I hit a local thrift store last week and got a trashbag full marked "assorted quilting scraps 3 dollars". Got the bag home opened it and there were scraps AND yardage in the bag.

I also find quilting stuff at garage sales. Last year I got an omigrid ruler and cutting mat, 25 cents each! A couple of years ago I got another cutting mat for 25 cents because it was busy and the husband had no idea what to charge. I've gotten some yardage also. Don't you just LOVE garage sales?!

I love garage sales and thrift stores. This summer I found a shop owner's garage sale and got about 20 pounds of fabric samples of batiks, the kind with a label card stapled across the top. It will have to be a batik scrappy but what a wonderful array of colors. There was also a large folding mat/ironing surface to carry to classes. I think I spent about ten bucks.

My stash! Yes, I have actuallly not purchased even a fat quarter in over 5 months! It wasn't intentional, just the way things worked out and I have to say, it's been kind of fun to challenge myself to make it work with just what I have on had. Of course, I have a large stash, which makes it easier, but it's still been a bit of a challenge at times.

I've been on a stash-only system for the last couple of years since my DH is a contractor and we were feeling the down-turn in the economy before it made the news, so I know what you mean, Annie, about the challenge of working with your stash. The fabrics I've picked up at the garage sales have added to the challenge because they are not necessarily ones I would purchase in a store, but they have given me a broader choice of colors. And I keep trying to find fabric at the local thrift stores - finally asked a friend of mine who works at Goodwill and she said they don't put fabric out in the store; which thrift stores do?

Interesting that your Goodwill doesn't put fabric out--our's always did.

I wanted the hoffman challenge fabric but all my LQS were either out or didn't order it. I searched online and found it on sale for almost 50% off. I then had a 20% off coupon plus free shipping!!! It was barely $4/yd for the most gorgeous fabric!!! I bought enough to make 3 couch quilts I loved it so much!!!

My best find this summer is a Hinterberg machine quilting frame for sale! It's on the way to me right now. Time to upgrade from the Handiquilter!

Donna

At an estate sale, I found three packages of brand new cotton fabrics. For a total of $2.50, I got 4 yards each of red printed fabrics, and two yards of a very nice solid cream (not pictured). I also bought two gallon-sized ziplocs full of both old and new spools of thread for $2.00 each. After I sorted through the threads and threw out those that were too messed-up or dirty, I was left with this one big bag of good stuff. Some wooden spools actually bore their original prices on top, 10 cents and 15 cents. Was there ever really such a time? (I know there was, when I was a kid!)
{{!gwi}}
Mindful of things I have read about colors bleeding, I washed the reds with Color Grabbers. Oh, they were bad! Especially the one on the right, which, being the finer weave, I had somehow expected to have faster color. I washed them 5 or 6 times, every time with 2 color grabbers, and in the end, got just a very faint grey or blue from the fabric on the right. Guess I'll have to save that one for if and when I ever get around to making a quilt with few light colors in it, just in case.

Since that find, I've been more serious about checking out estate sales, but I have to train myself not to show disgust when all they have is stuff likekitchen dishes and utensils or furniture!