If you love to craft, chances are you want to save money on fabric. Crafts can get expensive though, especially when they involve fabric. There are some fabrics in Michaels that can cost $40 per yard. If you’re doing a large project, that’s going to be a lot of money. There are ways to save. Whether you shop for remnants or buy sheets on clearance, you can save money on fabric.
7 Ways to Save Money on Fabric
Shop for Remnants
Most places that sell fabric, sell fabric remnants. These are pieces of fabric that aren’t big enough to sell a yard of. These can be used in so many different projects. It’s also great to just buy whatever catches your eye and then put together a fun piece that mixes all the different patterns of one color. Best of all, the prices are so good. You can often find remnants for less than $1 per piece.
Buy Fabric on Clearance
Seasons changes. That means craft stores will be bringing in new fabric and need to get rid of the old. That also means that you can save money on fabric. These old styles will go on clearance and can be a great score. Remember to buy with intent and purpose when buying larger amounts of fabric. Make sure you have a project in mind and this will prevent the fabric from gathering dust in your craft room.
Look for After-Holiday Sales
Now, if you want to talk serious clearance prices, look for fabric after the holidays. You will find some amazing fabric at rock bottom prices. Stock up for next year. You’ll have the fabric you need and won’t have spent much money at all. The longer the fabric sits, the bigger the clearance will be.
Grab Sheets on Clearance
This may sound crazy but look for sheets in the clearance aisle. Good quality sheets make excellent fabric. All you need to do is cut the fabric into the size of pieces you need. You can usually find sheet sets on sale for less than $10 per set and flat sheets for $3 or less. There’s an awesome article on Crafting a Green World that tells you exactly how much fabric you’ll get from sheets. Next time you see a pattern you love that doesn’t fit your bed, don’t pass on it. Turn it into something new.
Use T-Shirts
Working on small projects? Hit up your local Dollar Tree and search the tee shirts. You can sometimes find shirts in 5X. That’s a lot of fabric for only one dollar. Some of these shirts are seconds, but the quality is often really good. If you’re not going to be wearing these shirts, it doesn’t matter if they’re flawed.
Hit Yard Sales and Thrift Stores
People often clear out their craft stash. This can greatly benefit you. Hit up yard sales and thrift stores to see what people have cleared out. The beginning of the year and spring are the best times because this is when many people are purging their homes. If you happen to come across vintage fabric, be sure to check it for moth holes before buying. If you find a lot of fabric you like at a yard sale, be sure to ask for a bundle price.
Use Coupons
Last, but not least, if there is some really expensive fabric you have your eye on, or just don’t want to wait for a better price, use a coupon. You can save money on fabric with coupons. All the big fabric stores have coupons out almost every week. This is a great way to save. Another great tip is to wait until you have a coupon that can be used on sale items and look for fabric that’s on sale to match it with. There is a limit on the number of yards you can use a coupon on. If that’s the case, have your spouse or a friend use another coupon to get the rest of the fabric you need.
Fabric can be expensive, especially if you like to make big projects. Thankfully, there are so many great tips for saving. You just have to think outside the box. What’s your favorite way to save on fabric? Leave a comment below. And, if you want even more money saving tricks, be sure to check out the other content available on A Girl Being Frugal.