Sign up for coupons at Jo-Ann's. Hancocks, and Michael's.

Show your quilt guild membership card at quilt shops. This is usually 10% or 15 %.

Sign up for e-newsletters at quilt shops so that you know about sales.

Some shops give you a discount on your supplies when you take a class there. For example----Nancy's Calico Patch in Newport News gives you 20% discount on supplies at her shop.

Some weeks there are coupons in the newspaper for needlework/fabric shops.

Years ago I took a quilting class and learned that muslin or a cotton sheet was a relatively cheap quilt backing.

 Keep an eye on your local Freecycle and/or Craigslist. I've gotten entire bags and boxes of crafting supplies for free. I know some friends who have done well at garage sales, estate sales, farm auctions, and Goodwill-type secondhand stores, as well.

I agree with MamaJ I've found all kinds of things at yard sales and a few things at the thrift store. 

I belong to a group that does handmade cards and we have a themed card exchange every month. We all have TONS of supplies. We all have stuff in our craft room we are not using and probably will not use. Once in a while we will have a swap.  Everyone brings the supplies they no longer want and we trade with each other.  This works well for us and we all get new things without spending any additional money.  We also recently had one of the members of our group decide that she just couldn't participate with us any longer (health issues).  She wanted to get rid of ALL her stuff.  She had a sale and offered our group first pick of all her supplies.  She priced them well and sold almost everthing she had.  I got several stampin up stamps that are retired that I had been wanting for a long time at her sale.

DS#1's SO is also a paper crafter and she and I share supplies when we can.  We will share the cost of a large pad of paper and then share the paper.  Since our style of crafting is different it's fun to see the different ways we both use the same paper. 

I've been told that Ollie's Bargain Barn and Michael's have good prices on scrapbooking supplies.

thrift stores and ebay are good places too.   I got several beading books there last month.  $4-5 vs $20 - 25.

I never even thought about checking thrift stores for cross stitch supplies,  but last week I was at a local Goodwill and found two long tubes of Charles Craft 18ct Aida fabric! Each one seemed to have almost all of its original fabric in it--I'm guessing whoever donated it might have cut out enough for one small project--and they were each marked $2.25. PLUS--they were half that because their price tags were that week's half price colour! I don't usually use 18ct as my eyesight isn't what it used to be, but at that price, I'm going to figure out a way! (Dollar Store reading glasses! LOL!)

We often get craft supplies or kits at the thrift store I volunteer at...smaller stores I think are easier because value village for not as common supplies and they don't get scooped as fast.   though I have gotten a few needlepoint kits at valuevillage cheap plus craft mags.  the yarn etc tends to be pricey.

fabric stores sales and memberships really discount the prices.    I like micheals 40% off coupons. rarely buy anything without it!

MamaJ:

 Keep an eye on your local Freecycle and/or Craigslist. I've gotten entire bags and boxes of crafting supplies for free. I know some friends who have done well at garage sales, estate sales, farm auctions, and Goodwill-type secondhand stores, as well.

 

uh oh mamaJ since you let the kitty out cindy would be in creigslist and freestyle in a day cruzing for craft items plus it give good Idea on some jean that are ready for the trash be great for my quilt.

MarthaMFI:

We often get craft supplies or kits at the thrift store I volunteer at...smaller stores I think are easier because value village for not as common supplies and they don't get scooped as fast.   though I have gotten a few needlepoint kits at valuevillage cheap plus craft mags.  the yarn etc tends to be pricey.

fabric stores sales and memberships really discount the prices.    I like micheals 40% off coupons. rarely buy anything without it!

You know that ticks me off to no end there my 2 sisters get ahold of yarns so fast and go threw them fast cindy is making a blanket she had to buy a couple of red heart brown yarn that be for my brother and lite browns and a trace of orange making a type of granny square crazy quilt version.