Frankie Lanette

I don't really have a budget. I by fabric on sale when I do a special quilt. Other than that I buy a lot a garage sales,estate and resale shop. I am like a lot of the others quilting makes me happy. I love quilting. I piece my tops and then go to my sister's, she has a large quilting machine. That way I get to spend time with her and do my quilting.

mjmarsh

I don't keep a budget. What I have found is that the first year, the expenditures seemed really high - rulers, pantos, threads, etc - all the things we need as we delve deeper into this journey. Since then, expenses have definitely gone down - have the basics so now just replace threads, try a few new ones and get an occasional new ruler.

I have gone computerized so the paper pantos are a thing of the past - digital can be easier/more tempting to load up on - again, initial spending was high - dropped dramatically as I am more aware of what I want and "need".

And finally - fabric. Lucky for me, I live in a condo and can't store that much fabric. Last year I made a commitment to really put a dent in my stash and was very successful. Still have too much, but I'm no longer on overload.

So, for me, I guess ......... the longer I am at this, the more I learn just what I want to do, have the products to do it and my spending is much less.

euchreprincess

This is my way as well. I don't keep track of expenses and I try really hard to avoid sales because they make me overspend, over stock and then I feel cramped in my work space, overwhelmed with pending projects. I spend most of my time working on charity quilts, the rest of the time on gifts, and up until now, nothing for myself! LOL

MargeD

Don't under estimate you rationale for your purchases that you are buying for retirement. I didn't plan on retiring 6 years ago, but when my husband got sick and I was laid off for the second time in a year, and couldn't find a job, I retired. My DH still tries to get me to get rid of my stash, however, I point to him all the gifts and other items I have made with my stash and not buying any new fabric, or very little. Most of my purchases have been batting and thread, or fabric that comes off the red tag fabric at JoAnn's when it's half price. I have a 19 month old granddaughter now and she will be the recipient of some lovely dresses, pants, shorts, quilts, etc. from my stash. Enjoy it while you can purchase what you want then when you go looking for something you can shop in your stash and be surprised by what you have in it.

connietoo

I LOVE Quilting and I LOVE my quilting friends! I have been quilting for 36 years! I have bought so much quilting stuff and fabric over all those years and I have ALOT. But now that we are retired and don't have the money to spend much anymore, I am actually excited for what I do have! I have been pulling out unfinished projects and finishing them and rather excited about it. Plus ALL the kits I have purchased and never made. So I guess I look at it as a savings plan!!! LOL

JoanneS

I paid for my first computer sewing machine (and then some) by having a sale in my house Thanksgiving weekend of things I had made during the year. When I stopped having that sale, people started calling, 'Are you having your Christmas sale this year?' they couldn't believe I wasn't going to do it any more. Since then, I've bought 2 more computerized embroidery machines, and I no longer worry about paying for them.

DH and I are retired, and we're spending our children's inheritence! They flew the out of the nest years ago. I helped my daughter get her fledgling on-line brownie business (www.BlueRibbonBrownies.com) off and running last year, but she's ALMOST self-supporting again.

We gave me the newest top-of-the-line Pfaff for Christmas, and I'm having a ball learning to use it. I'm almost finished with my latest quilt top/backing, so I'll be testing the embroidery unit to quilt it. Pictures here soon (if I can figure out how to post them). I have to laugh at myself, though. I definitely use coupons to save money on notions, books, thread. And I've vowed to use my stash as much as possible - only bought a little fabric for this latest quilt. Why am I laughing? I'm paying more per month for my new sewing machine than I'm saving with my coupons. Maybe I should use more coupons so I'll save more - LOL. Now that's a quilter's mind at work!

Mazda

Before quilting I did glass fusing. Quilting is a much less expensive hobby than working with glass! So, I don't even think about it!

Maggieloe

Ok, I know this is a rationalization. But, I don't smoke. One pack a day would be $150 a month. I figure if I don't go over that its simply a healthy lifestyle choice. Truth be known, at my stage in life I can afford it without compromising on essentials for children etc.

Eliebelle

Like Woody, I don't have lots of clothes or shoes and we don't go out often. The reason is because we've adopted my husband's great-grands (6 & 8 now) and I love them to death, but I NEED to do something besides take care of kids and clean house. I spend more than I should and I don't have as much time to quilt as I'd like, but it's cheaper than the asylum where I'd be without it! Therefore, NO, I don't keep track of what I spend!!

IdahoSandy

I live by myself, so can usually buy what I want. I know how to put the breaks on. I do not buy kits as these are pretty expensive. I have 8 quilts lined up, so every month try to buy material that will go into those quilts, because these future quilt are in many different stages of fabric completion. I use every piece of fabric large enough to go into a scrappy quilt or string quilt and this uses up every thing so have very little waste. I will buy only the material to finish these 8 quilts, then after that start over. I get most of my patterns from www.patterncache.com which are free or what I get from 3 magazine subscriptions. When those subscriptions run out, to save money will look through quilt magazines first before I buy one off the magazine rack that has a pattern I want to try. Material is going up every year just like grocerys. So with the books, patterns, supplys I now have, rotary blades, thread, there will be little material left for me to buy.