The best part about sewing and crafting is all the great fabrics and supplies you aquire. That can also be the downside to sewing. Supplies, especially fabrics, are not cheap. Neither are all the machines, tools and gadgets needed to get started. But that doesn't mean you should break the bank trying to increase your stash. I thought I'd share with your some of the 7+ secrets I use to save money on sewing and crafting supplies.
I will admit that I am a penny pincher. That means when it comes to buying a new sewing or craft tool, I almost always will look for a coupon, deal or sale. Do I always find one? No. But if I am making a BIG purchase like when I bought my Silhouette Cameo 3, I waited until I could get the best deal possible. However, sometimes you just can't wait for a big price reduction. That's why the following secrets are going to help you save the most on your sewing and crafting tools.
#1 Re-purpose/Thrifting
You've heard it before and I'll say it again. Re-purposing and thrifting is a great way to save money crafting. Take those old jeans, cut them into squares and make a quilt. You save money on fabric and have a beautiful handmade gift. Maybe take a man's shirt and upcycle it into a top for a little boy or girl. Save on fabric with what you've got in your closet.
Or stop into your favorite thrift store or at a local garage sale and check for crafting supplies like cardstock, stamps, sewing notions or thread. I personally have purchased thread and buttons from garage sales. Super inexpensive but still great quality.
# 2 Buy off season/after holiday sales
This maybe should be my #1 tip. But buying products during the off season is the best time to buy. What do I mean by "off-season"? When Christmas is over, shop the clearance section! You can save anywhere from 50-90% on crafting supplies. True, you may have to wait until the next Christmas to use it, but now you don't have to pay full price next year. I do this a lot with tissue paper. Buy all the red tissue paper after Christmas, use it for Valentine's Day and the 4th of July.
At the end of spring, buy all the cute decorations or crafting supplies for the next spring. You'll always be able to find it at discounted prices and no one will ever know it was from "last year". It will be our little crafty savings secret!
#3 Dollar store
Now I won't recommend buying your sewing and crafting tools from the Dollar Store. But buying crafting and sewing project supplies can be very inexpensive and still end up really cute. Most dollar stores have a good size crafting section with decorative flowers, picture frames, crayons, markers, and colored pencils. I've been know to create my seasonal floral arrangements using flowers from the dollar store. I also will often purchase simple glass jars, drinking glasses or plastic buckets for using my favorite vinyl on projects and decorations. You may have to shop around for a bit, but you can almost always find a fun and inexpensive idea at the dollar store.
#4 Shop PDF Pattern sales
Do you enjoy sewing with PDF patterns but don't want to pay full price? Sign up for your favorite designers email newsletter. Newsletter recipients are usually the first ones to know about upcoming sales, giveaways, new pattern releases and super secret sales. That means you save $$$$ just by sharing your email.
If you want to save in our Sew Simple Home Shop, sign up for our newsletter and you'll receive a 10% off coupon to use on your first order.
#5 Amazon
Does that surprise you? You can find loads of discounts on sewing supplies on Amazon
. You might not think Amazon is the best place to shop for sewing or crafting supplies, but it is actually a great place to start. You can compare prices of different sellers and see if you can get it for less than at your local store. And if you have Amazon Prime you can get free 2 day shipping! Which for me is a lifesaver. My nearest sewing/craft store is about 40 minutes away and I usually have kids to tow around with me. But if I need a new pair of sewing scissors or a zipper...Amazon to the rescue.
If you haven't tried out Amazon Prime, you can sign up for an Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
. That means free shipping for 30 days! Think of all the sewing and craft supplies you could get.
#6 Ibotta
I don't know if you have heard of Ibotta but it is a rewards/coupon app for your phone. It is a super simple program to use. You download the app and search through the many stores included in their program. Some of the stores I use Ibotta for are Walmart, Amazon, JoAnn Fabrics, and my local grocery store. Once you've made your purchase, you scan and upload your receipt to the app and your savings are added to your account.
Why would you want to do this? FREE MONEY! With JoAnn Fabrics, you can receive 15% cash back or even discounts on crafting supplies from their ads. By just uploading your receipt you save. Think about your last JoAnn receipt. Have you ever got out of the store having spent less than $100? {If so, you are my hero!} Upload that $100 receipt to Ibotta, you could get $15 back!!! It's like they are paying you to sew and craft!
Go download the app! You won't regret it.
#7 Hobby Lobby
If you've never shopped at Hobby Lobby, you should start now. Not only can you get fabric, picture frames, party supplies and holiday decorations all in one store, but you can ALWAYS find a 40-50% off coupon. Who doesn't like saving 40% off on thread or yarn. You can only use one coupon per purchase. But that doesn't mean you can't plan a few trips to your local Hobby Lobby in a week. {I'm not an enabler.}
Other option, shop their online store. You can use your coupon there too!
#8 Fabric.com
If you love Amazon, you'll love Fabric.com. This site is actually owned by Amazon. So if you have any doubts on if it is a legitimate site, that should help you decide. Fabric.com has LOADS of fabric options and really great prices. You can get anything from Calico cotton fabrics to Minky to knit fabrics. All at really great prices and they have a good sales page too.
Fabric.com's selling motto is Buy More, Save More! So if you are looking into buying notions in bulk, it is a good place to start. There is a definite savings if you plan to buy many of one item.
#9 JoAnn Fabric Coupons
If you need something in a hurry and you have a JoAnn store near you, make sure you grab a coupon. JoAnn ALWAYS has a coupon. It might not be the best coupon, but you can always get one. Just make sure you read the fine print to make sure your item is included.
The other nice part of JoAnn coupons is you can usually use several coupons in one purchase. Again, you may have to check the fine print but the savings do add up. And once you've made your purchase, you can upload your receipt on Ibotta and earn 15% cash back!
Black Friday- If you are planning to make a big purchase like for a sewing machine or Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo 3, shop the Black Friday Sales. Yes, you may have to wait, but you can save BIG time if you wait.
Amazon Prime Day - Prime Day is usually in July each year. This is another great time to look for deals on larger sewing and crafting supplies or machines. Not quite as good as Black Friday, but you can get some great deals. Especially on crafting and sewing books.
Facebook Destash groups- A destash group is a group dedicated to selling or trading fabrics or crafting supplies. You can get rid of your stash or save money on fabrics someone is trying to get rid of.
wawak.com- Now I'll admit I've never purchased anything from Wawak, but many of my readers and individuals in our Sew Simple HomeFacebook group have recommended it. Some great prices on notions.
This post contains affiliate links to products I recommend. I do make a portion off any you may purchase. See full disclosure here.
You've heard it before and I'll say it again. Re-purposing and thrifting is a great way to save money crafting. Take those old jeans, cut them into squares and make a quilt. You save money on fabric and have a beautiful handmade gift. Maybe take a man's shirt and upcycle it into a top for a little boy or girl. Save on fabric with what you've got in your closet.
Or stop into your favorite thrift store or at a local garage sale and check for crafting supplies like cardstock, stamps, sewing notions or thread. I personally have purchased thread and buttons from garage sales. Super inexpensive but still great quality.
# 2 Buy off season/after holiday sales
This maybe should be my #1 tip. But buying products during the off season is the best time to buy. What do I mean by "off-season"? When Christmas is over, shop the clearance section! You can save anywhere from 50-90% on crafting supplies. True, you may have to wait until the next Christmas to use it, but now you don't have to pay full price next year. I do this a lot with tissue paper. Buy all the red tissue paper after Christmas, use it for Valentine's Day and the 4th of July.
At the end of spring, buy all the cute decorations or crafting supplies for the next spring. You'll always be able to find it at discounted prices and no one will ever know it was from "last year". It will be our little crafty savings secret!
Now I won't recommend buying your sewing and crafting tools from the Dollar Store. But buying crafting and sewing project supplies can be very inexpensive and still end up really cute. Most dollar stores have a good size crafting section with decorative flowers, picture frames, crayons, markers, and colored pencils. I've been know to create my seasonal floral arrangements using flowers from the dollar store. I also will often purchase simple glass jars, drinking glasses or plastic buckets for using my favorite vinyl on projects and decorations. You may have to shop around for a bit, but you can almost always find a fun and inexpensive idea at the dollar store.
Do you enjoy sewing with PDF patterns but don't want to pay full price? Sign up for your favorite designers email newsletter. Newsletter recipients are usually the first ones to know about upcoming sales, giveaways, new pattern releases and super secret sales. That means you save $$$$ just by sharing your email.
If you want to save in our Sew Simple Home Shop, sign up for our newsletter and you'll receive a 10% off coupon to use on your first order.
Does that surprise you? You can find loads of discounts on sewing supplies on Amazon
. You might not think Amazon is the best place to shop for sewing or crafting supplies, but it is actually a great place to start. You can compare prices of different sellers and see if you can get it for less than at your local store. And if you have Amazon Prime you can get free 2 day shipping! Which for me is a lifesaver. My nearest sewing/craft store is about 40 minutes away and I usually have kids to tow around with me. But if I need a new pair of sewing scissors or a zipper...Amazon to the rescue.If you haven't tried out Amazon Prime, you can sign up for an Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
. That means free shipping for 30 days! Think of all the sewing and craft supplies you could get.
#6 Ibotta
I don't know if you have heard of Ibotta but it is a rewards/coupon app for your phone. It is a super simple program to use. You download the app and search through the many stores included in their program. Some of the stores I use Ibotta for are Walmart, Amazon, JoAnn Fabrics, and my local grocery store. Once you've made your purchase, you scan and upload your receipt to the app and your savings are added to your account.
Why would you want to do this? FREE MONEY! With JoAnn Fabrics, you can receive 15% cash back or even discounts on crafting supplies from their ads. By just uploading your receipt you save. Think about your last JoAnn receipt. Have you ever got out of the store having spent less than $100? {If so, you are my hero!} Upload that $100 receipt to Ibotta, you could get $15 back!!! It's like they are paying you to sew and craft!
Go download the app! You won't regret it.
#7 Hobby Lobby
If you've never shopped at Hobby Lobby, you should start now. Not only can you get fabric, picture frames, party supplies and holiday decorations all in one store, but you can ALWAYS find a 40-50% off coupon. Who doesn't like saving 40% off on thread or yarn. You can only use one coupon per purchase. But that doesn't mean you can't plan a few trips to your local Hobby Lobby in a week. {I'm not an enabler.}
Other option, shop their online store. You can use your coupon there too!
If you love Amazon, you'll love Fabric.com. This site is actually owned by Amazon. So if you have any doubts on if it is a legitimate site, that should help you decide. Fabric.com has LOADS of fabric options and really great prices. You can get anything from Calico cotton fabrics to Minky to knit fabrics. All at really great prices and they have a good sales page too.
Fabric.com's selling motto is Buy More, Save More! So if you are looking into buying notions in bulk, it is a good place to start. There is a definite savings if you plan to buy many of one item.
#9 JoAnn Fabric Coupons
If you need something in a hurry and you have a JoAnn store near you, make sure you grab a coupon. JoAnn ALWAYS has a coupon. It might not be the best coupon, but you can always get one. Just make sure you read the fine print to make sure your item is included.
The other nice part of JoAnn coupons is you can usually use several coupons in one purchase. Again, you may have to check the fine print but the savings do add up. And once you've made your purchase, you can upload your receipt on Ibotta and earn 15% cash back!
Need some more ways to save? How about a few bonus tips?
Black Friday- If you are planning to make a big purchase like for a sewing machine or Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo 3, shop the Black Friday Sales. Yes, you may have to wait, but you can save BIG time if you wait.
Amazon Prime Day
- Prime Day is usually in July each year. This is another great time to look for deals on larger sewing and crafting supplies or machines. Not quite as good as Black Friday, but you can get some great deals. Especially on crafting and sewing books.Facebook Destash groups- A destash group is a group dedicated to selling or trading fabrics or crafting supplies. You can get rid of your stash or save money on fabrics someone is trying to get rid of.
wawak.com- Now I'll admit I've never purchased anything from Wawak, but many of my readers and individuals in our Sew Simple HomeFacebook group have recommended it. Some great prices on notions.
So sorry to hear about your husband losing his job. My husband lost his, too. I'll be praying he can find another job in the meantime. Hang in there! You are doing a great job on your website. Keep those great ideas coming :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeanne. I hope yours finds one as well. Stay safe and healthy!
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