Tips for Quilting on a Budget

Great Ideas Any Quilter Can Use!

As with many things that people are passionate about, quilting can be an expensive endeavor. Fortunately, while the creativity and enjoyment, not to mention the finished quilts, are worth it, there are many ways to reduce expenses.

We’ve found some excellent articles with many good ideas to share with you. One point we’d like to emphasize is that it’s important to NOT scrimp on fabric and thread. Be sure to choose the highest quality you can afford so that the quilts you produce are long-lived.

While pre-cuts can be big timesavers, and it’s fun to get a piece of every fabric in a pretty fabric line, they’re considerably more expensive than the same amount of yardage (see cost comparisons here). It pays to make your own (learn how here).

Another important tip is to take classes or otherwise learn directly from an experienced quilter. It’s easy to waste time, effort, and pricey materials on trial and error while learning something new. In the long run, it’s often less expensive to take a class to master a technique than to experiment on your own.

A local class, quilt guild, or quilting friend can help you learn a new pattern or technique without wasting materials. YouTube videos are also popular.

Recycling has been part of the quilt world for generations. Consider using sheets for backing, jeans, shirts and other pieces of old clothing for patchwork and more.

Save money on tools and other supplies by repurposing items found at the dollar store, in the hardware aisle, at thrift stores and elsewhere. Often you’ll find items that work just as well as those designed specifically for sewing but at a much lower cost. You’ll find some great ideas in our article “10 Quilting Tools and Hacks from the Dollar Store.”

And, don’t forget to watch for coupons and sales. Retailers often put fabric, patterns, notions, and supplies on sale at the end of every season to make room for new inventory. Stock up when you find good deals.

These are just a few suggestions to get you started. There are many more money-saving tips in the following articles. It’s worth your time to look through them all.

• “How to Quilt on a Budget” by Leslie from The Seasoned Homemaker.
• “Quilting on a Budget” by Kelly Hanson from National Quilters Circle.
• “Quilting on a Budget: 15+ Tips for Stretching Your Dollar” by Rose Johnson from Threadbare Creations.