Saving money on quilt fabrics

One of my younger sisters is getting her butt beat in Navy bootcamp right now.  She has been there since mid-July and will (hopefully) graduate in September.  The graduation is somewhere in Illinois and I won’t be able to attend but my mom will be headed up from here (Florida).  I am designing a quilt for her using her favorite color, purple.  I wanted to buy some really pretty fabrics that really showcase the color purple. I wasn’t sure what other color to incorporate with it so, you can imagine how excited I was when I found MODA’s Clementine Collection by Me and My Sister.  Quilting Lodge  has 1/2 yard cuts of this fabric for only $4!  I bought 1/2 yard each of MODA Clementine Lavender Flower Print with Polka Dots and MODA Clementine Lavender & Green Polka Dot Print.

My next step was to go to my local Joann’s fabric store with my new Moda fabrics and look for coordinating fabrics that were either on sale, in the remnant bin, or in the clearance section. I even looked for fabrics that were not on sale so I could use my 40% off coupon.  I never buy fabric regular priced….. never….ever.

This is my price breakdown for the fabric I am going to use to make an entire quilt:
-1/2 yard MODA Clementine Lavender & Green Polka Dot Print.: $4.00 (bought at Quilting Lodge)
-1/2 yard MODA Clementine Lavender Flower Print with Polka Dots: $4.00 (bought at Quilting Lodge)
-3/4 yard White background with purple polka dots: $1.30 (found in the remnant bin at Joann’s!)
-1 yard Dark purple background with white polka dots: $2.50 (was $4.99 and used a 50% coupon on it.)
-1 yard green background with small white floral print: $2.40 (was on sale 40% off from $3.99)
-1/2 yard of purple background with dark purple flourishes: $1.75 (found in the remnant bin at Joann’s!)

That totals $15.95 for a quilt that has 2 designer fabrics!  
Now that is a budget friendly quilt top! :o)
 
Don’t the fabrics all go nicely together?!  I think so!!
Quilting can be a very expensive hobby if you let it.  So, here’s my money saving quilting Tip #1:
 
-buy a few designer fabrics that you absolutely love and have to have in your quilt
-then go find coordinating fabrics in your stash or on sale at your local fabric store.

This way you can still make the designer fabrics the star of the quilt without having to spend tons of money to buy the coordinating fabrics or solids from that same fabric line.

Happy (budget friendly) quilting!!

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9 replies on “Saving money on quilt fabrics

  • icemaiden316

    I am working on a Quilt for my brother and his wife for Christmas. I am working on the last Redwork panel, which makes 12 Redwork panels of different flowers. I’m going to put them onto plain red fabric, and make blocks with different fabrics picking out the colour red. Not to sure how many blocks yet, will have to find out how to work it out.

    Glenys

    Reply
  • Dee

    Don’t forget that JoAnn’s has their new ‘Fabric Fusion’ booklet out right now. The book costs $2.99 but has 6 coupons on the back (two for 50% and 4 for 40%) and the coupons are valid until January 11, 2011. The book comes out twice a year and I always purchase several so I’m never without a coupon. I’m like you – I buy everything on sale!

    Reply
  • Turtle

    i have not heard of the fabric fusion booklet, will have to peek…. that is exactlly what i do when sewing as well! Shortcuts to savings i like to think!

    Reply
  • Crafty Gemini

    Lindsey: OH YES!!! Definitely ask! The remnants are priced 50% off the regular price if the cut is less than 1 yd of fabric. You can find great fabrics to build your stash for a few dollars every time!

    Reply
  • Vanessa

    Thanks for all the money-saving tips! I purchased the Fabric Fusion magazine, mostly for coupons as well. When I bought it I used a 40% coupon to buy it. Talk about savings! Totally worth it!

    Reply

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