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RE: sewing patterns

the bird lady — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:13:54 GMT

Check out this web site for patterns and material they seem really reasonable clotide.com Hope this helps. I live in a very rural area so getting thing in the mail is the way to go. Shopping at craft stores is an hour one way.

RE: sewing patterns

gadessa3 — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:05:29 GMT

I've paid about $2 for a spool of just plain ol thread at Walmart locally. Seems ridiculous.

RE: sewing patterns

Farmermom — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:44:48 GMT

You're lucky that your Walmart still sells fabric! ours discontiued fabric a little over a year ago and that didn't leave me much choice as to where I can shop for fabric. I have 2 Joannes within a 45 minute drive and a Surplus & Salvage Store that is a 20 minute drive.

RE: sewing patterns

lois747 — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:25:09 GMT

not a big fan of walmart, but i do go there for the fabric and patterns. nothing else available in this area. you can shop on line. simplicity, mccalls, etc., they also send email specials. craigs list is a good idea too.

RE: sewing patterns

CC — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:52:25 GMT

There are all kinds of places on the web to get free or very reasonable priced. You have to print them out and put them together but they are worth it. Just google "free patterns" and it will bring up thousands. Just take your time to look at them before printing them out. If you are willing to pay for them then there are bunches and bunches and for just a couple of bucks.

RE: sewing patterns

Farmermom — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:02:30 GMT

Thanks for that tip Karen!!!! But I do have a few older wooden spools that the base hole is too small to do that with top & bottom holes are the same size so I would still need my thingamabob for those - my grandmother & great aunt used to work in a shoe shop so my grandmother had some big spools of thread that she got from there when it closed.

RE: sewing patterns

MrsKK — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:26:03 GMT

I buy the more common colors (white, black, navy blue, red) cone thread for using with my sewing machine. I just put a small empty wooden spool up in the center of the cone so that it will work with my machine.

RE: sewing patterns

Farmermom — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 10:35:39 GMT

That's about the going rate for thread and if you buy the better brands/types it can run up into the $5 a spool range. I have a thingamabob that sits on my sewing table behind my machine that holds the cones of thread so I can get a little more bang for my buck.

I have found with all the sewing I do that when it comes to thread you get what you pay for and I definately DON'T go with the cheap thread anymore

RE: sewing patterns

Jasper08 — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 10:09:43 GMT

Just a quick question/comment...

What do you normally pay for a spool of thread? nothing too fancy just a plain ole spool of thread?

recently I went to the variety store in the town I work. I haven't bought thread for a long time (sewing machine mucked up) or a lot of "sewing" things. I was looking for crafting things and was disappointed but thought I would get a spool of thread since I was there (machine is fixed) it cost $3.25!

That particular store has cut back on their sewing supplies, they didn't have any material at all..

RE: sewing patterns

Farmermom — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 20:45:11 GMT

The mill store that I had here closed a year ago, I used to love to hit there every few months, their material was sold by the pound. The factory that it originally went with was Lady Pepperall so I was always able to find nice sheeting, blanket & bedspread materials, batting, fiberfill, and all kinds of edgings & cordings. I could usually come out of there with a big (large kitchen trash bag size) bag of fabric with most peices having 8 or 10 yards for less than $40 and 2 of that same size bag of fiber fill for less than $15.

RE: sewing patterns

MrsKK — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 07:45:37 GMT

Our Walmart still carries some fabrics, but only about a quarter of what they used to. We are in a small town, too, and this is the only place here that carries fabric. They do have some patterns, too, but not much.

When we make a trip to the bigger town a half hour away, I like to stop in at the Mill End Fabrics store. While their prices on fabric are still a bit high, they always have sales going, so if you are patient, you can find just about anything on sale eventually. I've never looked at patterns there.

I have been sewing since I was eight years old and have kept virtually all of the patterns I have bought. Fashions do come back and I have learned how to alter patterns to make something new out of something old.

I made a sweatshirt for my son about ten years ago and have recently been wearing it for doing chores. My daughter liked the style of it, so I extended it to floor length and made a robe for her for Christmas. She never wants to take it off!

RE: sewing patterns

Farmermom — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:09:34 GMT

My Walmart has eleminated all but one small section of their craft section and that is limited to beading & scrapbooking no fabric at all, my only choice is Joannes, there is one store near me that sells fabrics from stores that have closed for a fraction of their original prices.

RE: sewing patterns

BirchCreekBliss — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 14:15:18 GMT

Joanns is typically considered expensive around where we live. Hobby Lobby is just as bad. Both are about 1/2 an hour away as well. Luckily, our Wal-Mart still has a craft section as it's the only craft store in town (you'd think for a small town there would be a formal craft/fabric store. . .). Anywho, Wal-Mart has a lot of $2 patterns and a good bit of them are patterns that were popular in earlier decades that always seem to come back in style. They also sell nearly all Simplicity patterns for $6.

RE: sewing patterns

the bird lady — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 13:51:58 GMT

Hello and happy new year. Put an ad on craigslist in the craft section WTB then list what you are looking for. I found a great deal on fake fur on there. It was not in my area so even paying the postage to have it mailed made it cheap for me. I would have to drive an hour to get to the nearest material store. I also received pattern books that were free not in my area. I payed the postage plus a little extra for handling. Good luck

RE: sewing patterns

Farmermom — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:21:30 GMT

When my daughter was in high school (03 - 07) the current fashion tread was the same as when I was in high school (35 yrs ago this past week) and I happened to stumble on a pile of patterns in mom's attic that were my grandmothers all of them were from when she had made me a bunch of tops for school - needless to say I put them to good use making daughter a bunch of those same tops for her to wear to school and she loved them as much as I did when I was in school.

RE: sewing patterns

ValerieJean — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:00:51 GMT

I've been sewing for years and have kept every pattern I've ever used. And yes, they can add to the money you spend at the fabric store. I've found many of the cheaper patterns frustrating. They don't fit well and some have even been misshapen, as if no one ever make one to see if the idea worked. I do have a tendency to spend more for a pattern since I like the way they go together.

That being said, basic patterns really don't change that much, more trim or a little more gathering or different colours. I've combined patterns or modified them to give a different look.

You might want to try garage sales or 2nd hand stores. Using fabrics you buy today will give the old favorites a new look. Besides, some of the old styles are fabulous and you could start a new trend!

RE: sewing patterns

Wichman — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:31:49 GMT

Frugal tip

Sign up for the e-mail specials for the stores you like. Office Depot, Joannes, etc. The business will send you the specials, most of which apply to online sales, instead of you making a trip into town. They will deliver to your door saving you valuable time.

Use the extended zip code for faster delivery, at least one day sometimes more.

Also, bookmark the websites of the manufacturers that you like, simplicity for patterns and such, these companies have specials as well and they're not out of pattern #xxx, because the local store doesn't think that size will sell in your location.

sewing patterns

Farmermom — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:26:20 GMT

Most patterns are very expensive these days (most running $11.95 to $16.95) I did pick up 2 last week when I went to the fabric store looking for a specific fabric that I needed, I couldn't get the fabric that I needed at that branch of the store I went to but they had put a small postcard type ad in my bag with the patterns for this weekend and one of the items on sale were most of the patterns I wanted/needed so I made a trip to the other branch of the store today and bought 10 patterns valued at $148.50 for $10.

The only fabric store available to me anymore is Joanns Fabrics and I have to travel a half hour in either direction to get to the nearest ones so on the rare occasions where I do go I like to make it worth my while and I was headed in that direction anyway today so I stopped on my way back thru and I think it was definately worth my while for a savings like that. Joanns has this Simplicity pattern sale once, sometimes twice a year and I couldn't believe my luck that most of the patterns on my list were included in the sale. Of the 8 that are still left on my wish list 4 weren't included in the sale anyway so I still wouldn't have been able to get those today.