Sewing Again

I love to sew but hadn't done much sewing for years, because fabric is so expensive now. Only recently did I begin sewing again, because I've discovered some ways to save money on fabric.

1. Ask your friends and relatives for any extra fabric they have that they aren't going to use. My mother and grandmother both gave me a LOT of nice fabric once I asked. Most people who sew buy far more fabric than they will ever use, and are happy to get rid of some of the excess.
   
   
2. Look for discount fabric stores in your area. I didn't even know these places existed until a friend told me about them. Some of the fabrics are damaged and sold "as is," and some are quite obviously out-of-style, but most of the fabrics I found were great - stylish, high quality, and inexpensive.
   
   
3. Try second-hand and thrift stores. I've found lots of large fabric pieces for sale at both Value Village and the Salvation Army Thrift Store. You can also buy inexpensive sheets in these stores, and there is a lot of fabric in one sheet.
   
   
4. Check the bin of remnants and bolt ends at your favorite fabric store. One store near me sells these for 75% off the regular price, and sometimes the pieces are as big as two yards long. The secret is to be flexible and look for the possibilities in each piece of fabric, rather than having a having a pre-conceived notion of exactly what you're looking for.
   
   
5. Shop the sales. Another store near me regularly holds 50% off sales for members of their sewing club, which costs just $10/year to join.

"My Story" is a regular feature of The Dollar Stretcher. If you have a story that could help save time or money, please send it by mailto:MyStory@stretcher.com.

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