How to Find Cheap, Unusual, and Beautiful Fabrics for Quilting
Quilters are always on the lookout for beautiful fabrics and supplies for their quilting projects. Sometimes the most unusual and pretty designs can be found in places one wouldn’t normally consider.
Some of the best places and tactics to find fabrics include the following.
Swap meets or flea markets are fun places to shop. On occasion, you will find sellers liquidating bolts of materials. Usually, these materials are unused and were excess inventory or closeouts. A while ago I found a vendor with a selection of 30 different types of materials in bolts of 30 and 40 yards. He was selling each one at fifty cents a yard.
At garage sales, you will find quilters selling excess materials and tools. You may also increase your chances of finding quilters selling items by going to neighborhoods that have a larger population of retired folks. Retirees seem to have more time for quilting and seem to sell off their items regularly. Garage sales in mobile home parks seem to yield good finds.
Online auction sites can reap a great supply of fabrics without leaving your house. Watch out for shipping costs. I like to search for auctions that are in the same or adjacent states. After the auction, I email the seller requesting a reduction in shipping because of the same shipping zone.
Storage auctions are a little bit more hit-and-miss than the other sources listed above. Check your local newspaper for storage auction dates and times or call the various storage unit facilities and ask about auction dates. The best part is that before the bidding begins, the door is opened and you are allowed to look inside.
Quilting shows are competitive. Usually the last day, you will find blowout sales and bargains. The sellers don’t want to leave the show with excess inventory.
Estate sales can yield some surprising findings. Look in your paper for estate sales. Similar to garage sales, I’ve found the best luck in retired residences or mobile home estate sales.
International trips can be fun. I have found great bargains and really beautiful fabrics in faraway lands such as India, Thailand, and Africa. You can even pay for your trip by purchasing extra fabrics and selling them at a quilt show or local quilting guild.
Classified ads can be a way to have people calling you to sell their excess fabrics. You can place a classified ad in your newspaper or penny-saver paper stating that you are buying fabric.
This list should help with getting your creative juices flowing. I am sure there are many other tactics for finding quilting fabric. Just keep your eyes, ears, and mind open to opportunities. Happy hunting!
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