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High Fashion, Low Cost
Saving Money by Sewing
By Tenna Perry
Even without coupons there are ways of saving on fabrics. Check your local Wal-Mart and fabric stores where there are often tables full of material that cost $2 a yard or less. You can also find material, patterns and sewing notions (buttons, thread, zippers) at yard sales and resale shops. Occasionally you will even find a sewing machine that could make for an excellent learning tool.
If you don't have a machine available and need to buy one, there are a few features the beginner will want to be sure to have.
Cavanaugh recommends a machine that can sew straight lines and zigzags (needed for knit fabrics) and that has a buttonholer and zipper attachments. "Most sewing machines will come with a lot more than that, even the base models," she says. "For a first machine you're probably looking at spending about $150 to $200, depending on where you get it. After you're more confident with your ability, you can move to a machine that will allow you more flexibility."
A beginner's best bet is to shop around. While Singer makes a fine product and is probably the best known of all sewing machine companies, other manufacturers make reliable, sturdy machines for a fraction of the cost.
Don't limit your search to only fabric or actual sewing machine stores – Wal-mart, Sears and other department stores often have quality machines.
From pillowcases to prom dresses, sewing is not only a useful skill that saves money, it also offers a child or adult a sense of accomplishment and pride in being able to say, "I made that."
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