Not only can you sometimes find yardage for reasonable prices, but many of the other items at thrift shops are also good for materials. I've bought things like dresses to use for the Fabric. I also once purchased a chenille sweater to make into pillow covers. I used the front section for one and the back for another. It was only enough to cover the fronts, but I used other, plain fabric for the backs. The sweater was in great condition and was a beautiful color. I received compliments on those pillows, and it only cost me 75 cents, since the sweater was half price. You can also remove pretty trim from a dress, skirt, or shirt to use on other items and save a lot of money. Do you ever do things like this?
I actually noticed yesterday when I went out that there are a lot of thrift store shops where I live, and the lowest that I saw was each item in a certain store was only 46 cents each, except for carpets and similar items. I have not checked it out yet to see if the items were of good quality, but I will be checking each of those shops out during my free time. I mostly do my thrift store shopping on Ebay, although I'm sure the extra cost for shipping compensates for the time rummaging through thrift stores in person.
I haven't done the pillow cover but I have taken nice wool blankets to use as batting for quilts. The cost of batting in places like Joann Fabrics, Michael's, etc. is much more than I can afford to pay. The wool inside is a great insulator too. Sometimes I find wool blankets at flea markets stacked with camping gear I just clean them up during the warmer season and store them away.
That's a really great idea, MrsJones. It sounds like a really good option for making quilts. Other items are good for making quilts as well. I made a patchwork quilt for my daughter years ago when she was just a kid from fabric remnants and denim that I bought at the thrift store. She's grown and married now, and she still has it.
I am someone else who does this. When I go to Thrift Stores I look at the clothing not just to wear but for whether the fabric can be used for something else. I lie to make doll clothes and have sold some online. I find many beautiful types of fabrics just looking at the clothes at Thrift Stores. After all you can find all sorts of beautiful dresses that have been given away, from prom dresses, to bridesmaid dresses to even bridal gowns. Something else that is a great source of fabric that is given to Thrift Stores are graduation gowns because the people know they will never wear these again.
Oh, that's another great suggestion, pafjlh. I never thought about the graduation gowns. They would be perfect for making doll's dresses and even for making outfits that little ones can use to play dress up. We usually one see a few of the prom dresses though, since our school has a prom dress exchange program (which I think is great). One bridesmaid dress could be made into a pretty little girl's dress with plenty of fabric left for making doll clothes. Very cool idea. Thanks!
I buy a lot for myself in thrift stores but I also look for items which can be cut up to make clothes for the sock monkeys I sometimes make. I've also bought items purely for the buttons in the past.
You know what, I shop at Thrift Stores for what I need, but haven't done what you did! You're just marvelous, and your idea of making thing out of other things I will keep in mind. This is just a fantastic idea, and I will have to tell my daughter about this. She uses her old discarded clothes to make a new dress out of it, and sold it for $400 bucks. Right now, she is in between jobs as she just moved to the West Coast, so this frugal way will help her tremendously! Thank you!
I usually just find whatever I can in thrift shops and have them altered to fit me better once I get my picks. I don't fuss much over size because of this. That's about the extent of my thrift shop hunting though as I don't really have it in me to transform old clothes into something else. I just pick nice ones and get get them fitted to my size instead.
Thank you for the kind words, Icyfirefly. I'm glad you found it useful. I hope your daughter can use this as a way to find even more success. It's fantastic that she was able to design such a dress and make such good money from selling it. I wish her the best. See? Now you have motivated me. I need to make something to sell it! Great idea, Missbishi. Sometimes you can find lovely buttons, as well as lace and trim to use for other projects.
I have been using materials from opportunity shops for a long time. As a matter of fact, I constructed an entire hen house with materials that I found at a Salvation Army store. I came across an old wooden box and odd bits and pieces of wood and glass, and even half a roll of chicken wire. I didn't have to buy many extras. Sometimes I can't believe the treasures that you can come across in those great places.
How great is that, Dora? You are really industrious. Well done. I've never built anything big, although I have put together some smaller items like shelves from pieces I've found at thrift shops. Yep, zippers and all that good stuff is really useful too, Missbishi. One of the shops I visit cuts them out from damaged items and has a container filled with zippers for about ten cents each.
I do buy used clothing with the intention of changing them up somehow. I've done the pillow thing, I make headbands and scarves out of shirts, I resize a lot of clothing, because some of the best stuff seems to be way too big for me or I just generally makeover the clothing.. making tees into off the shoulders or tanks and more fitted etc. I love playing with used stuff
That's great, Josie. It sounds like you are very creative and have fun doing it. One other good thing about doing that, for me at least, is I'm a lot more adventurous with stuff that didn't cost a lot. I can get as creative as I like. I'm less likely to start cutting on a piece of expensive fabric than I am with a shirt or something I picked up at the thrift store or a yard sale.
I will purchase a dress or shirt for the material or design to make into something else, like a scarf or a pillow. Using old blankets as insulation for a cushion is also a good idea. The men's section has old sweaters that are great to make skirts out of for little girls.
I love thrift stores. I also look at not just what the item is but what can it be used form/made into. I've found stuff for Halloween and themed bday parties. I also LOVE the book part. I have made my Stephen King collection with thrift finds (all hardcovers). When I wanted to start the Sue Grafton series, the thrift store was where I found my first few books (each one had three books in one), AND I got The Strain from there too. All hardcover which is awesome.
Thrift store shopping is something I truly enjoy. I'm not a mall person at all but you get me in a thrift store and I'm happy. I have bought a lot of clothing and the odd kitchen appliance but really paid much attention to the material or seeing uses for obsolete dresses or sweaters to make other items. This is a great idea and you can bet I will be looking at things a bit differently next time I am in the thrift store. Thanks for suggestion
If you have the time, talent and inclination to make things for yourself, then you can certainly do this much more cheaply in the shops like you describe. For example, I always like to make my own greetings cards, and this is great because I am often able to buy the card and the decorations for less than the price of a couple of ready made cards from the shop, and I then have the things that I need to make at least ten, if not more cards for people who I know. It doesn't take me much time to do it either, and I can do them while I am watching television at night, so it is time that would otherwise have been wasted doing nothing at all.
