Free Patterns: Not all patterns can be found free on the internet, clothing patterns for free are especially hard to find. BUT how does 99cents or 50% off hit you?
Major chain sewing stores such as Joann Fabrics and Hancock Fabrics as well as many smaller fabric stores, have mailing lists. SIGN UP!!! Those flyer's let you know when the deals can be found and if there are any restrictions on the deals.
I don’t have a Hancock Fabrics near me but I do have a Joann Fabrics.I receive their email and their snail mail flyer (because I signed up for them). I regularly use the coupon on the back of the flyer to receive 40 to 50% off an item, and can honestly say I would not have the supplies, tools and notions on hand that I do, without those coupons.
I watch the flyers for 99 cent pattern days and mark my calendar for those days. I have never paid more than 50% of the retail price for a pattern! One tip I can offer is to make it a point to keep the flyer in your purse or car so you have it on hand for the times you weren’t planning on being in the area.
Fabric Bargains!
I cringe at the idea that something could cost me more to sew it myself than to buy it ready made… and hate the idea of buying things that support slave labor wages in other countries. So my option is to find fabric at bargain rates.
Any department store that has fabric usually has a bargain section. Shop the clearance and bargain isles first. Pay attention to looking for flaws and imperfections when you are shopping those isles, but most of the time, the fabric is in that area due to the change of seasons or to make room for new stock. Buy for the next season.
I personally, never leave a Wal-Mart store without looking at what is available in their $1 per yard section. I recently found vinyl backed drapery fabric that allowed me to make curtains for my living room, dining room and kitchen for $15.
One thing you may notice on the $1 a yard fabric is that the fabric may be missing the selvedges. I believe that the fabric is factory excess and has been cut width-wise before it is put on a bolt. What is on the bolt is usually in the widths we normally use for home sewing.
You may also notice that the fiber content is not on the end of the bolt. When in doubt and concerned about the fiber content, use a burn test to identify the content.
Sewing Magazines!
Newsstand prices are not the best bargain. Buying a magazine on the newsstand is a great way to discover if you like what the magazine has to offer, but getting a subscription is the best way to save money on the magazine. Find sewing magazines here.
