The Thrifty Sewer

Have you ever gone into one of your fabric cupboards or drawers to find something and more or less shook your head in dismay, wondering how you had ever managed to store so much in one cupboard or on one shelf? Then you never do find what you are looking for as it isn’t where it should be! I had a bit of a cleaning frenzy recently where I decided it was time to tidy up cupboards, beginning with the kitchen cupboards, and then tackling the cupboards in my sewing room. It really was a monumental chore, as I worked on it in the evenings for nearly a three-week period. But they look so good now – and the burning question is how long before they go back to the pre-tidy state?

As part of the tidying frenzy, I decided to reline the cupboard shelves, which leads me to the “helpful hint”. Have you ever priced shelf paper? It is horrendously expensive! But if you purchase odd rolls of wallpaper, your relining project becomes very reasonable. And if you go to a thrift store to purchase your wallpaper, you go from reasonable to almost free! One roll of $2.99 wallpaper did all my kitchen shelves and a roll of 99 cent wallpaper did the sewing room shelves!

What else can you find in thrift stores? Buttons – purchase a designer blouse at a bargain price and use the buttons on a project of your own. And if you are very thrifty, use the blouse as a duster (that is if you can find time to do housework!) It seems that nowadays the buttons cost more than the fabric so this will really save you more money to spend on thread or embroidery software, won’t it?   Old patterns, belts, belt buckles, anything that can be taken apart and used for embroidery or crafts are all at your fingertips when you start wandering through your local thrift store.  The old adage “Another man’s junk …” may just become your treasure!