linhawk

Thrift store lady told me they were not allowed to buy there.
A disadvantage if you are hoping to get "stuff".

Greenheron

At a church sponsored thrift I frequent, volunteers may purchase items at half-price.

grannypat7925

History repeats itself. When times are hard we use what is available and make the most of it. That is what our gr-grandmothers did.

kathyjg

I am all about looking outside the box. I Love thrift stores for finding fabrics, I have found some real neat designs that were pieces of clothing and if the material is in good shapes I come home and get out the seam ripper. Good Luck with the Job interview--let 8us know what happens. As soon as I found out if we got a discount as employees, I would be in soooo much trouble if I worked in a fabric store. LOL

pocoellie

I buy clothing all the time at thrift stores, yard sales, etc. for quilting. Use sheets as backings quite often, have used blankets and the mattress pads that don't have the plastic lining for batting. I cut the left over pieces of batting into squares and use for rag quilts when I get enough.

janjj

I buy at thrift stores and rummage sales often. Got a new king size set of white flannel sheets for my daughter, use sheets lots. Just made a comfortor, bed skirt and pillow shams for my guest bed out of new sheets, cost $2.00. I buy used flannel ones to make LWR baby blankets and diapers. The diapers you buy these days you can see through! How much will they hold? lol.

Does anyone make lefse? I was just to the Norke HostFest in Minot, N.D. Watched a man making lefse (which I have done for years) Learned lots from watching and visiting with him. He says not to use cotton dish towels or paper towels when steaming them as they absorb moisture. Use material with polyester in it. It does not let the steam escape. He was using round cloths serged around the edge, after putting 4-6 in between the cloths he turned the pile, cloth and all over, that way the hot ones are underneath and they steam the whole stack. One set of cloths was $16.
I maybe should have bought one set so I would have had a pattern but I kept my money and will try on my own. I thought $16 was too much.

Use and reuse is my motto.

My daughter, when she was about 10, had a new pair of knit pants, had to wear them to school, came home crying, holes in both knees, a neighbor made "people" patches. She loved them and wore them forever.

Olivia's Grammy

I love recyling too. What's old can be new again. I have an attic full of blue jeans. DH was buying them up everywhere. I finally asked him to stop, how many jeans can I use in my life time. I love jeans for shaggy quilts. I use the legs for bags. I've even made Bible Covers out of jeans.

Baloonatic

The fabric on the roll that you found may have been for window treatments as it was so thin. Any fabric that we order for upholstery always comes on the roll, never on flat cardboards.
I've used sheets for making pillowcases, and occasionally for backings on Community quilts that I would be longarming. Years (and years) ago I often used sheet backings since (a) I didn't know better and (b) I could find them a lot cheaper than cotton from the LQS. And way back then I tied the quilts as I didn't know how to hand or machine quilt.

Barbm

I buy in the package flat sheets at the Goodwill and "aunt sally's". Use them for backings. I like not having to piece my backings.

Ummm- you "houses" panel. Want to trade for some fabric???? I do closings for houses and am looking for some houses to make a wall hanging for the office. I don't want to applique or piece (ok, call me a wus).

PM me- we can bargain. I have tons of stash.

carolynjo

Testing for cotton is easy. Place a piece of fabric in an ashtray. Light it with a match. If it burns and leave an ash in the bottom, it is cotton. If it melts and bubbles it is polyester.