Sewing on a Budget

I want to make all the pretty things I see – but there are more projects, and more pretty fabric, than money can buy! We are a homeschooling family living on one wage in Sydney – so because of the priorities we have chosen for our family, I know that I can’t buy everything I’d like to buy.

But that’s OK. You can still craft and make pretty things – you just have to do a few things that will help you to stay within your budget.

Sewing on a Budget

♥ SPEND YOUR BUDGET WITH PURPOSE

I buy charm packs or mini charm packs of new lines of fabric I like. Then I will grab a fat quarter of one or two of my favourite fabrics from that line to go with the charm pack. This way, there is coordinating fabric for backing, or binding of mini quilts, or lining for pouches.

Charm Packs

If I really, really love a particular line, I’ll buy a fat eighth bundle – these are much cheaper than a fat quarter (FQ) bundle, but still enough fabric to make a quilt.

Strawberry Biscuit Fat 8th Bundle

Split a FQ bundle with a friend.

Look out for offers like free shipping, and other sales from favourite quilt shops – in real life and online.

I keep an eye on destash pages on Instagram. This can be a good thing or a bad thing! I picked up a FQ bundle of an older pretty line for around $80! That was a bargain – only about $2 for each FQ. I count a FQ for less than $4 a bargain! But beware you don’t impulse buy and spend more than you should (I speak from experience!)

I use homespun for my backgrounds – on sale, I can get it for $3-$4/metre, as opposed to quilting cotton at $20 or more a metre.

Vintage Sheets

I also use vintage sheets for quilt backings. I pop into op shops every now and then, and have been fortunate to find some lovely vintage sheets for between $3 and $5 each! Now that’s a bargain!

If you live near an IKEA store, they have very reasonably priced fabric just perfect for a quilt backing!

Also, as I was reminded by the lovely Corinna and Laura on IG, for those of us in Australia, Spotlight often does 40% off one full priced item, $40 off when you spend $100, and they currently have a scratchy where you can win various amounts off your purchase. Mine gives me 20% off. So make sure you are a VIP member – you can sign up here. When I get the 40% off one full priced item voucher, my sister and I share one of the big rolls of batting! You can also go shopping with a friend to make up the $100 you need to spend to get $40 off!

♥ SEW YOUR STASH

Before you buy more fabric, check your stash. It is easy to forget what you have, so take a good look around your cupboards and see what you can come up with. Also, don’t forget your scraps – there is a myriad of patterns out there that just use scraps and the finished projects always look amazing!

Fabric Stash

Have some kind of system for remembering which fabric your bought for which project – sometimes I keep a list and sometimes I just use sticky notes attached to the fabric! Whatever you use, it will help you not to buy fabric when you already have just the right one for the job.

♥ FREEBIES ON THE INTERNET

It is quite amazing how much free stuff is out there on the web. Patterns and tutorials abound. Just do a search on Pinterest for free tutorials/patterns and you’ll be surprised how many there are. I do still like to support small businesses and buy patterns and books – but don’t forget the freebies out there as well.

Anyhoo, that’s just a few ways I craft on a budget. Do you have a tip to share? I’d love to hear it – just leave me a comment!

Till next time