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"Quilting Can Be An Inexpensive Craft"
Quilters are a fortunate bunch. While other hobby crafters often have to give up some of their craft time during  economic hard times, quilters don't need to give up much.
Quilters make products that are very useful as well as beautiful.
Those who paint models, make jewelry, etc, may not feel justified in continuing to spend money on their crafts.
Quilters, on the other hand, keep making treasured heirlooms that comfort their family and friends and keep them warm.
Even though we feel like we have justified our craft, many quilters still want to find ways to quilt on the cheap during money crunches.
There are lots of ways to do that. Many of them also encourage fellowship, which is very helpful to people caught in a financial tight spot.
First of all, arrange for some friends to start a fabric exchange. Meet regularly, bringing various pieces of unused fabrics to the table for a swap. You will be filling your new fabric urges without spending a dime.
Take the fabric exchange a step farther and create a notions exchange. After all, you will need thread to match the fabric you swap.
Look for fabric where you never have before. Instead of paying a nice price at your favorite fabric store, pay a visit to your area thrift shops.
Many carry fabric, but you could also consider cutting quilt pieces from thrift shop clothing. You can actually create some beautiful quilts from vintage fabrics cut from old clothing.
Check yard sales for fabrics, quilting tools, etc. Finding someone else’s stash of fabric is like uncovering buried treasure.
Make crazy quilts. So many quilt block patterns encourage us to buy fabrics specifically for that particular block. Instead of buying new fabric, use what you already have to make crazy quilts. The random pieces will be a lot of fun and you won’t be wasting your own fabric leftovers.
Another way to quilt on the cheap is to use free patterns instead of buying books of them. Many websites offer free quilting patterns on the Internet. Read the latest quilting books at your local library until you can afford your own copy from the book store.
If you’ve always wanted to go to a quilters’ retreat and just can’t seem to work it into your budget, create your own quilters' retreat. Invite fellow quilters to your house or to a local community room. Have each person bring a dish to share or their own sack lunch. Fellowship with friends helps take one’s mind off an economic crunch.
A different approach to quilting on the cheap is to quilt for money. So, instead of making your quilts for fun, consider making them for profit. Keep in mind that others may also be experiencing a financial crunch, so large expensive products might not sell as quickly as smaller ones.
Don’t discount the fact, however, that there are always people – no matter what the economy is – that can afford and will pay top dollar for nice quilts. So, maybe instead of finding ways to quilt for less, you can seize an opportunity to quilt for money.
Along those lines, if you want to make money with your quilting, consider quilting tops that have been pieced by others. Many people like to make quilt tops. They enjoy the creativity of creating the design. So many of those people do not like to follow through with the actual quilting, though. You can make money to put toward your own quilting hobby by helping them complete their projects.
If you are having trouble with the idea of quilting on the cheap, but it’s something you really need to do for your own budget, just remember that quilting on the cheap is really how quilting began in our nation.
Quilts were made from leftover pieces of fabric, feed sacks, whatever could be found. And remember, financial situations are temporary. Before you know it, the need to quilt on the cheap will be ove
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