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Saturday, December 8, 2012

Thrifty Finds-Tons o' Fabric!





For those of you who pay close attention to my posts, you will know that Mr.Chaos bought me a sewing machine last Christmas and I am ashamed to say that I have only used it once! To be honest I am afraid to use it. YES, afraid! My fear is that I will break the needle or break the machine and ruin it. I took a sewing class in middle school (eons ago folks!) and I loved it, but at home I don't have an instructor by my side to help me through my issues with threading the bobbin and needle, so I get nervous, and of course when we are nervous is when we make the biggest mistakes.

So my goal this winter (after the holidays) in January and February when its miserably cold outside is to tackle my fears and "become one" with my little sewing machine!

In the mean time, I created a Pinterest board called "Sewing" where I have collected several pins on tips, tricks, and ideas for sewing, and I have also been on the lookout for cheap fabric........and that my friends is where I segway into my post topic!

Check out the AMAZING deals I snagged on fabrics over the last month. Even I am dying that I found so much at such great prices!



For starters I found these three HUGE rolls of upholster grade fabrics by Waverly for $6.99 each! I don't know exactly how many yards are there but its a LOT!







There were five rolls of fabric and I grabbed this cute red gingham checked fabric first and have a few ideas on how to use it for the holidays.   


Then there is this fabric that I really liked but had to think about first. Its an olive green color with a semi fleur-de-lis pattern throughout. I'm thinking of using this one for upholstering a bench or chair.




And the third roll has a palm tree pattern on it and I've seen this before in Waverly and think its a good fabric to get creative with in the Summer. So I also grabbed this one.




So that was a great deal in and of itself, right? Oh but wait. We're not done yet.

Weeks later, out of the blue I decided to swing by one of my three favorite thrift stores during my lunch hour and I hit the mother load!

 At first I found a couple different fabrics then as I started combing through the rack I realized there was a TON of fabric and then it was on like Donkey Kong!

See here? The fabric is $1.98!!!! Somebody pinch me because I swear this can't be right? ....oh but it WAS!





The black and cream checked pattern coordinates nicely with this floraly/vine black and cream pattern so I grabbed them both.


Oh but wait! There is a black and cream toile (my FAVORITE) so of course I had to grab that!



Then there was a yellow/white damask, green toile, yellow with small red polka dots, a couple plaid patterns and so on.....I was in fabric Heaven!





So here is my cart as I make my way to the checkout!


Yards and yards of upholstery grade fabric, some of it was Waverly too, and I only paid $1.98 each for most of it, and $0.99 cents for a couple bunches of fabric.

All of it was in great shape,clean, pressed, and folded just right so there was minimal creasing and wrinkles.

When I got up to the checkout line they said they JUST put that fabric out within the hour and they knew it wouldn't last long. So it was meant to be. That fabric was mine all mine and now I have a date with the sewing machine. Girls night out, just the two of us.....me, and miss thang. Hopefully she will be good to me and I wont break any needles or jam up the threading!!! 



See what you are missing by NOT shopping your thrift stores?!



I am assuming a local upholster had to liquidate and that is why the fabric was donated to the thrift store.....or someone with a major fabric collection had to downsize...either way it was a blessing for me to find such great fabric for a great price. I am very thankful and excited about all the pillows, runners, and upholstering thats coming my way!!! :)



Toodles!
Jennifer


Linking up to these great parties:




UndertheTableandDreaming

Mixitup




Vintage On A Dime
Adorned From Above




House on the Way
Photobuckethttp://bloomdesignsonline.blogspot.com/2012/12/link-party_19.htmlhttp://www.craftberrybush.com/2012/12/happy-hour-linky-party-number-14.html

504 Main





18 comments:

  1. What a haul! Especially for someone who doesn't sew or hasn't sewn for awhile. Hope to see some of your creations in a few months. Just don't let the fabric sit like you did your machine. You have to conquer your fear and just do it! You'll be so oh so happy you did!

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  2. Those materials look awesome and what a find. Love it when you go and there is such fun stuff to find. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day.

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  3. What a haul!!! Jennifer, I inherited my mother's 'quilting sewing machine'. Now, I haven't sewn a lick since I was 13 years old. That was centuries ago. Anyhoo, I decided to start off easy - straight seams, etc. I managed that without too much problem. I'm on to make 'pillow covers' today. Supposed to be 'Easy Peasy'. We'll see! lol My point is...if I can do it at MY age...I KNOW you can do it! Start simple and practice on scrap pieces of fabric first. That helped me a lot

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  4. JEALOUS!!!! Especially of those black and cream - sweet find! Have fun sewing this winter. I'm looking forward to seeing what you create.

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  5. Thanks ladies! After the Christmas chaos settles down I plan on confronting my fears and "becoming one" with my sewing machine. LOL

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  6. I thought I had good luck at thrift stores, but I have never done as well as you just did! I hope you are able to make a ton of awesome stuff. I see curtains and pillows in your future!

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  7. Oh my goodness, what terrific buys! You will have fun creating-

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  8. Awesome finds! Thrift stores are amazing places, though I've never looked for fabric there. Thanks for the tip!

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  9. Wow, how lucky was that?! Gorgeous fabrics. I'm the same way, I have an old machine my MIL gave me years back and we haven't used it for eons. I have it opened with new fabric & thread waiting for the nerve to thread the bobbin & machine. Might have to run over & check out your pinterest board...might be something useful for me there too! Thanks!
    Saw you sharing at Diamond in the Stuff
    Debbie :)

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  10. Great find! Now if you have a few oopsies you won't mind! Don't be scared of your machine; it can be your best friend! I have broken needles before, but you just pop in a new one (and maybe wear protective eye gear, ha!). I learned to sew when I was 18 and have been creating ever since, mostly quilts. Hope your new fabric find inspires you to get sewing! Best wishes,
    Jessica
    http://ahumblecreation.com

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  11. Jennifer,
    These are great finds. You will do fine with your sewing machine. Jessica is right, if a needle breaks just take it out and put in a new one. It's easier then you think. Just relax and have fun. I have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this with everyone. It runs from Wednesday through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party.
    http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/12/6-crafts-and-recipes-and-wednesdays.html
    Debi @ Adorned From Above

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  12. Good for you. I stopped at our thrift store on wed. but there was a 1/2 sale going on and I could not find a single parking spot. So, I will go another day. Dianntha

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  13. Wow your my kind of Gal, I love shopping thrift stores for fabric. You hit the jackpot!

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  14. LOL you had me giggling because I KNOW what you mean! I went to my favorite one last summer and there were boxes and boxes and boxes of nylon fabrics they were throwing away! YES I liked to died when I had picked out what I wanted and pulled it to the side of the porch thing to load in my car and went to get my car and came back and it was GONE! They had already tossed it into the dumpster. :-( BUT there were still some left so they let me get that! Made me sick though because the dumpster is really tall and I wouldn't have been able to get it. I LOVE to sleep in nylon all the time of the year so I had me some plans for this stuff. There was a bunch of the really pretty teal color in the other boxes they had already tossed. :(

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  15. Whoa.... what a haul! Once you get past the fear of that new machine, you will LOVE it! I own 4 sewing machines and a serger...can't live without them!

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  16. Wow wow! Such great finds!! And lovely fabrics too! :) Happy Friday, xx Holly

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  17. Wow, you got so lucky! Those are beautiful fabrics. Now you have a very good excuse to use your sewing machine. Thanks for sharing at Hookin On Hump Day!

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