notions, and more. Sometimes you’ll get a great deal if you want to take all of the like items, or at least a large chunk of the items, on sale. You can also try compromising on a price this way.
Freecycle and Craigslist
I’ve found some neat stuff off Freecycle. I have to say, though that it’s an adventure. Because everything is free, I tend to take a chance and then pass on what I won’t use. I’ve had mixed results. I did get a whole lot of fabric scraps. That might not seem like a major score to some, but it gives me something to practice new stitches on, fabric to use as appliques, and fabric to make accessories and small gifts out of.
Keep your eye on Craigslist. Sometimes people use the site to destash and you can find some good stuff on there. Sometimes people are moving or retiring or…and they get rid of their entire sewing stash for an insanely low price.
Other places?
I’ve had a few finds in Facebook groups when people have been destashing their patterns or fabric. Where have you found great deals on fabric? Sure, most of the time we all head for the fabric store, but sometimes you can find great stuff second hand – it’s kind of like treasure hunting!
I put out a request for fabric on Freecycle when I was just learning to quilt. I got a response from a woman who lived in a nearby retirement community. Although our schedules didn’t line up and I never met her in person, she gave me her address and said she would leave the fabric on her front porch for me to pick up. Imagine my surprise when I get to her house and found two enormous garbage bags FULL of fabric, and also some quilting books! It was the ultimate score!!
Thanks for this! I just started sewing and had complete sticker shock at my local fabric store. I’ve been finding great deals at Goodwill! On average I pay about $1 a yard for stuff that I really like. I’ve found some great 80’s and Southwest prints for that price or less. So far the only thing I bought at a fabric store was elastic. Thanks for the tips and I’m going to stick to sewing on the cheap until I get better at it.
I also buy lot of my supplies and fabric second hand too. My thrift store has .99 cent Saturdays and I always go bright and early. Although this store doesn’t have tons of fabric, I look at the clothes and linens first. You can often get enough fabric from a dress to make something new. I look at the clothes not as clothes but as fabric or supplies. Last week I bought a great jacket, size 2 for the buttons. I yielded 12 large beautiful buttons for .99 cents. I also get lots of quilting fabric from the linens. You can’t even buy a fat quarter these days for less than $2.00. Thanks for sharing your tips. They are great.
Also check your city for organizations that recycle excess fabric that is donated to them from industry, movie sets, etc. I’ve found great stuff for pennies. In Canada: Our Social Fabric (http://www.oursocialfabric.org) in Vancouver and EcoEquitable (http://ecoequitable.ca) in Ottawa. Probably others out there.
Awesome! I’ll have to check that out.
This is so timely! I’ve just moved to the USA from Australia and I’ve got a lot of time to sew. I picked up some fabric last week from the thrift store and I’ve bought a few thrifted patterns with me from Australia. I saw a tip on Pinterest about upsizing patterns using pencils taped together and tracing around them. I plan to sew some garments up with my thrifted fabric and patterns and I’d love to share the finished product!
http://nouveaunorthwesterners.com
Thrift store prices all took a big jump this winter, so it’s not the sweet deal it used to be. I have a pal who does estate sales, and I do some graphics work for her in exchange for a head’s up, first look on yardage and notions. I’m looking for muslin yardage, not fine fashion fabrics or Bakelite accessories (got plenty of those already), so it works well for both of us.
I would like to spend more time swapping with people. Partly to get rid of stuff that doesn’t work anymore, and mostly to build more community around sewing.
That’s too bad about that. We have one store here where they raised their prices a lot when it comes to fabric. It made me sad because they have some good pieces I’d buy otherwise. I’d love to swap with people – or even have a local sewing group…I love the idea of community. Someone tried to get a knitting/crochet group going locally, but no one ever went. It’s too bad really. I think that crafters need each other 🙂
Funny that I’ve been having roughly the same conversation in Instructables. There is a storefront in Seattle called My Fabric Stash, where folks can consign and donate fabric. Their hours and location don’t work for me, but I hope to get there sometime. Maybe after my kids leave home (!)
Yeah, Freecycle can be great, but it’s always a gamble. I’ve gotten some beautiful knits and a lovely piece of wool plaid, but I’ve also had a couple people promise me things and never deliver. I was able to give away 16 old patterns of my mother’s (I wasn’t willing to grade them up to my size) this past weekend, so that was definitely a win, both for me and the recipient.
Oh I agree about the whole taking a gamble thing LOL. I love using it to “gift” things too. We found our beautiful wine rack on Freecycle…and my son’s all-wood desk – both in condition that didn’t even need me to refinish them. It’s hit and miss. I also picked up a box of cookbooks once that weren’t only dirty, they were moldy – EW. I always keep my eye out for goodies though 🙂
Another tip for keeping track of your stash: I scan the patterns and keep them in my computer and ipod so I have access to them. The patterns are stored in manilla envelopes with the pattern number written big on the outside. They are kept in numerical order in file drawers. The fabric is stored in plastic bins. I cut a tiny swatch of fabric and keep all together with a safety pin on a ribbon for everything in the bin. The ribbon is slid under the lid so the samples hang out where I can see them. I tried scanning the fabric but this was too involved.
I like the idea of using filing cabinets and manila envelopes for tracking stash. One of these days, I’ll have to post about what I do in detail…
I belong to the American Sewing Guild. Every so often someone cleans out their stash or brings odds and ends to meetings. When a member moves or can no longer sew is another time large amount of fabric and notions are offered. We also have an organization called FabMo that goes to interior designer houses and takes their samples and discontinued yardage and offers it for a donation. Their purpose is to keep the fabric out of the land fills. Perhaps something like that exists near you.
Oh that’s cool, on both ends. I’m in a small college town, so I don’t know if something like that exists here or not – but I’ll definitely look into it. Thank you for the tip!