When asked by a relative what I wanted for Christmas, I said I wanted whatever fabrics, notions and sewing books she would be willing to part with from her stash. She was thrilled to pass on some stuff and shop from her stash, instead of spending money. I was thrilled to get a box of goodies!
Oh how awesome. I have inherited books from that belonged to my husband's grandmother, and from my own grandmother. My grandma marked pages with advertisments and information pages--from the mid-1940s. 😁
Love all your videos. My fabric stash story: we stopped at a yardsale. The lady was downsizing and had a yard full of craft/sewing stuff. On a whim, I told her I'd buy everything she had for $100. she didn't want to carrying it back in the house and agreed, then said she had more stuff inside, boy did she. We filled the whole back of the truck with mostly fabric, but lots of trims, buttons, zips and crafting supplies. After taking forever to sort, measure and fold, I was in our local thrift shop and saw a bag of fabric for $1, went to pay for it and manager said he had six more bags in the back, I got those. I told him I'd take whatever fabric he got in. Well, over he's been collecting it from me. I now have over the course of a year accumulated over 20 66 qt containers of fabric (total cost $47) and will be picking up more at the end of the month. The best part of the thrift shop haul is that it has all been sorted, measured, folded and put in ziplock bags. Someone had a great stash that they ;have been donating. I took the fabric out the the bags, and refolded to fit in the bins and on my bookshelves. As I am typing this, I using some amazing outdoor material to make cushions for out patio. I also used a good stash for muslin to make a lifesize doll for my 3 year old granddaughter and clothes for them to be twins. Now to work on clothes for my 11 other grandchildren. Well, that's my story. I love thrifting, always have!
They also have $.99 pattern sales once or twice a year. I load up on patterns during those sales! You just need to make sure you sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss it!
Exactly this!! I went to buy some cheap muslin fabric to do some testing patterns and I bought the rest of the bolt Joann's had (maybe around 20 yards left??). It would have been around $60-70 for the rest of it. But Joann's was having a deal of 50% off of fabrics on the specific day I was buying, so I got the remaining yards for $30-35 instead of $60-70. I did end up spending around $50 that day because I also needed some other supplies. Whenever I go to Joann's, I make sure to have the app open to see what coupons I could use that day.
I wanted to change a new set of curtains in my living room. Asked for a quote from local stores and they cost a hefty $700. Decided to sew myself and bought curtain fabric that cost a total of $100. Best decision ever!
That's what I did for my little brother when he moved to a college dorm with wall-wide windows. As a student he couldn't afford 3m wide, floor to ceiling curtains so I got some fabric from the market and fixed him some curtains for only 45 euro's :)
Yes! There are times when it is cheaper to sew. We wanted drapes between our dining room and living room. I shopped fabric and found a gorgeous embrodered synthetic at discount.
My sister has taken your idea of purchasing good quality men’s cotton shirts at thrift shops, charity shops, etc., and uses the fabric in quilting. She saves the buttons from the shirts for her other sewing stash. And your idea of tablecloths helped us make darling curtains when fabric was so costly for what we wanted. We have both learned to think outside the box when it comes to acquiring fabric, etc. Thanks so much for your wonderful tips!
I love this. Just when I have retired tablecloths. Our old house has long windows (96"/244cm). I used an old bedsheet and made perfect curtains for our bedroom.
The other day I took my kids to Target with me. My daughter looked at one bet sheet, pointed at it and loudly proclaimed "That's same as your dress mommy!!!!" lol
I get a lot of fabric from friends (whenever anyone is clearing out a wardrobe or linen cupboard). I also bulk buy from a remnant/dead stock warehouse that does a hefty discount on 10 metre lots. I will buy white or pale colours when they have a fabric I like and then dye it at home.
Have a list of sewing tools you need ready for when anyone asks you for holiday or birthday gift suggestions. You can make a wish list on Amazon as well. Remember to thank them and let them know what you've made with the item!
Oh, yes... Our annual Christmas list has reaped a large cutting mat, Ginger scissors (regular and pinking), and other accessories. This year, I got a higher powered sewing machine. Win.
I started my sewing adventure quilting. Now that I am getting into dressmaking I am going to save my dressmaking scraps and leftover notions like laces and ribbons to make a 1890s style Victorian crazy quilt.
This is a great one. I kind of do the opposite. I only buy what I absolutely LOVE. And I try to sew what I need for my capsule wardrobe. Because I have fewer clothes, and I adore all of them, I end up keeping them for years. So in the end, it's sustainable and I spend less than I used to.
The hardest lesson I learned (several years ago now) was to say "No" to impulse, and "Yes" to what I loved ONLY if it would go with what I already have, or I had a project for it.
Evelyn you are spot on on about sewing: it isn’t cheap but there are ways to do things more economically. A beginning sewist, I choose simple patterns that don’t require a lot of zippers, buttons. I don’t think your thread has to always match your fabric. I keep a stash of neutral threads. This actually fuels my creativity.
Matching the thread perfectly, or as much as possible gives a sense of professionalism/high end garment making. But as long as the final piece looks good, not many people will check to see the color of the thread.
@@athelis4658 I can't blame you. When i go shopping for new clothes, I expect them to be perfect, including the matching thread. Unless the thread of a different color is there for a reason, like on blue jeans with that orangey thread decorative stitching.
I too am a new sewist. I use black, white or grey thread. Also choose 1 or 2 patterns that I know the style looks good. I use the same pattern to create pieces with different color fabrics. Several versions of the same piece that I know will suit my style and body type. Thrifting is great to find fabric for sure! love ❤️ your advice, thankyou!!!
I so appreciate this. I am going to start to put swatches of fabric I already have a plan for in my purse so I can color match/compare when I am thrifting. I am SO BAD at remembering the exact color so I am hoping this will save me some disappointment. I am constantly trying to thrift fabrics. Being on the bigger end of plus size it can be hard to find the amount and quality of fabric to make clothes. And almost all the clothes I could alter are stretchy!
I bought a sewing machine desk from my neighbor’s dad when he was downsizing. He built it for his late wife decades ago and is a lovely piece of furniture. It was full of old sewing tools and a freezer bag of buttons. I’ve sorted the multiples onto cards and always check through the odd ones when I need one or two buttons for a skirt waistband or something. I’ve also found lengths of old fabric on Etsy. We have a local indie fabric shop that carries linen, wool, silk, good rayon, and such for reasonable prices. They also sell unpackaged zippers at a great discount. I splurge on those for my stash. The big box store has regular sales on patterns for $1 or $2 each and I stash ones that have vintage silhouettes and style elements. I also use their half-off coupons to buy a couple of yards of interfacing to stash. I use one brand of thread, and have a note on my phone with all the color numbers listed so I don’t buy duplicate spools. I’ve reached the point where, between sewing and vintage clothes, I have a wardrobe that I really love, and I don’t actually need much anymore. As I cycle things out, they go to a thrift store for a cat rescue group, and I safety-pin little tags that give the approximate size, fabric content, and if it was made from a vintage pattern, since vintage is so popular now. They also get my hand knit things as I phase them out.
I clicked on this video to listen to while I tidy the room up, then came back to tell you that your voice is just SO lovely (not being distracted by visuals really made me notice!), and as I came to type, I saw you and thought, "Wow, and she looks EXTRA lovely today, too!" Thank you, as always, for informative and LOVELY videos! :)
Another thought that pooped into my head. Sometimes a church is organization will have clothing/ household giveaways. You can find vintage patterns, clothing and sewing supplies absolutely free! I can't wait for the next one in our town.
Knowing other women who've sewn for a long time helps. When I told my family members I was teaching myself to sew, both of my grandmothers sent huge boxes of fabric from their stashes. One grandma also sent a box full of tools I had held off buying because they weren't essential - like really nice pins, a point-Turner, and the big Gingham shears. The other grandma also sent buttons, bias tape and lace trims. My mother sent over big printer paper boxes full of patterns from her stash and let me take what I wanted, so I already have my own stash of patterns. I use old sheets fairly frequently, it's saved me from going to the store several times. Yesterday I finished a project to add a couple layers of fabric to my son's curtains with two old sheets. And I avoid projects with zippers as much as possible for now, they aren't exactly cheap.
99% of my sewing stash is from thrift stores, flea markets and online auction sites. I'm on a very small budget but have still managed to amass a lot of sewing supplies thanks to other people not wanting them anymore and selling them for a bargain. If you have a local equivalent to ebay, I highly recommend having a look.
I always had trouble throwing out or giving away my formal gowns, most of them costly and only worn once. Now I have three little granddaughters so I’ve retrieved all those gowns from the attic and now intend to cut them up for Christmas dresses, birthday dresses etc. for my granddaughters. All those beautiful velvets, taffetas and lace are just going to be so gorgeous on them. Can’t wait to get started!
I have a very, very different take on saving money sewing. 1. *DO NOT SEW TO SAVE MONEY.* Unless you're talking designer designer (Dior, Chanel, Versace, etc.) price points, if you're using new materials it's really hard to save money. The labor costs in most standard off the rack clothes (like what's in Macy's or H&M) are incredibly, incredibly low. They generally make up ten percent of the price of the finished garment. That ten percent is easily eaten up by material waste. Home sewing wastes drastically more fabric than factory sewing. If you're using new materials, don't expect to pay less for something you're making versus something you're buying. 2. With that in mind, start sewing nicer things. I'm trained in Haute Couture. I can't make a $200 Macy's cocktail dress for less than the retail price, without compromising on quality. I can however make a $10,000 Valentino cocktail dress for maybe $500. I can make a Chanel style jacket for $300, and again, they start around $8,000, but they sky is the limit depending on the materials and embellishments. 3. I hear what you're already saying, "$300 for a jacket is a lot of money, especially if I have to make it myself." Fair, that sounds like a lot. However, the last Chanel style jacket I made took 150 hours. Assuming I always have a project going, like I assume most of you do too, $300 in materials divided by 150 hours is $2 an hour. Let's say a cheap project costs me $20 and takes four hours. That project is going to cost me $5 an hour to sew, and I won't have a Couture jacket made of ultra premium materials at the end. I'll have a bunch of crap that I may as well have bought at H&M or something. 4. Make things you're actually going to wear, and wear often. Again, going back to the $300 jacket, if you choose a design that you can wear once a week year in, year out for many years to come, the cost per wear of that jacket is negligible. Maybe a buck or even less depending how hard you are on your clothes. Spending $50 on a dress that takes ten hours is $5 per hour of sewing, and if you only wear it five or so times because the fabric isn't great, or you could have finished it better comes out to $10 per wear. 5. Only stash things you know you absolutely going to use. I know this is really controversial, because everyone loves stashing, but stashing is very expensive. It's really tempting to throw a few yards of sale fabric on the counter when you go to the store for materials for another project. Realistically, if you don't use that fabric, you're just throwing away money. Maybe by the time you get around to using that fabric you won't like it anymore. Maybe you won't have enough to make the dress you'd really like to make out of if. There are a lot of what ifs. I also can't tell you how many times I've heard, "I had the fabric in my stash, I wanted to use it as trim on this project, but I didn't really like the way it came out since it doesn't match that well." How many times are you going to wear that project? Like, twice. Maybe. When you don't stash, you'll have drastically more money to spend on your projects that you do make, or on equipment that you really want. How many people have a closet full of fabric but complain that they can't afford a serger? Guess what, if you put the money from your fabric stash aside you could probably afford two sergers. People ask me how I can possibly afford top of the line silks, fabrics from Hermes, Dormeuil, Tom Ford, whatever. The answer is, I don't stash. I only buy for the project I'm currently making, and the next project I plan to make. (Will I occasionally break my rule and buy an irresistible cut of silk from a thrift store for $3, sure. But that's rare. I usually don't even look. On top of not wanting to have a hoard of fabric I don't use, I'd rather have space for things like professional pressing equipment, or specialty tools.) The exception I make to not stashing, and this is where I save an absolute fortune, is notions and structural fabrics. I bulk by things I know I'll use tons of like black Bemberg lining, silk organza, hair canvas, cotton sateen for pocket bags, fusible tricot, clear backing buttons, hooks and eyes, wiggan, whatever. They're all things that I know I'll need for a ton of different projects. Buying through a professional supplier like Wawak is no only drastically cheaper than buying through a box store, but the quality is better too. Don't buy notions from places like Joann's. They're very expensive, and most are inferior quality. I pay about the same for genuine horn blazer buttons through Wawak as I would for plastic ones from Joann's. For the love of God, don't try to sew on the cheap. Your time is worth something. Pay yourself for your time by buying the best materials you can possibly afford, and treat them as well as you possibly can. You want to save money on sewing? Spend four hours hand hemming a skirt instead of machining it, and starting another project. Buy fabrics that are worth hand hemming, that you want to hand hem. Make things that are exciting to wear every day. Don't make things that you might only wear a handful of times. Sewing shouldn't be quick. It shouldn't be disposable. And it shouldn't be cheap.
@@air-conditionedgypsy8863 I know way, way too many sewists who "just whipped this up." It drives me up a wall. The chief advantage of making something at home is being able to spend as much time as possible to do things as nicely as possible. A hem that takes four hours to execute would add an enormous amount of money to the retail price of a garment. In home sewing, so what? Pick out two movies and go to town on it. I've literally never regretted putting more work into something. I've only ever regretted, "I wish I had put more time into (insert whatever step.)" I'm a very serious sewer. I always have a project going. I only do a few projects a year though. I buy tippy top of the line fabrics, but I spend less on sewing than most people I know. Spending $400 on a project that I get 150+ hours of enjoyment making, I learn new skills, and get Couture garment in the end. That's a real bargain. If you're not going to bother putting in the time to make things that are finished to the absolute best of your ability, go buy clothes from the mall. Good sewers sew because they like the results. Great sewers sew because they love the process.
Thoroughly agree. I make items for the individuality of of fabric and design that you just won’t get with ready to wear. Also for quality of finish and fit. I wouldn’t bother making everyday indigo blue jeans or a plain white T-shirt for example, as it would work out so much more expensive
Oh, I agree with this so much. Forget about what's 'in' this season and make clothes that fit you well and that are of good quality material (mind, I wouldn't have turned down that pack of silk sheets that Evelyn found a few months ago) and that you will wear again and again. I've tried the buy a 'surprise bag' of fabric at a greatly reduced cost - I got 3 pieces of material, only one of which is remotely useful for what I sew and the other 2 pieces are so not me. So I didn't save any money in the long run. I don't expect to save money sewing - certainly not compared to fast fashion prices, but if I compare the cost of buying bespoke or couture, then not only do I save money, I have the fun of sewing it as well.
I like to thrift my own closet and my mum's closet lol. I have some "new" blouses that used to be skirts and some pocket bags/linings that used to be blouses. Not to mention pyjama pants, dresses, and skirts that used to be bed sheets. Everything is closed for lockdown 3.0 here in Toronto but I'm looking forward to thriftshopping in the future.
Of course it's more expensive than fast fashion, but even when buying sewing supplies new the quality and fit of garment makes it so much more worthwhile too
Quite - if you don't compare your sewing prices to fast fashion, and instead compare your sewn garments to tailored or even couture, then sewing your own is still economical. I can make trousers that fit me instead of waiting for a particular silhouette to come back into fashion. I can create other garments in the colours and fibres that I love instead of having to go to the high end stores and hope that lycra in bottom of the pond green or brown isn't the 'in thing' this season. I make clothes that are going to be worn for years, not days, weeks or months - so if I spend £50 or £100 on fabric for the garment, over the next 10 years (or even 5) it's not cost me that much to make. And all my clothes are unique - that's not to be sneezed at, either. Oh, yeah - and *real* pockets, not fakes. Worth the extra money.
@@undomiel466 Absolutely. I can make pockets that don't disgorge the contents as soon as I sit down. Even better, I can go to the loo and not have the contents of my trousers pockets either end up down the loo or on the floor. And as mobile phones get larger and heavier again, that's worth a few quid of anyone's money. Especially as getting the phone wet is starting to be excluded in insurance policies 'cos so many people do it.
I always save buttons etc from old/stained/worn out shirts etc... but sometimes I save the fabric from them too. You can get a couple of pockets from the back of a shirt, for instance...
@@sapphirecamui6447 sure.... I just never wear long sleeves, and mostly I've harvested from stained fronts. I suppose a stained pocket doesn't matter.... But... Ya know....
I am quite lucky to have neighbours that get rid of their sewing supplies every now and then...I also exchange fabric and sewing material with my sister. There are several places where I can trift sewing materials like flea markets etc. but unfortunately they are all closed because of covid at the moment.
I took a old towel and a pair of jeans into pot holders. I cut the pockets and some fabric around the pockets out of a pair of jeans and 4 pieces of towel the same size. Stitched them together and hey presto the best pot holders ever. And the added bonus they help to unscrew a tight top off a jar or a bottle.
A friend of mine, when I first started sewing a bit under a year ago, had a delivery of chilled stuff and the packing included thick slabs of felted wool (the really ghastly stuff that wasn't even good for carpets or garden twine). She sent me a slab of the stuff and one of my first projects with my brand new sewing machine was a couple of covers for squares of the felt that are now my pot holders. I made the covers from old cotton tea towels that had become very thin/had hole in them. I made the covers removable so I can take them off and wash them when they get grubby and I have a couple of spare covers so I've always got clean covers for the holders when the dirty ones are in the wash.
I really enjoy watching your UA-cam on sewing. I have been sewing from a very young age taught myself how to and for the last 20years my passion has been 19th century fashion this can be a pricey hobby but like you ,I have thrift-ed my materials. I just love to see a garment that would have cost heaps being finished at a fraction of the cost. I love to hear that a lot of tips you give I have been doing all these years and that even at 83 years I am still learning about sewing. Keep up the good work thanks to you I will be making myself a wrist pin cushion.
A fun side-quest is to make your own buttons using home-made silicone molds and resin. Really easy to do and endlessly customizable. Cloning your favourite button is super easy, just press it into silicone putty and fill with resin!
Another advantage of thrifting is that often you find fabrics that you could never find in a fabric store. I especially like rayon, which is especially hard to find
Awesome video! I am so glad I am not the only one who thrifts like this! Thank you Evelyn! Other items to thrift to upcycle into your sewing that I use. Duvet covers which usually have two coordinating fabrics plus buttons. Don't forget the formal wear and wedding dresses at your thrift stores, eBay, etc. these items are cheap with lots of notions like zippers, buttons, trim, etc. Plus lace and lots of silk. White silk dyes very beautifully and if you know your yardage then you can dye the silk in different colors based on the yardage needed for each pattern. If the item has silk-covered buttons just remember to dye the number you will need at the same time so they match perfectly. I hope this helps.
This was a great video. I used to thrift all the time when I lived in the states, but here in Mexico, not really an option. Thank goodness I still have lots of fabric, linens and notions from previous trips to the states. I am always amazed at some of the other sewing channels that show their fabric hauls and spend a small fortune on fabric that costs up to $20 a yard for a cotton. I rather like finding a nice pair of king size pillowcases and getting a pair of elastic waist pants, or a nice kimono jacket out of an old tablecloth with some vintage lace trim. It's like, hmmmmm, what can I do with this?
I have 2 thrift stores nearby that always have sewing notions and fabric that is usually a buck a yard :) Problem is that most of the pieces are only a yard or two. I always sew from my stash as I pick up any fabric I find that I like but I store everything in boxes so I keep a list of my fabrics on the computer for easy reference. A thing that I am always on the lookout for is lace inserts or cute appliques that can be salvaged and reused and I always check for plus sized maxi dresses as they give an awesome amount of material for a few bucks. I find a pattern that I want to try and then compare it with my fabric stash to see what I have to use and if nothing works then I will add what I need to my "Shopping List", a list of things to be on the lookout for for that particular pattern when I am out thrifting. As to the newspapers and online sources such as Craigslist the savings of the fabric must be good enough to consider the trip to pick it up, gas/bus fare and the time consideration but there can be some amazing deals but for me to spend 4 hours on the bus it has to be lol I have sewn for a few years but have only ever been in an actual fabric store twice in my life lol
Sometimes, in regular fabric stores, they sell deadstock fabric, like ugly crepe or satin for like 2-3€/meter. It can be useful to make toiles for drapy garments or garments with huge flounces that are meant to be cut in crepe or satin. To see how it drapes, hangs and moves.
My tip: just like you would with RTW clothing, invest in patterns that you know you will wear, that suit your lifestyle, your body and fashion preferences. In the era of electronic patterns it's easy to accumulate too many of them.
I really enjoy your videos and was inspired by the ones where you used an existing dress or garment and completely revamped it. We used to have fabric shops on every corner. Now we have none. My grandkids and l used to go to the fabric stores for fun. Now they are grown and l have a bunch of fabrics stored away. I enjoy ordering garments from Wish and adding a wow factor with trims, alterations, matching accessories, etc.
These are great tips. A friend of mine pointed out that some people will destash their fabric on Etsy too, which is handy for when you can't get to a thrift store to try to find things.
VERY good ! I started sewing my own clothes when I was eleven years old. Mom gave me the sewing class that I so desperately wanted ! I have been sewing ever since... I am now in my late fifties! I still have hem tape and seam binding and buttons and trims etc. etc. that I have collected over the years. I am sure that an uneducated person would think that I am a hoarder but Clearly, YOU understand ! Thanks for sharing ! ( another thing that I do is look for simple skirts that are Way Too Big for me.....and take the elastic off the waist... open the seam or two and I have a great piece of fabric for a new skirt or top !).
I love linen clothes & find that sometimes fabric is cheaper if it is a colour that is less attractive (to me anyway). I will buy it especially if it is in large amounts like 10 metre rolls & then I just dye it, pure Linen dyes beautifully. I recently got a job lot of silk & dyed that as well & it turned out great, although silk was not recommended to be dyed by the dye manufacturer. I tested a piece of it before I did a larger lot & it was fine.
What a great idea! I tried dying a large amount of fabric once, I hated it! I vowed never to dye large lots again, only tiny little bits of lace or ribbons!
@@Evelyn__Wood I use those washing machine dyes lol. I find them so easy, they work really well on natural fabrics. But I learnt the hard way to always wash it before I dye & make up, as it can shrink. I made a beautiful maxi linen/silk dress only to have it shrink in the length!.
There's also the option of buying deadstock fabric, I was able to purchase 8 yards of organic white poplin from a California independent fabric shop for $20! I definitely second Etsy as well for finding reclaimed items and have recently found a few online fabric/craft thrift stores that specialize in second-hand fabric.
I second that please share. I live in the middle of nowhere Midwest. The nearest thrift shop is 50 miles away! I live off of remnants at Walmart and garage sales.
@@kaylawardlow1690 You could run an ad in classified: want to buy your unused fabric yardgoods. I did when we had our 6 children at home. This yielded a nice selection for under $1/yd! People are glad to see their fabric go to a "good home"!
This is my favourite video so far.. retired and need to save.. I just bought lovely bedsheets from a thrift store before lockdown.. I have made Pj's and a dress so far.. I can hardly wait to open up again.. love love love this ..
I buy holiday themed fabrics after the holiday is over to make toiles. I've made toiles for Summer dresses out of Christmas fabric and Christmas dress toiles out of Easter fabrics. After I'm done with the toile, I rip it apart and give the fabric to friends who quilt. Works for all of us!
When thrifting for materials, do look out so you don't fall into the hole of buying lots of things only because it is cheap and that it "could" be used sometime. That will not save money. I think it's important to learn what types of things you need for your sewing, so you actually buy useful things. Like, I know I don't wear some colours and pattern, so I don't thrift it, even if it's cheap. And same goes for polyester fabric. That stays at the thrift store after I am gone, as I know I wouldn't pick it up from my stash even if it was there. And at this point, my fabric stash is so big, that I don't thrift things if I don't have a project in mind, because I don't have the space for more things, and there is probably something I already have that will work for it.
Agree; I'm on Freecycle here in NZ and there have been a few offers of sewing supplies and fabric on there. Also Trade Me (online marketplace) for secondhand and/or vintage fabric 🙂
Great tutorial Evelyn :) I love opshops 🇦🇺 (thrift stores) and I love huge sales (spotlight /online fabric stores) finding the best fabrics.. Bedding is a great way to get the most out of your fabric (cheaper than buying per metre) furniture/curtain unlined fabrics for jackets. Sorting out my fabric stash omgosh so much lol... Thrifting is certainly a must for sustainable sewing.
I go dumpster diving! Oh my goodness my cup is full and running over! Department stores throw so much stuff away! Not only food, they throw away clothes! With the tags still on them. If you do decide to go dumpster diving, don’t go jumping right in. I use Several different pickers to get my stuff out without getting in! Use a buddy at night time. Be mindful. Never argue with the workers and never leave a mess! True Divers live by that last one. We also pick up after other divers! Leaving messes will get that dumpster locked! She said thrift store! Yes tons of stuff they throw away too! I’ve seen their dumpster full as well! Sad folks donate that stuff too. Your stash! Yes Yes Yes! I call it the gathering stage! I love this chick! She rocks on sewing! Thank you for allowing me to share! God bless!
Over the years I have definitely found that not all online fabric stores are equal. I have a couple of incredibly well priced fabric suppliers that i use that are very cheap. I am in South Africa and I pay ~R60/m for cotton or cotton/rayon knits, R80/m for wovens, denim and sheeting, and R50 for fleece, R80 is 5.69 USD. I almost exclusively use cotton and natural fibers because I am pretty picky about how my clothes feel. I never wear anything polyester. This is cheaper than buying clothes, especially since i use the offcuts to make matching clothes for my 3yo daughter. I can make myself a nice tshirt from 1m cotton knit in a nice print fot R80 max, the same shirt will be R200 in the store. So it can work out, especially when it is on sale! I literally sometimes get knit and interlock on sale for R20-R30/m (1.5 to 2 USD)!! (Saffers, check out fabricstore for knits, mhcworld for heavy weights and upholstry, and chamdor factory for cheap woven sheeting.) All three i have bought from several times and been super happy with the quality and service I received. I recommend buying a small quantity initially just to.make sure you like the feel of the fabric, i have been impressed with all 3. I will literally never buy clothes from a store again. Another example. The other day I spent R160 (=~11 USD) for 2m double-width (240cm) 100% cotton sheeting in a cute rainbow print for my daughter and made her and entire new bedset (pillowcase, sheet and duvet cover) in the pattern she chose, and it would have cost R300 or more for a polyester equivilent from a store (and, there were way more cute fabric options to choose from!!) That said, i DONT use new fabric for mockups. I will use old bedsheets for that.
I loved your suggestions and they were the same ones I saw my mother doing 40 years ago! After us girls outgrew clothes she made, she disassempled the items, reused buttons and zippers, and the fabric became crazy quilts! I still have some of the quilts and my sister and I would joke about how certain fabrics were our dresses or shirts, etc. Really good memories looking at them!
Go at the end of a garage/yard sale, and make an offer on everything left. I filled my minivan to the brim that way this weekend from a lovely woman who couldn't sew anymore. I am going to make my girls and myself so many things!
Totally agree with sourcing second hand. And it’s not that scary to cut and sew the cheaply source fabric... and I m hoping to make a dress out of old bedding that is bit old and boring (after 10years or so) and has a hole...
My favorite quilt fabric store has a basket of 1/4 yard and odd bit leftovers for less cost..rolled and tied with ribbon )) Pretty in a basket at home, but I love "scrap" quilting. All the traditional patterns can be made with total variation in each block. Resale shops and garage sales are like candy stores for fabric. I've made over 200 cage quilts for rescues. A bale of padding 6 ft tall by "miles" was $10. All those cage quilts barely used it up. )) Beautiful fabric costs nearly free. You've inspired me to think of making beautiful clothes for myself which I haven't since high school. They are "vintage" now. ))))
Buttons and zippers are great things to salvage. My grandmother used to send scrap bags my way--often they were interesting fabrics from "deconstructed" garments. Stores sometimes offer zippers at discount, I buy 18" (45cm) and trim down for projects needing a shorter zip.
A great topic and examples. I do much of this already but really hadn't considered a monthly budget as the norm all year round - I will now. The only things I might have added are repurposing household objects for tools such as curved blade manicure scissors for thread snips, something we may have as duplicates at times. Mine have stayed sharp far longer than the many snips I've gone through. They're sharp and the blades can cut threads close to the fabric without risking catching it. Sewing machines as used buys… probably mentioned in a previous video (I'm new here) but worth a specific mention in your general 'thrifting' list, I think. :)
I haven't watched many of your videos and am pleasantly surprised you thrift. Thrifting, coupons, and the clearance section are my ways to save money on my crafting projects 💕🌻
I have a notebook that I keep my list of things that I need to finish projects. I also keep a little chain of safety pins with a tiny sample of a cloth or whatever I need more of or I need to match. Back when I used to go places, I would check my notebook and make a list and I would put my samples in my purse, and we were set. I found that just those two things would save a LOT of mis-matched purchases.
Giving some consideration to eventual salvage when you shop for new clothes and bedding helps a lot. Buying new clothes in multiples of the same colour will inevitably lead to having better salvage experiences....so if I find something I want on the deep discount racks at Kmart for $5 a piece I might buy every one in my size...by the time I salvage I will likely have already bought matching thread to do a repair and the chances are very high I can get a salvage only project happening, essentially spending nothing.
I enjoy your salvage idea. I had a pair of pants where the ankle was too small, even though the hip area fit. I cut them off at the knee and made shorts. Then I took the bottom of the pant leg and sewd a couple of eyeglass cases for my oversize sunglasses. I hot glued on some left over black silk ribbon for a handle, using ribbon that was left over from a repair of a denim jacket. I also took silver ribbon and new buttons and updated a boring black wool tailored jacket. Just by adding small buttons onto the sleeves where none had been before, and updated the boring black button with some silvery pearl button with a silver braided type edge. I put the ribbon on each shoulder seam and down the side seams and on the pocket flaps. What fun for a jacket originally from a consignment shop. I am so glad I found your channel as it inspires me to update my sewing skills.
These are great tips! Another tip is to use your scrap fabric! You can make patch works dresses or use it for facings or contrast like you mentioned, I am going to use the scrap linen from a dress i'm making to make myself a matching bucket hat
Preach on the thrifting! I've found some fantastic deals in my local thriftstores, you just need to keep an eye out. I've found some really nice printed silk for 2 euro, good machine thread for 20 cents etc. Even my iron and ironing board are thrifted, haha. (And I'm saying this as a plus sized woman who has never found actual clothes that I liked and fit me in a thriftstore. There's still so much to find, even if you disregard the clothing)
I use old blue jeans to make aprons for the dementia patients here at the nursing home where I live. I'm 70 yrs and still sewing. And yes, I even take the tiny bows off old bras.
This is just great! I'm all about getting my materials thrifted and at garage sales. I also like the Sound of Music approach where you make things out of old curtains, tablecloths, bedsheets, etc. You can even use old clothing you don't like anymore, or doesn't fit, and reuse the fabric for mock-ups or smaller sewing projects! Another good tip I've been learning is to just stop buying things you won't use, which seems obvious, but I've ended up with so many bits of one-yard fabric that I never touch, because the things I love to make (like big flowy skirts and maxi dresses) need more than that! So just being careful about what we buy is helpful. Great video and thanks for sharing!
If you are in the US, Joann has .99 cent pattern sales once or twice a year! That is usually when I buy my patterns, I have a running list of patterns that I want and when they have that sale I load up!
When we upgraded from a double to a king size bed, I cut up the duvet and the sheets. I turned them into lovely cushions for our garden furniture. I think I’ve got eight so far, and plenty of fabric and “stuffing” left for more. I’ve saved the plain but tattered bottom sheets for mock up fabric. I spend so much time salvaging bits for my sewing (and card making) that my husband calls me the Womble.
Great video, with some novel ideas I will give a try. Especially the monthly budget thing. When things go back to normal I have the weekly fabric market in my hometown to try and resist, but I've found some great deals there. I used to volunteer at a thrift shop and we got a lot of donations that were not good enough for selling. Some of these would go to other projects. But also some of these would go to the shredder. Maybe you can ask at a local thrift shop what they do with the B or C choice donations and if you could buy some of those? You'd be surprised how much doesn't make it into the stores. I'd also suggest asking around with older relatives or friends. My grandmother always pulled the buttons of all the old clothes, so she had a nice big box of buttons that we inherited. Fabric dye can be an awesome way to spruce up fabrics in less desirable colours. I would also suggest to not spend to much on novelty supplies (these bias tape makers I bought have been collecting dust) but I did notice an improvement in my work and enjoyment after I invested in something like pinking shears, or higher quality pins, and even a proper size ironing board instead of the mini IKEA one. You could buy some things in bulk, as long as you know you will use them a lot. Bigger spools of thread in basic colours for instance. Although thread can desintegrate if it's older, so don't buy to much or leave it out in the sun to much. I also love historical sewing, and there's so many things you can make yourself. It just takes more time and occasionally another craft to learn. But handsewing lacingholes means you don't have to buy the metal eyelets. Make your own biastape. You can (loop)braid pretty cords. Crochet trims. Loads of options, if you have the time. Lastly I'd sugest not overdoing it on the stash. I used to buy a lot of things (also new fabric or yarn) without a clear plan. After some years of collecting dust my tastes and preferences have changed a lot and I spent a lot of time selling old polyester organza and terrible quality lining fabric. I did end up losing money on most of those deals, so that's a real waste.
I mostly thrift, but I need to get better at turning to my stash for inspiration and even limitation. I definitely amass materials for crafts at a much greater rate than I use them, and am starting to seriously run out of storage space. I came across the term SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) recently, and even though I think I am not quite there yet, I could definitely go years on what I already have if I just buy thread, needles and service for my sewing machine from time to time. A lot of the time it is because I have a project in mind for the material, but I do not have the time or energy to actually get on to it. My energy is very limited because of a medical condition, but I still dream and plan projects as if I was in full vigour, the day had 48 hours and I would live until I am at least 140 years old...
I relate to this as well. Lately I have thought in terms of "will I use it within twenty years?" The idea of how much we have versus how much of it will be used.
Where I live we have the most amazing shop called Nanas. People donate fabric, wool, lace, you name it and the wonderful ladies in the shop all volunteer their time. For instance, yesterday I bought 1.7 mtrs of beautiful soft cotton, 7.5 mtrs of different vintage laces, 2 owl buttons and some red felt. The total cost? $10.25. I dare not venture to the fabric section of the shop - it's deadly for me. Oh, and all the profits are given back to the community . I love this shop.
It sounds like a great shop! A great place to find a bargain, reuse second hand items and know your money is going to a good place. Perfect combination! 😃
I inherited my aunt's cigar box of buttons. It had a lot of buttons from my uncle's work shirts so I could always find one to use for my husband's lost buttons. I also took it to school for my first graders to short for classification lessons in science. They were fascinated. I sew a lot of flannel nightgowns for myself. My favorite one is made from remnants I had saved. I even seamed some pieces for the sleeves. I seem to have a certain color range I stay in, so they all coordinated.
My way I save money... I buy my stuff from auctions, when old people die a lot of their stuff goes to auctions and estate sales. I got a sewing desk for $7 A sewing machine, a embroidery machine, a large rack of old thread on really nice old wooden spindles/ spools, and a giant boxes of fabric for all less than $20. I purchase from auctions.
Not everybody has access to someone else's stash but in my home, we have tons and tons of things that my grandma bought decades ago. Also things somebody gave us or things my mum got for other projects. These randomly collected piles of stuff save me so much time and money. I don't have to buy a single button unless I have in mind something very specific.
Love it! As always another great video. I do the same things. I am also given lots of fabric and clothing (which I never say no to....here should never be homeless fabric!). I recently went to a pop-up sale that had fabric for $4 per yard. I was looking for chintz for a corset and ended up getting about 15 yards for $12! Deal!
I am currently working on a white denim jeans jacket. The fabric was on clearance at Joann's. No problem. When I realized I needed 11 buttons big problem. Thrifted a trenchcoat with big gorgeous buttons for a reasonable amount.
My tip is for large pieces of fabric cut more than one project at the same time. I bought four metres of fabric in a sale and managed three different blouses out of it by cutting them all at the same time and getting the most out of the fabric as possible!
I remember my mother making a blouse for herself because she wanted to make something for a little person and couldn't bring herself to buy fabric just for the little item. For her, baby and toddler clothes were made from off-cuts from big people clothes.
Yay! You came along just at the right moment to cheer up a cold, windy, drizzly day. Thank you for reminding me to look at thrift clothing for buttons, trims and lace too. I hope I can get out there soon and have a bit of a scavenger hunt. That does seem to be the best way to cut costs when sewing.
I thrift all of my fabric and a lot of notions and supplies. Our local thrift shop has colored tags for each week it comes in. Before the item is thrown out, they have 15 cent tag on Mondays! I've been planning my weekly shopping trip to town on Mondays for a long time. Buttons, zippers, sheets, curtains, tablecloths, t shirts of the same color, oversized garments and skirts. There is also a fabric section. One time I found a huge storage bin and a garbage bag full of vintage patterns! I thought I was going to pass out. Of course I bought them both! Some are uncut. 15 dollars total for both. I go to my sewing area and just look at them sometimes. LOL A kid in a candy shop.
Thank you Evelyn for these great tips for saving money. I like the idea of salvage items. I try to remember to do these if like a dress is too old and worn out to wear again I will take out any zippers and buttons to use for future projects.
I've been watching your videos for a while, but I only recently subscribed. I'm quite impressed by your content. It's very practical and easy to understand.
Im sure Im not the only one who buys a thrift garment solely for its buttons, fabric etc! I hoard buttons, jars of hooks and eyes and notions any time i see them ultra cheap at the salvos or St Vinnies.! I think TRUE sewers sew from a stash, or have a sizeable stash...but we hide the size of our stash. My hubbie is always commenting on my stash. Then i get inspired and whip up something - but only from my stash and feel so good I didnt use any cash THIS week making it. LOL
I am tall. (which is why I sew) When it comes to fabric requirements printed on the pattern envelope I have to get 1/4-1/2 a yard extra. I always have to add length to bodice, sleeve, pant legs & skirts. Like you, I thrift everything. I can't remember the last time I purchased anything from a fabric store. I spent last summer sewing masks. Hundreds of them. I used thrifted bed sheets for lining, tee shirts for ear loops and recycled garments (mostly men's shirts) for the mask. I now have a lifetime supply of buttons.
Great video with excellent tips! "Saving money on sewing" vs "Saving money BY sewing" depends on your goal. "Something fun to wear next week" - do save money on sewing it! "Investment-grade garment" - you can save money BY sewing it with carefully selected fabric and well-developed skills and planning. My favorite summer suit was one I remember wearing 33 years ago, and all the years in between! (part of the success was planning ahead for alterations, and choosing the fabric with extra care.)
Hi Evelyn, really enjoyed the video. Yes, sewing is definitely not a cheap hobby itself, but there are a lot of ways to save money on. There are also some ways to save money with sewing it yourself or in mending loved pieces. Regards from Germany Stephanie PS: Mixed Up selvage and salvage at the beginning and was curious what you're going to save with the selvage 😂
I am mainly a quilter, since my closet became STUFFED with clothing (LOL) - you quilters out there who thrift, don't overlook pretty dresses and shirts, or even cotton curtains that you can cut up (and save those buttons and zips!). Like Evelyn says, it's all fabric, so even if you need tiny pieces for your quilts, don't forget the clothing - and quite often, thrift stores run sales on clothing because they have TONS of it, and frequently run red-tag sales. It's all fabric! Who cares where it came from?
My savings is to repair my clothes with broken seams or/and a bad fit for me, but I like them. That is the only way to achieve this. I bought a new sewing machine that can control heavy fabrics. In the future, I have plans to make clothes designed by myself.
I actually need to get rid of things, so I've been making things like reusable bags which are actually washable (the plastic-y ones aren't). I'm trying to use fabric I have no use for, e.g. random scraps of cat fabric or polyester lining fabric (used as interlining since it's a genuinely evil fabric). Don't buy polyester lining fabric, no matter how cheap it is... you will regret it. Save money to splurge on the nicer fabrics by not buying cheap crap. My grandmother used leftover scraps & salvaged usable sections of old clothes & made tons of quilts from them. I still have one. I've had to mend it like crazy... worth it!
I have been lucky in finding lots of bed sheets/quilt covers in my local opshops, but have never yet found any sewing supplies in any of them. I will just have to keep on looking. I just wish there were some thrift shops that stocked only sewing supplies and equipment but I realise that is like wishing upon a star! Perhaps I might come across a site in an online search.....fingers crossed. I recently made some cushion covers from old curtains. Thanks Evelyn for this amazing video full of suggestions on ways to save money. I am so very glad I joined your sewing school! xx
Thank you so much for these wonderful tips I am a person that writes everything down when I really get someone with wisdom I always believed that iron sharpens iron. that's an old phrase you're definitely iron when it comes to sewing. And you are certainly sharpening opening my mind to become that I earned that I want to be when it comes to sewing
Here in Philadelphia we have JOMAR, a discount fabric store that gets rolls of fabric from garment factories and Recently a HUGE stash from Mood Fabrics in NYC. They have tons of fabric for $1-$2 yard which is great for practice projects as I make most of my own patterns. They also have factory returns of clothing (and more recently thrift items) and I will often get really large garments just for the fabric. Maybe there are other stores like this in your city. When I was a kid (50,s and 60's my parents sewed for us and I was probably in 7th-8th grade when we got out first ready made clothes from a store. In the meantime fabric and garment production has moved overseas (cheap labor, lack of environmental regulations for the run-off from chemicals and dyes) so readymade is usually cheaper than sewing--IF you have a body that fits their sizes, which I do not so still I have to sew and alter. Great skill to have and great legacy to grow up knowing that you can make things.
FABULOUS!!! Yes. This is an excellent way to gain what you need. I am called Horder but it's having what is needed when it's needed. Thank You so much for this video.
Share with us your best sewing money saving tips! 💰
Learn to sew with me online at Vintage Sewing School www.vintagesewingschool.com/
Are there any things that you would look to buy new (or still in packets unused) rather than thrifted?
Saving money on sewing to be able to spend more on sewing...this a perfect video!
😅 Ha ha ha I knew you would understand!
When asked by a relative what I wanted for Christmas, I said I wanted whatever fabrics, notions and sewing books she would be willing to part with from her stash. She was thrilled to pass on some stuff and shop from her stash, instead of spending money. I was thrilled to get a box of goodies!
Oh how awesome. I have inherited books from that belonged to my husband's grandmother, and from my own grandmother. My grandma marked pages with advertisments and information pages--from the mid-1940s. 😁
Love all your videos. My fabric stash story: we stopped at a yardsale. The lady was downsizing and had a yard full of craft/sewing stuff. On a whim, I told her I'd buy everything she had for $100. she didn't want to carrying it back in the house and agreed, then said she had more stuff inside, boy did she. We filled the whole back of the truck with mostly fabric, but lots of trims, buttons, zips and crafting supplies. After taking forever to sort, measure and fold, I was in our local thrift shop and saw a bag of fabric for $1, went to pay for it and manager said he had six more bags in the back, I got those. I told him I'd take whatever fabric he got in. Well, over he's been collecting it from me. I now have over the course of a year accumulated over 20 66 qt containers of fabric (total cost $47) and will be picking up more at the end of the month. The best part of the thrift shop haul is that it has all been sorted, measured, folded and put in ziplock bags. Someone had a great stash that they ;have been donating. I took the fabric out the the bags, and refolded to fit in the bins and on my bookshelves. As I am typing this, I using some amazing outdoor material to make cushions for out patio. I also used a good stash for muslin to make a lifesize doll for my 3 year old granddaughter and clothes for them to be twins. Now to work on clothes for my 11 other grandchildren. Well, that's my story. I love thrifting, always have!
I take things off of things that we’ve out grown or get filled with holes. I have a ton of buttons and zips from old pants and jeans.
There's so much to salvage right!!
If you do buy fabrics from the fabric store, like Jo-Ann, here in the States, NEVER buy fabric at full price. There's always a coupon. Use it.
Similar for Spotlight in Australia... they have 40% off sales so often, it’s crazy to pay full price.
They also have $.99 pattern sales once or twice a year. I load up on patterns during those sales! You just need to make sure you sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss it!
Exactly this!!
I went to buy some cheap muslin fabric to do some testing patterns and I bought the rest of the bolt Joann's had (maybe around 20 yards left??). It would have been around $60-70 for the rest of it. But Joann's was having a deal of 50% off of fabrics on the specific day I was buying, so I got the remaining yards for $30-35 instead of $60-70. I did end up spending around $50 that day because I also needed some other supplies.
Whenever I go to Joann's, I make sure to have the app open to see what coupons I could use that day.
Joann's also price matches with Micheals
@@mckaylajeffs9925 and honors their coupons
I wanted to change a new set of curtains in my living room. Asked for a quote from local stores and they cost a hefty $700. Decided to sew myself and bought curtain fabric that cost a total of $100. Best decision ever!
That's exactly how I got into sewing.
That's what I did for my little brother when he moved to a college dorm with wall-wide windows. As a student he couldn't afford 3m wide, floor to ceiling curtains so I got some fabric from the market and fixed him some curtains for only 45 euro's :)
Yes! There are times when it is cheaper to sew. We wanted drapes between our dining room and living room. I shopped fabric and found a gorgeous embrodered synthetic at discount.
My sister has taken your idea of purchasing good quality men’s cotton shirts at thrift shops, charity shops, etc., and uses the fabric in quilting. She saves the buttons from the shirts for her other sewing stash. And your idea of tablecloths helped us make darling curtains when fabric was so costly for what we wanted. We have both learned to think outside the box when it comes to acquiring fabric, etc. Thanks so much for your wonderful tips!
🥰🥰 Yay!! This makes my day, thankyou for sharing. I love the idea of a men's shirt quilt!
I love this. Just when I have retired tablecloths. Our old house has long windows (96"/244cm). I used an old bedsheet and made perfect curtains for our bedroom.
The other day I took my kids to Target with me. My daughter looked at one bet sheet, pointed at it and loudly proclaimed "That's same as your dress mommy!!!!" lol
I get a lot of fabric from friends (whenever anyone is clearing out a wardrobe or linen cupboard). I also bulk buy from a remnant/dead stock warehouse that does a hefty discount on 10 metre lots. I will buy white or pale colours when they have a fabric I like and then dye it at home.
Oh nice!
Have a list of sewing tools you need ready for when anyone asks you for holiday or birthday gift suggestions. You can make a wish list on Amazon as well. Remember to thank them and let them know what you've made with the item!
This is an excellent idea for every sewer!! 😀 *goes off the make a gift wish list!
Oh, yes... Our annual Christmas list has reaped a large cutting mat, Ginger scissors (regular and pinking), and other accessories.
This year, I got a higher powered sewing machine. Win.
I started my sewing adventure quilting. Now that I am getting into dressmaking I am going to save my dressmaking scraps and leftover notions like laces and ribbons to make a 1890s style Victorian crazy quilt.
I started quilting lately and I love your idea.
This is a great one. I kind of do the opposite. I only buy what I absolutely LOVE. And I try to sew what I need for my capsule wardrobe. Because I have fewer clothes, and I adore all of them, I end up keeping them for years. So in the end, it's sustainable and I spend less than I used to.
The hardest lesson I learned (several years ago now) was to say "No" to impulse, and "Yes" to what I loved ONLY if it would go with what I already have, or I had a project for it.
Evelyn you are spot on on about sewing: it isn’t cheap but there are ways to do things more economically. A beginning sewist, I choose simple patterns that don’t require a lot of zippers, buttons. I don’t think your thread has to always match your fabric. I keep a stash of neutral threads. This actually fuels my creativity.
I never match my thread if the design doesnt have top stitching lol, if the fabric is dark I use black and white for pastels in general
Matching the thread perfectly, or as much as possible gives a sense of professionalism/high end garment making. But as long as the final piece looks good, not many people will check to see the color of the thread.
@@sapphirecamui6447 I get crazy every time I see dark blue thread on a black ready-to-wear garment 😁😁😁
@@athelis4658 I can't blame you. When i go shopping for new clothes, I expect them to be perfect, including the matching thread. Unless the thread of a different color is there for a reason, like on blue jeans with that orangey thread decorative stitching.
I too am a new sewist. I use black, white or grey thread. Also choose 1 or 2 patterns that I know the style looks good. I use the same pattern to create pieces with different color fabrics. Several versions of the same piece that I know will suit my style and body type. Thrifting is great to find fabric for sure! love ❤️ your advice, thankyou!!!
I so appreciate this. I am going to start to put swatches of fabric I already have a plan for in my purse so I can color match/compare when I am thrifting. I am SO BAD at remembering the exact color so I am hoping this will save me some disappointment.
I am constantly trying to thrift fabrics. Being on the bigger end of plus size it can be hard to find the amount and quality of fabric to make clothes. And almost all the clothes I could alter are stretchy!
I bought a sewing machine desk from my neighbor’s dad when he was downsizing. He built it for his late wife decades ago and is a lovely piece of furniture. It was full of old sewing tools and a freezer bag of buttons. I’ve sorted the multiples onto cards and always check through the odd ones when I need one or two buttons for a skirt waistband or something. I’ve also found lengths of old fabric on Etsy.
We have a local indie fabric shop that carries linen, wool, silk, good rayon, and such for reasonable prices. They also sell unpackaged zippers at a great discount. I splurge on those for my stash. The big box store has regular sales on patterns for $1 or $2 each and I stash ones that have vintage silhouettes and style elements. I also use their half-off coupons to buy a couple of yards of interfacing to stash.
I use one brand of thread, and have a note on my phone with all the color numbers listed so I don’t buy duplicate spools.
I’ve reached the point where, between sewing and vintage clothes, I have a wardrobe that I really love, and I don’t actually need much anymore. As I cycle things out, they go to a thrift store for a cat rescue group, and I safety-pin little tags that give the approximate size, fabric content, and if it was made from a vintage pattern, since vintage is so popular now. They also get my hand knit things as I phase them out.
I clicked on this video to listen to while I tidy the room up, then came back to tell you that your voice is just SO lovely (not being distracted by visuals really made me notice!), and as I came to type, I saw you and thought, "Wow, and she looks EXTRA lovely today, too!" Thank you, as always, for informative and LOVELY videos! :)
Regularly visiting all the local thrift stores is such a delightful hobby.
Another thought that pooped into my head. Sometimes a church is organization will have clothing/ household giveaways. You can find vintage patterns, clothing and sewing supplies absolutely free! I can't wait for the next one in our town.
Knowing other women who've sewn for a long time helps. When I told my family members I was teaching myself to sew, both of my grandmothers sent huge boxes of fabric from their stashes. One grandma also sent a box full of tools I had held off buying because they weren't essential - like really nice pins, a point-Turner, and the big Gingham shears. The other grandma also sent buttons, bias tape and lace trims. My mother sent over big printer paper boxes full of patterns from her stash and let me take what I wanted, so I already have my own stash of patterns.
I use old sheets fairly frequently, it's saved me from going to the store several times. Yesterday I finished a project to add a couple layers of fabric to my son's curtains with two old sheets. And I avoid projects with zippers as much as possible for now, they aren't exactly cheap.
99% of my sewing stash is from thrift stores, flea markets and online auction sites. I'm on a very small budget but have still managed to amass a lot of sewing supplies thanks to other people not wanting them anymore and selling them for a bargain. If you have a local equivalent to ebay, I highly recommend having a look.
Right!! There's so much wonderful sewing supplies just waiting for her to grab right!
I always had trouble throwing out or giving away my formal gowns, most of them costly and only worn once. Now I have three little granddaughters so I’ve retrieved all those gowns from the attic and now intend to cut them up for Christmas dresses, birthday dresses etc. for my granddaughters. All those beautiful velvets, taffetas and lace are just going to be so gorgeous on them. Can’t wait to get started!
I have a very, very different take on saving money sewing.
1. *DO NOT SEW TO SAVE MONEY.* Unless you're talking designer designer (Dior, Chanel, Versace, etc.) price points, if you're using new materials it's really hard to save money. The labor costs in most standard off the rack clothes (like what's in Macy's or H&M) are incredibly, incredibly low. They generally make up ten percent of the price of the finished garment. That ten percent is easily eaten up by material waste. Home sewing wastes drastically more fabric than factory sewing. If you're using new materials, don't expect to pay less for something you're making versus something you're buying.
2. With that in mind, start sewing nicer things. I'm trained in Haute Couture. I can't make a $200 Macy's cocktail dress for less than the retail price, without compromising on quality. I can however make a $10,000 Valentino cocktail dress for maybe $500. I can make a Chanel style jacket for $300, and again, they start around $8,000, but they sky is the limit depending on the materials and embellishments.
3. I hear what you're already saying, "$300 for a jacket is a lot of money, especially if I have to make it myself." Fair, that sounds like a lot. However, the last Chanel style jacket I made took 150 hours. Assuming I always have a project going, like I assume most of you do too, $300 in materials divided by 150 hours is $2 an hour. Let's say a cheap project costs me $20 and takes four hours. That project is going to cost me $5 an hour to sew, and I won't have a Couture jacket made of ultra premium materials at the end. I'll have a bunch of crap that I may as well have bought at H&M or something.
4. Make things you're actually going to wear, and wear often. Again, going back to the $300 jacket, if you choose a design that you can wear once a week year in, year out for many years to come, the cost per wear of that jacket is negligible. Maybe a buck or even less depending how hard you are on your clothes. Spending $50 on a dress that takes ten hours is $5 per hour of sewing, and if you only wear it five or so times because the fabric isn't great, or you could have finished it better comes out to $10 per wear.
5. Only stash things you know you absolutely going to use. I know this is really controversial, because everyone loves stashing, but stashing is very expensive. It's really tempting to throw a few yards of sale fabric on the counter when you go to the store for materials for another project. Realistically, if you don't use that fabric, you're just throwing away money. Maybe by the time you get around to using that fabric you won't like it anymore. Maybe you won't have enough to make the dress you'd really like to make out of if. There are a lot of what ifs. I also can't tell you how many times I've heard, "I had the fabric in my stash, I wanted to use it as trim on this project, but I didn't really like the way it came out since it doesn't match that well." How many times are you going to wear that project? Like, twice. Maybe.
When you don't stash, you'll have drastically more money to spend on your projects that you do make, or on equipment that you really want. How many people have a closet full of fabric but complain that they can't afford a serger? Guess what, if you put the money from your fabric stash aside you could probably afford two sergers. People ask me how I can possibly afford top of the line silks, fabrics from Hermes, Dormeuil, Tom Ford, whatever. The answer is, I don't stash. I only buy for the project I'm currently making, and the next project I plan to make. (Will I occasionally break my rule and buy an irresistible cut of silk from a thrift store for $3, sure. But that's rare. I usually don't even look. On top of not wanting to have a hoard of fabric I don't use, I'd rather have space for things like professional pressing equipment, or specialty tools.)
The exception I make to not stashing, and this is where I save an absolute fortune, is notions and structural fabrics. I bulk by things I know I'll use tons of like black Bemberg lining, silk organza, hair canvas, cotton sateen for pocket bags, fusible tricot, clear backing buttons, hooks and eyes, wiggan, whatever. They're all things that I know I'll need for a ton of different projects. Buying through a professional supplier like Wawak is no only drastically cheaper than buying through a box store, but the quality is better too. Don't buy notions from places like Joann's. They're very expensive, and most are inferior quality. I pay about the same for genuine horn blazer buttons through Wawak as I would for plastic ones from Joann's.
For the love of God, don't try to sew on the cheap. Your time is worth something. Pay yourself for your time by buying the best materials you can possibly afford, and treat them as well as you possibly can. You want to save money on sewing? Spend four hours hand hemming a skirt instead of machining it, and starting another project. Buy fabrics that are worth hand hemming, that you want to hand hem. Make things that are exciting to wear every day. Don't make things that you might only wear a handful of times. Sewing shouldn't be quick. It shouldn't be disposable. And it shouldn't be cheap.
Wonderful suggestions! Thankyou for sharing!
Well said Bunny, I’m on the quality over quantity team!
@@air-conditionedgypsy8863 I know way, way too many sewists who "just whipped this up." It drives me up a wall. The chief advantage of making something at home is being able to spend as much time as possible to do things as nicely as possible. A hem that takes four hours to execute would add an enormous amount of money to the retail price of a garment. In home sewing, so what? Pick out two movies and go to town on it. I've literally never regretted putting more work into something. I've only ever regretted, "I wish I had put more time into (insert whatever step.)"
I'm a very serious sewer. I always have a project going. I only do a few projects a year though. I buy tippy top of the line fabrics, but I spend less on sewing than most people I know. Spending $400 on a project that I get 150+ hours of enjoyment making, I learn new skills, and get Couture garment in the end. That's a real bargain.
If you're not going to bother putting in the time to make things that are finished to the absolute best of your ability, go buy clothes from the mall. Good sewers sew because they like the results. Great sewers sew because they love the process.
Thoroughly agree. I make items for the individuality of of fabric and design that you just won’t get with ready to wear. Also for quality of finish and fit. I wouldn’t bother making everyday indigo blue jeans or a plain white T-shirt for example, as it would work out so much more expensive
Oh, I agree with this so much. Forget about what's 'in' this season and make clothes that fit you well and that are of good quality material (mind, I wouldn't have turned down that pack of silk sheets that Evelyn found a few months ago) and that you will wear again and again.
I've tried the buy a 'surprise bag' of fabric at a greatly reduced cost - I got 3 pieces of material, only one of which is remotely useful for what I sew and the other 2 pieces are so not me. So I didn't save any money in the long run.
I don't expect to save money sewing - certainly not compared to fast fashion prices, but if I compare the cost of buying bespoke or couture, then not only do I save money, I have the fun of sewing it as well.
I like to thrift my own closet and my mum's closet lol. I have some "new" blouses that used to be skirts and some pocket bags/linings that used to be blouses. Not to mention pyjama pants, dresses, and skirts that used to be bed sheets. Everything is closed for lockdown 3.0 here in Toronto but I'm looking forward to thriftshopping in the future.
What a great way to look at sewing during lockdown! Thrift your own closet!! I bet those items are getting so much more use now! 😀
lovely idea
Same here in alberta, lockdown closet shopping. Ughh
Of course it's more expensive than fast fashion, but even when buying sewing supplies new the quality and fit of garment makes it so much more worthwhile too
Quite - if you don't compare your sewing prices to fast fashion, and instead compare your sewn garments to tailored or even couture, then sewing your own is still economical. I can make trousers that fit me instead of waiting for a particular silhouette to come back into fashion. I can create other garments in the colours and fibres that I love instead of having to go to the high end stores and hope that lycra in bottom of the pond green or brown isn't the 'in thing' this season. I make clothes that are going to be worn for years, not days, weeks or months - so if I spend £50 or £100 on fabric for the garment, over the next 10 years (or even 5) it's not cost me that much to make.
And all my clothes are unique - that's not to be sneezed at, either. Oh, yeah - and *real* pockets, not fakes. Worth the extra money.
@@somebodyelse138 To me even just real pockets are worth the deal
@@undomiel466 Absolutely. I can make pockets that don't disgorge the contents as soon as I sit down. Even better, I can go to the loo and not have the contents of my trousers pockets either end up down the loo or on the floor.
And as mobile phones get larger and heavier again, that's worth a few quid of anyone's money. Especially as getting the phone wet is starting to be excluded in insurance policies 'cos so many people do it.
I always save buttons etc from old/stained/worn out shirts etc... but sometimes I save the fabric from them too. You can get a couple of pockets from the back of a shirt, for instance...
Yes!! Contrast pockets!! Great idea, and re-use of old garments! 😀
I have kept the spare buttons but never thought about lifting the whole set from another garment! Great idea 💡
From the sleeves as well, if they're long enough, as well as from the fronts.
@@sapphirecamui6447 sure.... I just never wear long sleeves, and mostly I've harvested from stained fronts. I suppose a stained pocket doesn't matter.... But... Ya know....
And linings as wel, for those piecing fabric bits can also be very useful.
I am quite lucky to have neighbours that get rid of their sewing supplies every now and then...I also exchange fabric and sewing material with my sister. There are several places where I can trift sewing materials like flea markets etc. but unfortunately they are all closed because of covid at the moment.
I took a old towel and a pair of jeans into pot holders. I cut the pockets and some fabric around the pockets out of a pair of jeans and 4 pieces of towel the same size. Stitched them together and hey presto the best pot holders ever. And the added bonus they help to unscrew a tight top off a jar or a bottle.
Oh my goodness, how clever. I salvage blue jeans, and we keep old towels and sheets.
A friend of mine, when I first started sewing a bit under a year ago, had a delivery of chilled stuff and the packing included thick slabs of felted wool (the really ghastly stuff that wasn't even good for carpets or garden twine). She sent me a slab of the stuff and one of my first projects with my brand new sewing machine was a couple of covers for squares of the felt that are now my pot holders. I made the covers from old cotton tea towels that had become very thin/had hole in them. I made the covers removable so I can take them off and wash them when they get grubby and I have a couple of spare covers so I've always got clean covers for the holders when the dirty ones are in the wash.
I also has some of that wool given to me and I line the bottom of my plant pots with it. Sorry I know it’s not sewing just a tip.
Just watch using the jeans currently sold in stores. Many are a mix with some sort of elastic, not good as potholder material.
I really enjoy watching your UA-cam on sewing. I have been sewing from a very young age taught myself how to and for the last 20years my passion has been 19th century fashion this can be a pricey hobby but like you ,I have thrift-ed my materials. I just love to see a garment that would have cost heaps being finished at a fraction of the cost. I love to hear that a lot of tips you give I have been doing all these years and that even at 83 years I am still learning about sewing. Keep up the good work thanks to you I will be making myself a wrist pin cushion.
This is why I love working at a Thrift store. (it does feel dangerous though sometimes.)
A fun side-quest is to make your own buttons using home-made silicone molds and resin. Really easy to do and endlessly customizable. Cloning your favourite button is super easy, just press it into silicone putty and fill with resin!
Another advantage of thrifting is that often you find fabrics that you could never find in a fabric store. I especially like rayon, which is especially hard to find
I DREAM of finding groovy rayon to make dresses. My mother occasionally packs me a bag from her stash so I have several yards of vintage rayon.
Awesome video! I am so glad I am not the only one who thrifts like this! Thank you Evelyn!
Other items to thrift to upcycle into your sewing that I use. Duvet covers which usually have two coordinating fabrics plus buttons. Don't forget the formal wear and wedding dresses at your thrift stores, eBay, etc. these items are cheap with lots of notions like zippers, buttons, trim, etc. Plus lace and lots of silk. White silk dyes very beautifully and if you know your yardage then you can dye the silk in different colors based on the yardage needed for each pattern. If the item has silk-covered buttons just remember to dye the number you will need at the same time so they match perfectly. I hope this helps.
This was a great video. I used to thrift all the time when I lived in the states, but here in Mexico, not really an option. Thank goodness I still have lots of fabric, linens and notions from previous trips to the states. I am always amazed at some of the other sewing channels that show their fabric hauls and spend a small fortune on fabric that costs up to $20 a yard for a cotton. I rather like finding a nice pair of king size pillowcases and getting a pair of elastic waist pants, or a nice kimono jacket out of an old tablecloth with some vintage lace trim. It's like, hmmmmm, what can I do with this?
I have 2 thrift stores nearby that always have sewing notions and fabric that is usually a buck a yard :) Problem is that most of the pieces are only a yard or two. I always sew from my stash as I pick up any fabric I find that I like but I store everything in boxes so I keep a list of my fabrics on the computer for easy reference. A thing that I am always on the lookout for is lace inserts or cute appliques that can be salvaged and reused and I always check for plus sized maxi dresses as they give an awesome amount of material for a few bucks. I find a pattern that I want to try and then compare it with my fabric stash to see what I have to use and if nothing works then I will add what I need to my "Shopping List", a list of things to be on the lookout for for that particular pattern when I am out thrifting. As to the newspapers and online sources such as Craigslist the savings of the fabric must be good enough to consider the trip to pick it up, gas/bus fare and the time consideration but there can be some amazing deals but for me to spend 4 hours on the bus it has to be lol I have sewn for a few years but have only ever been in an actual fabric store twice in my life lol
Sometimes, in regular fabric stores, they sell deadstock fabric, like ugly crepe or satin for like 2-3€/meter. It can be useful to make toiles for drapy garments or garments with huge flounces that are meant to be cut in crepe or satin. To see how it drapes, hangs and moves.
Great tip!! I agree these are perfect for toiles 😀
BRILLIANT!!!
My tip: just like you would with RTW clothing, invest in patterns that you know you will wear, that suit your lifestyle, your body and fashion preferences. In the era of electronic patterns it's easy to accumulate too many of them.
That is a great way to get basics that suit one's personal style.
I really enjoy your videos and was inspired by the ones where you used an existing dress or garment and completely revamped it. We used to have fabric shops on every corner. Now we have none. My grandkids and l used to go to the fabric stores for fun. Now they are grown and l have a bunch of fabrics stored away. I enjoy ordering garments from Wish and adding a wow factor with trims, alterations, matching accessories, etc.
These are great tips. A friend of mine pointed out that some people will destash their fabric on Etsy too, which is handy for when you can't get to a thrift store to try to find things.
VERY good ! I started sewing my own clothes when I was eleven years old. Mom gave me the sewing class that I so desperately wanted ! I have been sewing ever since... I am now in my late fifties! I still have hem tape and seam binding and buttons and trims etc. etc. that I have collected over the years. I am sure that an uneducated person would think that I am a hoarder but Clearly, YOU understand ! Thanks for sharing ! ( another thing that I do is look for simple skirts that are Way Too Big for me.....and take the elastic off the waist... open the seam or two and I have a great piece of fabric for a new skirt or top !).
I love linen clothes & find that sometimes fabric is cheaper if it is a colour that is less attractive (to me anyway). I will buy it especially if it is in large amounts like 10 metre rolls & then I just dye it, pure Linen dyes beautifully. I recently got a job lot of silk & dyed that as well & it turned out great, although silk was not recommended to be dyed by the dye manufacturer. I tested a piece of it before I did a larger lot & it was fine.
What a great idea! I tried dying a large amount of fabric once, I hated it! I vowed never to dye large lots again, only tiny little bits of lace or ribbons!
@@Evelyn__Wood I use those washing machine dyes lol. I find them so easy, they work really well on natural fabrics. But I learnt the hard way to always wash it before I dye & make up, as it can shrink. I made a beautiful maxi linen/silk dress only to have it shrink in the length!.
There's also the option of buying deadstock fabric, I was able to purchase 8 yards of organic white poplin from a California independent fabric shop for $20! I definitely second Etsy as well for finding reclaimed items and have recently found a few online fabric/craft thrift stores that specialize in second-hand fabric.
I second that please share. I live in the middle of nowhere Midwest. The nearest thrift shop is 50 miles away! I live off of remnants at Walmart and garage sales.
Adding in my wish for online resources as well -- in case you post something!
@@kaylawardlow1690 You could run an ad in classified: want to buy your unused fabric yardgoods.
I did when we had our 6 children at home. This yielded a nice selection for under $1/yd! People are glad to see their fabric go to a "good home"!
This is my favourite video so far.. retired and need to save.. I just bought lovely bedsheets from a thrift store before lockdown.. I have made Pj's and a dress so far.. I can hardly wait to open up again.. love love love this ..
Sustainability in sewing !! I love to see it
I buy holiday themed fabrics after the holiday is over to make toiles. I've made toiles for Summer dresses out of Christmas fabric and Christmas dress toiles out of Easter fabrics. After I'm done with the toile, I rip it apart and give the fabric to friends who quilt. Works for all of us!
When thrifting for materials, do look out so you don't fall into the hole of buying lots of things only because it is cheap and that it "could" be used sometime. That will not save money. I think it's important to learn what types of things you need for your sewing, so you actually buy useful things. Like, I know I don't wear some colours and pattern, so I don't thrift it, even if it's cheap. And same goes for polyester fabric. That stays at the thrift store after I am gone, as I know I wouldn't pick it up from my stash even if it was there.
And at this point, my fabric stash is so big, that I don't thrift things if I don't have a project in mind, because I don't have the space for more things, and there is probably something I already have that will work for it.
Her tip of keeping a list of your needs helps me a lot with this one!
All great examples. I'm part of my local Buy Nothing Group. And have picked up fabric, sheets, curtains, etc from there.
Another excellent suggestion! 😃 Those groups are great!
Agree; I'm on Freecycle here in NZ and there have been a few offers of sewing supplies and fabric on there. Also Trade Me (online marketplace) for secondhand and/or vintage fabric 🙂
Another thing is to buy in bulk. I buy elastic, velcro, binding and twill tape by the roll. It is a few cents per m instead of a Rand or more.
Home Sew in PA is a good place to order bulk sewing machine needles, electric, binding,etc.
Great tutorial Evelyn :) I love opshops 🇦🇺 (thrift stores) and I love huge sales (spotlight /online fabric stores) finding the best fabrics.. Bedding is a great way to get the most out of your fabric (cheaper than buying per metre) furniture/curtain unlined fabrics for jackets.
Sorting out my fabric stash omgosh so much lol... Thrifting is certainly a must for sustainable sewing.
I go dumpster diving! Oh my goodness my cup is full and running over! Department stores throw so much stuff away! Not only food, they throw away clothes! With the tags still on them. If you do decide to go dumpster diving, don’t go jumping right in. I use Several different pickers to get my stuff out without getting in! Use a buddy at night time. Be mindful. Never argue with the workers and never leave a mess! True Divers live by that last one. We also pick up after other divers! Leaving messes will get that dumpster locked! She said thrift store! Yes tons of stuff they throw away too! I’ve seen their dumpster full as well! Sad folks donate that stuff too.
Your stash! Yes Yes Yes! I call it the gathering stage!
I love this chick! She rocks on sewing! Thank you for allowing me to share! God bless!
Over the years I have definitely found that not all online fabric stores are equal. I have a couple of incredibly well priced fabric suppliers that i use that are very cheap. I am in South Africa and I pay ~R60/m for cotton or cotton/rayon knits, R80/m for wovens, denim and sheeting, and R50 for fleece, R80 is 5.69 USD. I almost exclusively use cotton and natural fibers because I am pretty picky about how my clothes feel. I never wear anything polyester. This is cheaper than buying clothes, especially since i use the offcuts to make matching clothes for my 3yo daughter. I can make myself a nice tshirt from 1m cotton knit in a nice print fot R80 max, the same shirt will be R200 in the store.
So it can work out, especially when it is on sale! I literally sometimes get knit and interlock on sale for R20-R30/m (1.5 to 2 USD)!! (Saffers, check out fabricstore for knits, mhcworld for heavy weights and upholstry, and chamdor factory for cheap woven sheeting.) All three i have bought from several times and been super happy with the quality and service I received. I recommend buying a small quantity initially just to.make sure you like the feel of the fabric, i have been impressed with all 3. I will literally never buy clothes from a store again.
Another example. The other day I spent R160 (=~11 USD) for 2m double-width (240cm) 100% cotton sheeting in a cute rainbow print for my daughter and made her and entire new bedset (pillowcase, sheet and duvet cover) in the pattern she chose, and it would have cost R300 or more for a polyester equivilent from a store (and, there were way more cute fabric options to choose from!!)
That said, i DONT use new fabric for mockups. I will use old bedsheets for that.
I loved your suggestions and they were the same ones I saw my mother doing 40 years ago! After us girls outgrew clothes she made, she disassempled the items, reused buttons and zippers, and the fabric became crazy quilts! I still have some of the quilts and my sister and I would joke about how certain fabrics were our dresses or shirts, etc. Really good memories looking at them!
Go at the end of a garage/yard sale, and make an offer on everything left. I filled my minivan to the brim that way this weekend from a lovely woman who couldn't sew anymore. I am going to make my girls and myself so many things!
Totally agree with sourcing second hand. And it’s not that scary to cut and sew the cheaply source fabric... and I m hoping to make a dress out of old bedding that is bit old and boring (after 10years or so) and has a hole...
My favorite quilt fabric store has a basket of 1/4 yard and odd bit leftovers for less cost..rolled and tied with ribbon )) Pretty in a basket at home, but I love "scrap" quilting. All the traditional patterns can be made with total variation in each block. Resale shops and garage sales are like candy stores for fabric. I've made over 200 cage quilts for rescues. A bale of padding 6 ft tall by "miles" was $10. All those cage quilts barely used it up. )) Beautiful fabric costs nearly free. You've inspired me to think of making beautiful clothes for myself which I haven't since high school. They are "vintage" now. ))))
Buttons and zippers are great things to salvage. My grandmother used to send scrap bags my way--often they were interesting fabrics from "deconstructed" garments.
Stores sometimes offer zippers at discount, I buy 18" (45cm) and trim down for projects needing a shorter zip.
A great topic and examples. I do much of this already but really hadn't considered a monthly budget as the norm all year round - I will now.
The only things I might have added are repurposing household objects for tools such as curved blade manicure scissors for thread snips, something we may have as duplicates at times. Mine have stayed sharp far longer than the many snips I've gone through. They're sharp and the blades can cut threads close to the fabric without risking catching it.
Sewing machines as used buys… probably mentioned in a previous video (I'm new here) but worth a specific mention in your general 'thrifting' list, I think. :)
I haven't watched many of your videos and am pleasantly surprised you thrift. Thrifting, coupons, and the clearance section are my ways to save money on my crafting projects 💕🌻
I don’t even want to know how much I’ve spent on sewing over the years. Definitely love deadstock stores and thrifting though!
You just deserve to be Seen by more than us here ❤️ Think of All the beautiful summer dresses that Will never be made! The despair! The horror!
I have a notebook that I keep my list of things that I need to finish projects. I also keep a little chain of safety pins with a tiny sample of a cloth or whatever I need more of or I need to match. Back when I used to go places, I would check my notebook and make a list and I would put my samples in my purse, and we were set. I found that just those two things would save a LOT of mis-matched purchases.
Giving some consideration to eventual salvage when you shop for new clothes and bedding helps a lot. Buying new clothes in multiples of the same colour will inevitably lead to having better salvage experiences....so if I find something I want on the deep discount racks at Kmart for $5 a piece I might buy every one in my size...by the time I salvage I will likely have already bought matching thread to do a repair and the chances are very high I can get a salvage only project happening, essentially spending nothing.
I enjoy your salvage idea. I had a pair of pants where the ankle was too small, even though the hip area fit. I cut them off at the knee and made shorts. Then I took the bottom of the pant leg and sewd a couple of eyeglass cases for my oversize sunglasses. I hot glued on some left over black silk ribbon for a handle, using ribbon that was left over from a repair of a denim jacket. I also took silver ribbon and new buttons and updated a boring black wool tailored jacket. Just by adding small buttons onto the sleeves where none had been before, and updated the boring black button with some silvery pearl button with a silver braided type edge. I put the ribbon on each shoulder seam and down the side seams and on the pocket flaps. What fun for a jacket originally from a consignment shop. I am so glad I found your channel as it inspires me to update my sewing skills.
These are great tips! Another tip is to use your scrap fabric! You can make patch works dresses or use it for facings or contrast like you mentioned, I am going to use the scrap linen from a dress i'm making to make myself a matching bucket hat
Preach on the thrifting! I've found some fantastic deals in my local thriftstores, you just need to keep an eye out. I've found some really nice printed silk for 2 euro, good machine thread for 20 cents etc. Even my iron and ironing board are thrifted, haha.
(And I'm saying this as a plus sized woman who has never found actual clothes that I liked and fit me in a thriftstore. There's still so much to find, even if you disregard the clothing)
Silk is great to come by in thrift stores. There seems to be so little silk or rayon in fabric stores.
I use old blue jeans to make aprons for the dementia patients here at the nursing home where I live. I'm 70 yrs and still sewing. And yes, I even take the tiny bows off old bras.
I quilt too
This is just great! I'm all about getting my materials thrifted and at garage sales. I also like the Sound of Music approach where you make things out of old curtains, tablecloths, bedsheets, etc. You can even use old clothing you don't like anymore, or doesn't fit, and reuse the fabric for mock-ups or smaller sewing projects! Another good tip I've been learning is to just stop buying things you won't use, which seems obvious, but I've ended up with so many bits of one-yard fabric that I never touch, because the things I love to make (like big flowy skirts and maxi dresses) need more than that! So just being careful about what we buy is helpful. Great video and thanks for sharing!
If you are in the US, Joann has .99 cent pattern sales once or twice a year! That is usually when I buy my patterns, I have a running list of patterns that I want and when they have that sale I load up!
That idea of pre-laying out a pattern is a great one, especially for those of us who have to shorten things. Will definitely use.
You will absolutely save yourself some money on fabric not buying for the extra fabric that you don't need. I can't wait for you to try it
Or add length because we're too tall... or simply want things to be longer... -_-
When I started sewing in eleventh grade in 1971, you actually could save money sewing your own clothes. That bird has flown!
When we upgraded from a double to a king size bed, I cut up the duvet and the sheets. I turned them into lovely cushions for our garden furniture. I think I’ve got eight so far, and plenty of fabric and “stuffing” left for more. I’ve saved the plain but tattered bottom sheets for mock up fabric. I spend so much time salvaging bits for my sewing (and card making) that my husband calls me the Womble.
Another top tip: don’t rent a flat/apartment above a sewing shop when you’re on a student budget! 🥴😆
Great video, with some novel ideas I will give a try. Especially the monthly budget thing. When things go back to normal I have the weekly fabric market in my hometown to try and resist, but I've found some great deals there.
I used to volunteer at a thrift shop and we got a lot of donations that were not good enough for selling. Some of these would go to other projects. But also some of these would go to the shredder. Maybe you can ask at a local thrift shop what they do with the B or C choice donations and if you could buy some of those? You'd be surprised how much doesn't make it into the stores.
I'd also suggest asking around with older relatives or friends. My grandmother always pulled the buttons of all the old clothes, so she had a nice big box of buttons that we inherited.
Fabric dye can be an awesome way to spruce up fabrics in less desirable colours.
I would also suggest to not spend to much on novelty supplies (these bias tape makers I bought have been collecting dust) but I did notice an improvement in my work and enjoyment after I invested in something like pinking shears, or higher quality pins, and even a proper size ironing board instead of the mini IKEA one.
You could buy some things in bulk, as long as you know you will use them a lot. Bigger spools of thread in basic colours for instance. Although thread can desintegrate if it's older, so don't buy to much or leave it out in the sun to much.
I also love historical sewing, and there's so many things you can make yourself. It just takes more time and occasionally another craft to learn. But handsewing lacingholes means you don't have to buy the metal eyelets. Make your own biastape. You can (loop)braid pretty cords. Crochet trims. Loads of options, if you have the time.
Lastly I'd sugest not overdoing it on the stash. I used to buy a lot of things (also new fabric or yarn) without a clear plan. After some years of collecting dust my tastes and preferences have changed a lot and I spent a lot of time selling old polyester organza and terrible quality lining fabric. I did end up losing money on most of those deals, so that's a real waste.
I mostly thrift, but I need to get better at turning to my stash for inspiration and even limitation. I definitely amass materials for crafts at a much greater rate than I use them, and am starting to seriously run out of storage space. I came across the term SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) recently, and even though I think I am not quite there yet, I could definitely go years on what I already have if I just buy thread, needles and service for my sewing machine from time to time.
A lot of the time it is because I have a project in mind for the material, but I do not have the time or energy to actually get on to it. My energy is very limited because of a medical condition, but I still dream and plan projects as if I was in full vigour, the day had 48 hours and I would live until I am at least 140 years old...
I relate to this so so much
I relate to this as well. Lately I have thought in terms of "will I use it within twenty years?"
The idea of how much we have versus how much of it will be used.
I got my stash from my great grandmother. She was a seamstress and has the biggest stash.
Where I live we have the most amazing shop called Nanas. People donate fabric, wool, lace, you name it and the wonderful ladies in the shop all volunteer their time. For instance, yesterday I bought 1.7 mtrs of beautiful soft cotton, 7.5 mtrs of different vintage laces, 2 owl buttons and some red felt. The total cost? $10.25. I dare not venture to the fabric section of the shop - it's deadly for me. Oh, and all the profits are given back to the community . I love this shop.
It sounds like a great shop! A great place to find a bargain, reuse second hand items and know your money is going to a good place. Perfect combination! 😃
I inherited my aunt's cigar box of buttons. It had a lot of buttons from my uncle's work shirts so I could always find one to use for my husband's lost buttons. I also took it to school for my first graders to short for classification lessons in science. They were fascinated. I sew a lot of flannel nightgowns for myself. My favorite one is made from remnants I had saved. I even seamed some pieces for the sleeves. I seem to have a certain color range I stay in, so they all coordinated.
My way I save money...
I buy my stuff from auctions, when old people die a lot of their stuff goes to auctions and estate sales.
I got a sewing desk for $7
A sewing machine, a embroidery machine, a large rack of old thread on really nice old wooden spindles/ spools, and a giant boxes of fabric for all less than $20.
I purchase from auctions.
Not everybody has access to someone else's stash but in my home, we have tons and tons of things that my grandma bought decades ago. Also things somebody gave us or things my mum got for other projects. These randomly collected piles of stuff save me so much time and money. I don't have to buy a single button unless I have in mind something very specific.
Love it! As always another great video. I do the same things. I am also given lots of fabric and clothing (which I never say no to....here should never be homeless fabric!). I recently went to a pop-up sale that had fabric for $4 per yard. I was looking for chintz for a corset and ended up getting about 15 yards for $12! Deal!
I am currently working on a white denim jeans jacket. The fabric was on clearance at Joann's. No problem. When I realized I needed 11 buttons big problem. Thrifted a trenchcoat with big gorgeous buttons for a reasonable amount.
Yes!!!!! That's winning!! 😆😆😆
If you live in the NYC area, look into fabscrap. They recycle fabric. You can get free fabric if you volunteer
I have seen them on IG, and I just love what they are doing!
They have opened a new location on in Philadelphia, PA.b
@@dacrayzblaze1 WHERE!! I live in Philadelphia
@@myrtlejeanne6526 look up fabscrap!
My tip is for large pieces of fabric cut more than one project at the same time. I bought four metres of fabric in a sale and managed three different blouses out of it by cutting them all at the same time and getting the most out of the fabric as possible!
I remember my mother making a blouse for herself because she wanted to make something for a little person and couldn't bring herself to buy fabric just for the little item. For her, baby and toddler clothes were made from off-cuts from big people clothes.
Yay! You came along just at the right moment to cheer up a cold, windy, drizzly day. Thank you for reminding me to look at thrift clothing for buttons, trims and lace too. I hope I can get out there soon and have a bit of a scavenger hunt. That does seem to be the best way to cut costs when sewing.
I thrift all of my fabric and a lot of notions and supplies. Our local thrift shop has colored tags for each week it comes in. Before the item is thrown out, they have 15 cent tag on Mondays! I've been planning my weekly shopping trip to town on Mondays for a long time. Buttons, zippers, sheets, curtains, tablecloths, t shirts of the same color, oversized garments and skirts. There is also a fabric section. One time I found a huge storage bin and a garbage bag full of vintage patterns! I thought I was going to pass out. Of course I bought them both! Some are uncut. 15 dollars total for both. I go to my sewing area and just look at them sometimes. LOL A kid in a candy shop.
Thank you Evelyn for these great tips for saving money. I like the idea of salvage items. I try to remember to do these if like a dress is too old and worn out to wear again I will take out any zippers and buttons to use for future projects.
I've been watching your videos for a while, but I only recently subscribed. I'm quite impressed by your content. It's very practical and easy to understand.
Im sure Im not the only one who buys a thrift garment solely for its buttons, fabric etc! I hoard buttons, jars of hooks and eyes and notions any time i see them ultra cheap at the salvos or St Vinnies.! I think TRUE sewers sew from a stash, or have a sizeable stash...but we hide the size of our stash. My hubbie is always commenting on my stash. Then i get inspired and whip up something - but only from my stash and feel so good I didnt use any cash THIS week making it. LOL
I am tall. (which is why I sew) When it comes to fabric requirements printed on the pattern envelope I have to get 1/4-1/2 a yard extra. I always have to add length to bodice, sleeve, pant legs & skirts. Like you, I thrift everything. I can't remember the last time I purchased anything from a fabric store. I spent last summer sewing masks. Hundreds of them. I used thrifted bed sheets for lining, tee shirts for ear loops and recycled garments (mostly men's shirts) for the mask. I now have a lifetime supply of buttons.
Great video with excellent tips! "Saving money on sewing" vs "Saving money BY sewing" depends on your goal. "Something fun to wear next week" - do save money on sewing it! "Investment-grade garment" - you can save money BY sewing it with carefully selected fabric and well-developed skills and planning. My favorite summer suit was one I remember wearing 33 years ago, and all the years in between! (part of the success was planning ahead for alterations, and choosing the fabric with extra care.)
I 200 percent agree with this video, thrifting is BEST way to go to save money !
Hi Evelyn, really enjoyed the video. Yes, sewing is definitely not a cheap hobby itself, but there are a lot of ways to save money on. There are also some ways to save money with sewing it yourself or in mending loved pieces. Regards from Germany Stephanie PS: Mixed Up selvage and salvage at the beginning and was curious what you're going to save with the selvage 😂
Shower curtains are awesome....
Every stash has a story. I love looking at peoples stashes.
I am mainly a quilter, since my closet became STUFFED with clothing (LOL) - you quilters out there who thrift, don't overlook pretty dresses and shirts, or even cotton curtains that you can cut up (and save those buttons and zips!). Like Evelyn says, it's all fabric, so even if you need tiny pieces for your quilts, don't forget the clothing - and quite often, thrift stores run sales on clothing because they have TONS of it, and frequently run red-tag sales. It's all fabric! Who cares where it came from?
My savings is to repair my clothes with broken seams or/and a bad fit for me, but I like them. That is the only way to achieve this. I bought a new sewing machine that can control heavy fabrics. In the future, I have plans to make clothes designed by myself.
I actually need to get rid of things, so I've been making things like reusable bags which are actually washable (the plastic-y ones aren't). I'm trying to use fabric I have no use for, e.g. random scraps of cat fabric or polyester lining fabric (used as interlining since it's a genuinely evil fabric). Don't buy polyester lining fabric, no matter how cheap it is... you will regret it. Save money to splurge on the nicer fabrics by not buying cheap crap.
My grandmother used leftover scraps & salvaged usable sections of old clothes & made tons of quilts from them. I still have one. I've had to mend it like crazy... worth it!
I have been lucky in finding lots of bed sheets/quilt covers in my local opshops, but have never yet found any sewing supplies in any of them. I will just have to keep on looking. I just wish there were some thrift shops that stocked only sewing supplies and equipment but I realise that is like wishing upon a star! Perhaps I might come across a site in an online search.....fingers crossed. I recently made some cushion covers from old curtains. Thanks Evelyn for this amazing video full of suggestions on ways to save money. I am so very glad I joined your sewing school! xx
Thank you so much for these wonderful tips I am a person that writes everything down when I really get someone with wisdom I always believed that iron sharpens iron. that's an old phrase you're definitely iron when it comes to sewing. And you are certainly sharpening opening my mind to become that I earned that I want to be when it comes to sewing
Here in Philadelphia we have JOMAR, a discount fabric store that gets rolls of fabric from garment factories and Recently a HUGE stash from Mood Fabrics in NYC. They have tons of fabric for $1-$2 yard which is great for practice projects as I make most of my own patterns. They also have factory returns of clothing (and more recently thrift items) and I will often get really large garments just for the fabric. Maybe there are other stores like this in your city.
When I was a kid (50,s and 60's my parents sewed for us and I was probably in 7th-8th grade when we got out first ready made clothes from a store. In the meantime fabric and garment production has moved overseas (cheap labor, lack of environmental regulations for the run-off from chemicals and dyes) so readymade is usually cheaper than sewing--IF you have a body that fits their sizes, which I do not so still I have to sew and alter. Great skill to have and great legacy to grow up knowing that you can make things.
FABULOUS!!! Yes. This is an excellent way to gain what you need. I am called Horder but it's having what is needed when it's needed. Thank You so much for this video.