I love to sew and my family loves that I sew!

 Another way to get fabric -- Joann's has 1/2 off of it's clearance fabrics sometimes, too.  I have used these for curtains, pillows, clothes, quilts -- just be careful that what you buy is what you need.  The other thing is sign up for their mailings -- every time a flyer comes out it has 40 or 50% off coupons that you can use to.  One cutting of the material not just 1 yard. 

 I also have gotten fabric at auctions (we have thema round here a lot and I love them but that's another story). If you let people know you are sewing you will also be surprised how often someone has material they bought and just didn't get around to using.

It is a great skill.  My daughter is into Ren Fairs and acting -- I have made costumes for her that would have cost several hundred dollars to buy.  I also made her the last two winter coats she wears (she loves floor length capes -- my last was 10% Scottish wool - gorgeous material) Yes I spent some money for the fabric but the same coat would have cost 2 or 3 hundred as well (I could sell these if I wanted to put the time into them).

It is well worth sewing!

 

Dee

Since you say you are new to sewing, my first suggestion before you make any investments in anything (machines, patterns, fabric) would be to take a low-cost machine sewing class either from your local community school (many senior centers, recreation centers, or schools offer adult ed classes) -or- through your local fabric or quilt shop. It will cost you a bit (should be no more than $35-$50) to learn to make some really simple garment, but it will give you a chance to make sure you enjoy the skill (and give you help with the inevitable frustrations as you learn) before you drop a chunk of change on materials (and be prepared to goof up ... I accidentally somehow ran my finger under the foot and sewed my fingers together my first try...) Be sure you ask the class instructor how to properly oil and maintain an average machine as many of what gets blamed as "I just can't sew" issues once you start sewing solo are really the machine jamming up or the timing going off because you didn't oil or delint it properly.

If you take the class and enjoy it, try to find a used older machine. Working ones rarely get donated to thrift shops, but chances are a family member has an old machine they've outgrown laying around that they'd be happy to let you borrow (or give you) while you learn more. You also may see them listed at a yard sale or newspaper for $50 or less. At this stage, if you can't hit one of JoAnne's $.99 cent pattern sales, most major pattern companies have nice beginner patterns for $2.49 such as See and Sew or It's Sew Easy. They're in their own section in the regular pattern book. Stick to an easy fabric such as quilt-weight cotton or linen and avoid slippery or thick fabrics or you'll just be frustrated. No plaids or big prints ... those are trickier to learn and waste a lot more fabric. I would recommend your first half-dozen "solo" projects be something really simple that you could give as gifts, such as reusable cloth shopping bags. You can find cotton/linen drapes for next to nothing at a thrift shop to cut apart that would be hideous on your windows, but lovely made into useful handbags. A simple "nine-patch" quilt with 4" to 6" squares using recycled cotton clothing is also a good second "solo" project to learn how to master your machine.

Once you've mastered machine sewing a few craft projects, it's time to attempt a fitted garment for yourself. The previous posters are correct that many routine home-made garments will cost more the make at home these days than a similar made-in-China item from Walmart. However, you are also teaching yourself an invaluable skill which can save you a ton of money (and totally change the way you look at purchased goods) over the remainder of your lifetime. Resolve yourself to the fact you will probably spend more than you need to to make your first few garments (and get a couple of "duds" to boot) and approach the subject the same way you would a college degree. Most small independent fabric shops charge more ... but they will also help you out if you run into a problem and walk into the store asking how to fix it. It's all a tradeoff (skills versus savings). Don't let yourself get frustrated ... we've all got a few "duds" in the closet from when we first learned. You can always rip them apart and turn them into something else later once you get better at it. If you can still keep on "borrowing" Great Aunt Irma's ancient Singer, by all means keep on doing it. Chances are, Aunt Irma is happy it found a new home and doesn't really want it back, but does want to hear how you're doing (and talk about her gall bladder).

Once you're able to reliably turn out clothing, you'll also start to realize the reason Aunt Irma relegated her reliable old Singer to the basement was because it's slow as molasses and you're ready for a new machine yourself. You'll also find yourself ignoring the designer label on clothes, fondling the fabric for quality, and checking the seams to see how well it is constructed. Once you hit that stage, it's time to invest in your own (or a better) machine. Just be careful ... it's really easy to get talked into an $1100 "beginners" Janome or $5000 embroidery machine to make simple garments when all you really need is a $149-$299 sale Brother or Kenmore. As an intermediate sewer, the high end machines are probably a lot more machine than you will use and, if you do ever reach that high-skill level enough to justify the expense, chances are you'll want to keep a backup machine laying around your house while your Porsche-machine makes it's annual trip to the maintenance shop for a tuneup.

Once you've reached this "intermediate" level of skill, you can indeed save a small fortune making things for yourself, but only if you keep a tight rein on your budget (including time you will invest in making the item), are patient, and look for sales or for used materials whenever possible. Special items such as costumes, evening wear, custom-fitted items, gifts and household items can be made cheaper at home -if- you incorporate used/repurposed materials wherever possible, while items such as jeans and T-shirts can be found cheaper and for less aggravation at a thrift shop. For example, I priced special thermal-insulating roman shades for my house would cost nearly $6,000 (we have a lot of windows and glass doors), but I was able to buy brand-materials on sale and with a coupon for around $350 and salvage a few drape bindings from $5 thrift shop drapes (which the rest got made into reusable cloth shopping bags ... my favorite gift to give). Have fun!!!

timzagain:

My greatest sewing savings have come from making home decor items (pillows, simple draperies etc

 

Tonight I cut out 5" denim squares from some Women's sized jeans, which were free from my local freecycle. I received 4 pair, & got 37 squares from one pair of jeans.  I also purchased two rather large denim jumpers at yard sales for 50 cents each ( total $1) for this Christmas quilt project.  I bought 2 "perfect" condition cotton flannel sheets, twin sized, from our local thrift shop for $4 (total $5). The sheets are off white with a green snowflake pattern - very "winter", but not necessarily "Christmas", in design.   From the 2 sheets, the denim jumpers & the freecycle jeans, I expect to be able to sew 2 "rag-type" quilts for Christmas for my grandsons to use on their bunkbed.  I was planning to make tied denim quilts, but their mother, oldest DD, suggested that the "rag-type" quilts seem to be holding up better to the rugged use of young boys, so we decided to go that way.

Total cost: $5 for 2 presents, since I already have more thread than I will ever use.  Seems pretty frugal to me.

 

Zohnerfarms,

Wow - working on a similar quilt myself (my first real sewing endeavor). Making it for myself out of denim squares/sweatshirts, with the backing being a new flannel top sheet that my MIL gave me years ago.  the fabric came from old clothes.  I'm finally cleaning out the attic, especially my daughter's outgrown clothes - don't know anyone to pass the clothes along so most of them are going to goodwill, minus the ones I want for fabric.  So I'm not paying a dime for the fabric.  My mom had bought me the sewing machine years ago as a present.  My only cost so far has been thread.  Now I have to figure out the quilt filling, but I figure I can dredge up an ugly old quilt for that.

In reply to the original question, even though I like to consider myself frugal, I do not look to sewing as a way to directly save money.  I look at it as a low cost hobby.  A hobby that prevents me from having expensive hobbies...For example, this past weekend I did a lot of work on my quilt while listening to books on tape (library, naturally).  If I didn't have that project, I may have decided to take the kids to the movies, which would have cost me some $.

Another time you can save a lot of dough is with fancy dresses.  I made several of my dance dresses in High School and even one or two in College.  I have a wedding to go to in January and have been looking around for dresses.  The nicer ones are upwards of $50!  I can definitely make a dress for less than that out of my pocket.  I have plenty of time on my hands, though, so there's always the consideration of that.

 I also have a somewhat ridiculous (I know you other sewers can TOTALLY relate...) fabric stash.  For Christmas, I found the cutest little wallet pattern, and also a purse organizer.  I'm so frickin' stoked to make Christmas presents that are hardly going to cost me anything!  Here are the links to the FREE patterns! 

wallet http://www.unitednotions.com/fp_all-you-need.pdf

purse organizer http://www.thegivingflower.de/patterns/Purse_Organizer_Recipe18_11.pdf 

and another fun one I ran across, a tissue holder! http://www.amisimms.com/afrtihopa.html

zohnerfarms:

Tonight I cut out 5" denim squares from some Women's sized jeans, which were free from my local freecycle. I received 4 pair, & got 37 squares from one pair of jeans. 

 

Cut out 42 squares from the 2nd pair of jeans while I watched "This Old House" & "Hometime" today.  I need 150 quares for each quilt; this makes 79, so slightly over halfway for one quilt.  Good thing I picked up those jumpers, because the 4 pair of jeans will not be enough denim for both quilts.

This has been a very interesting thread for me!  I have really appreciated all of these thoughtful replies.

About 2 years ago, I took a beginner's 6 week sewing class and learned the basics.  I enjoyed it so much that I signed up to continue the classes for another 6 weeks.  I had a sewing machine that I borrowed from my grandmother.

I loved it and mastered the basics, definitely still on the beginner side, but was working on some cute flannel quilted blankets for my kids, one a clown fish (like nemo!) and one an adorable ladybug.

Anyway, before I could finish Grandma needed her machine back.  Everytime I see a good sale, I'm tempted to buy one.  Last Halloween, I almost did, deciding that I would make costumes for the kids.

Then I looked at the patterns, fabric etc and realized those costumes would cost a FORTUNE!  Easily a couple hundred dollars to make 2 costumes, not counting the machine I needed to buy.  Probably more!  So I didn't buy the machine and purchase pre-made costumes instead.

But I'd still like a machine, I'd love it for craft/home purposes mostly.  As someone else mentioned, sewing basic clothing (t-shirts and such) just isn't the best use of time/money unless you are doing it strictly for the enjoyment.  It is, however, good practice I think!  I can see that sewing something high end is a great cost savings.

I've been thinking of asking DH to get me a basic machine for my Christmas.  A low investment one . . . any recommendations?  Don't want something too cheap that won't work but at my level, don't want or need anything too fancy.

Basic machines are cheap or like here always free ones on craigslist.  older but I think better.   of course thrift stores too.   even for mending etc it is handy to have one.   I have a basic one but don't really use it though I am hoping when the kids are older I can. 

 I was at the living on a dime blog and she has some free downable ebooks links on today  and one is sewing for beginners with crafts like felt pillows.

http://www.favecrafts.com/Sewing/Sewing-for-Beginners-eBook#

I learned to sew on the old sewing machine I sew very well .. I have enough stuff to keep me busy for a long long time ...  My Grammie had  so much sewing things that I inherted ..