Is a sewing machine frugal???

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I'm debating buying a sewing machine.

I do not know how to sew, but I figure I could follow the instructions on the machine.

A "simple" machine by Singer is around $100.

My plan is to make curtains for my house, placemats, cloth napkins, and do minor repairs on some clothes.

Is this feasible? Am I talking about projects that will end up costing me more than they save me once you factor in time and fabric costs? Is this a total newbie thinking she can do projects that experienced sewers would NEVER take on because they are too big?

Does a sewing machine SAVE you money, or is it just another money-sucking hobby?

I don't want anymore hobbies -- I'm quite busy!

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

It can definitely cost you more to make and sew things yourself, but I love to sew, so for me it is worth it occasionally. I can make some things for much cheaper, but if I start from a pattern that I have to buy, then I purchase fabric, thread, elastic, buttons, etc, it can add up to way more than you would buy in a store. Granted, that item that you are buying in the store was most likely made in China from cheap materials, using cheap labor.

You can make some things for crazy, nutty way cheap if you really want to though. I made Griffin tons of pants when he was a baby from t-shirts that I already had. I really didn't care what color thread I used, so my only expense was elastic and when I had a 50% off coupon from Jo-Ann's, the pants were literally costing me about $.30 a pair to make, and they are very soft and comfortable. I am betting you could easily make some of those for you littlest, and they are crazy easy to make. I can definitely give you some lessons while the kids play some weekend if you want.

As for curtains, you could make them out of old sheets and save money thay way, but they would still pretty much look like sheets. Placemats and napkins are pretty easy and you can make them out of things that you already have around the house most likely. Mending clothing can take a bit more skill, but once you get the hang of it, that will absolutely save you money.

I unfortunately need to go buy a new phone charger today, as I killed mine last night and my cell is my only phone and my battery is dead on the phone so I can't give you a call until later, but I will try to call you once I have a phone again and I can come over with my machine and you can check it out and maybe make a few things before you make a decision. You would be welcome to use my machine for a few weeks if you want to really give it a good try too. I was going to try to make Griffin's Halloween costume this year, but we are so dirt poor right now, I don't think I can afford the fabric for it. I'm not sure yet. Either way, I don't need to start sewing it until the end of September or the beginning of October.

Let me know!

[velochic]

I sew, as does my mother. She was a seamstress when I was growing up, so I have a great resource when I get stuck and need help. We really enjoy sewing together, but to be honest... it can be a money-sucking hobby.

Fabric *can* be very expensive. I have only Jo-Ann's nearby, so I'm forced to try to find things with their coupons and sometimes the fabric that I need just isn't on sale. Also, if you have to use a pattern... they are outrageously expensive these days. I used to be able to buy them for 50% off at Wal-Mart, but they closed their fabric department.

Mom and I are in the process of sewing living room curtain (tab top) and I am paying about 20% more than I could buy... but they are customized exactly how I want them, so that is the trade off.

I do make reusable food bags, wraps, carrying bags, etc. that cost and arm and a leg on etsy and other places. I save a BUNCH of money there. In fact, dh likes to take sandwiches as wraps, and I couldn't find a cloth food wrap that worked for the long, thin shape of the sandwich... so I figured it out and made one for him.

Many repairs I do by hand, anyway. I don't know that a machine is worth it just for darning socks, YKWIM? If you are going to repurpose clothing, then yes, a machine would be worth it.

Before buying a machine, I'd encourage you to take a class. I know that *I* wouldn't be able to teach myself how to sew just from a book. I have the advantage of my mom showing me and TBH, the "instructions" never read like what I'm shown.

I think you definitely should pursue it. Even if you "break even", it's a great skill to have and IMO totally worth it. I love to sew, so it's hard to put a $$ on it. Good luck!!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Originally Posted by velochic

Fabric *can* be very expensive. I have only Jo-Ann's nearby, so I'm forced to try to find things with their coupons and sometimes the fabric that I need just isn't on sale. Also, if you have to use a pattern... they are outrageously expensive these days. I used to be able to buy them for 50% off at Wal-Mart, but they closed their fabric department.

JoAnn's often has sales on patterns, but you really have to stalk their sales flyer. Occasionally they will have them one brand on sale for $.88 or something crazy cheap like that, but you have to sort of know what you want to make way ahead of time and stalk the sales. I bought DS's Halloween costume pattern a couple of weeks ago at half off on sale. It was early to buy it, but he knew what he wanted to be, and I love making his costume. Usually I don't really know what I am looking for in patterns until I need it so I can't plan ahead.

Originally Posted by velochic

I do make reusable food bags, wraps, carrying bags, etc. that cost and arm and a leg on etsy and other places. I save a BUNCH of money there. In fact, dh likes to take sandwiches as wraps, and I couldn't find a cloth food wrap that worked for the long, thin shape of the sandwich... so I figured it out and made one for him.

What do you use for fabric for your wraps and food bags? I would love to make some of these, and get the general idea of how to make them, but can't for the life of me figure out what kind of fabric to use.

[paxye]

As was said, it can do both.... suck money and save money.... Material can be expensive, though you can get some great deals also and it is sometimes worth the cost to get something exactly the way that you want/need.

At the moment money is tight for us so I am using it to save money... we EC and are not using diapers so I have been making small underwear and one-wet trainers... Buying them would cost between 10-20$ each but making them costs me way less, I bought a bit of material but mostly I have been recycling a lot of our old clothing (including many of the onesies that we have that we don't use) and I made the pattern so they are exactly what I want.

I have made quite a few pairs of pants for the kids by recycling our old pants also...

I don't use the machine to repair clothes much, it is often easier to do by hand...

[Tizzy]

In short, I do not find a sewing machine to be frugal.
BUT it is incredibly handy to have.
I can make inexpensive (but really nice!) baby gifts (blankets etc.)
I can do plenty of repairs but if I didn't have my own machine, my MIL would be more than happy to do that for us.
I have made up a bunch of extra diapers which has saved $$
I also make slings to sell.
But material is expensive for plenty of other things.

On the plus side, I want a REALLY NICE diaper bag for a change, but they cost upwards of $75 even on etsy.
However, I found the fabric I want on sale, so if I don't count my time, I'll be saving $50.

[Siennaflower]

They can save money. I use mine to upcycle or re-purpose clothes that I buy at thrift shops-usually for my girls but sometimes for me too. I suggest asking around to see if anyone has an old sewing machine laying around that they don't want anymore, or scouring Craigslist or Freecycle for a machine-the newer ones are not of the same quality as the older, mostly metal machines.

[Ruthiegirl]

I don't think I save money sewing, but I love it anyway.

I tend to do a lot of recycling projects and rarely buy fabric new. But when I do buy fabric, I can spend a lot of cash. Fabric tends to be very spendy.

Just yesterday, I took two of my skirts that are baggy in the waist and did a quick seam to take them in. I have lost a little weight and instead of buying new clothes, I adjusted what I all ready have.

I have made duvet covers with lovely sheets I picked up at the thrift store. Easy recycling and I love that I get exactly what I want rather than just buying something that is so-so.

I made covers for some throw pillows using material I salvaged from an old bridesmaid dress. It was a hideous dress, but made some nice pillows.

I make a lot of skirts for myself and for my dd. An old dress or curtain or sheet or whatever can be a really cute skirt with very little time or sewing skills. It is a fun project for me and my dd and we get something fun and unique out of it.

I also spent a huge sum on fabric when I made some cover for our window seat cushions. I love the fabric and we will have the cushions for as long as we live here, but it was a big investment.

So, I guess it is like anything -- you can spend a little or a lot depending on buying habits and goals.

[happysmileylady]

It all depends on how you use it. For me, my DH can put a hole in a pair of jeans in 2 months (and he works at a desk???) Rather than spend $5 to $10 at Goodwill every two months for a pair of jeans, I can make them last over a year before they get too ratty to use, just by using the machine to stich the holes. Usually, they aren't like knee holes that need a patch, rather, close to the seams. Same with hemming-I can get a pair or work pants that might be a smidge too long and hem them up in like 5 minutes. With a toddler running around, let alone a general lack of time, it would otherwise take too long. So for me, that $100 that I spent on it has already paid off in that way.

As others have mentioned, basic fabric at Jo-anns can be expensive, as can thread and other notions. BUT, like with groceries, pet supplies and such, if you really hunt around, you can get some deals. The first few ring slings I made I totally used sheets bought at goodwill for $2. Much cheaper than the fabric. Also, the day after Thanksgiving sales at Jo-anns are usually FABULOUS. There's almost always at least one or two basic fabric types that they put on their doorbusters-fleece, flannel, cotton, etc, and you can stock up on them. I bought a bunch of flannel last year for like $0.80 a yard or something stupid like that. And, the Jo-anns flyers usually have a 50% off a single item in it...just by using that regularly you can get a good deal. CL and freecycle are also great resources for people just getting rid of a fabric collection.

[rere]

For me it's a money saver but I don't buy much fabric from the fabric store and when I do I use a 40% off coupon.I use a lot of old clothes and sheets for sewing projects.

I made this pillow for the cost of the thread.It's made from scraps and a table cloth that my mother gave me.The inside is a down blanket that was full of holes and had lost a lot of feathers.It was headed for the trash but cut and folded made a great pillow.

I'm wearing pj pants right now that I made from a,free to me,top sheet and right now my daughter is wearing pj pants made from cute long john type fabric that came from the mega clearance section.

I make all the gifts we give and almost never spend more than a few dollars.

[Turquesa]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

I can make some things for much cheaper, but if I start from a pattern that I have to buy, then I purchase fabric, thread, elastic, buttons, etc, it can add up to way more than you would buy in a store. Granted, that item that you are buying in the store was most likely made in China from cheap materials, using cheap labor.

To be fair, so are the fabrics, buttons, snaps, etc., aren't they?

But the OP is on my wavelength. There are so many basic things that I need right now--curtains, plastic bag holders, apron--and it seems silly to go out and buy them, given the budget we're on. The $100 price tag doesn't scare me, and I think it would pay for itself down the line. I thought they were a lot pricier!

[sunnysandiegan]

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl

So, I guess it is like anything -- you can spend a little or a lot depending on buying habits and goals.

I recommend taking a class (look around for free ones) before you buy a machine. Also, you can often borrow a machine from someone to make specific projects like you want. That instantly makes it worth it. Find out where quilters (especially) and other sewers hang out (guilds/classes/churches/etc). They often share fabric (free) and you can learn at the same time.

The projects you mentioned are easy enough, but you can buy them cheaper. Depends on what you want.

Mending clothes can be simple and can be rather challenging. Depends on the issue. My DD needed a white button-up shirt for a school dance and she doesn't usually wear them, so I refused to buy a nice one. We went to the thrift store and found one a little big (petite women's because there were none in children's) and it had a rip along the seam. It was cheaper than the other options and she happened to like this style best. The rip didn't deter us because I sew and the size didn't matter much for this "costume". She loves the shirt so much now that she wears it all the time, too.

Meanwhile, a dear friend of mine is petite and needs a lot of special tailoring done to her nicer clothes and swimwear, etc. She pays a small fortune in tailoring bills. So much so that she automatically includes the cost of tailoring when she is looking at clothes to buy. She actually knows how much each item will cost in tailoring! (This amazes me!) She would benefit from learning to sew on her machine. She owns a decent machine and doesn't know how to use it. I have offered to teach her and I have forwarded free sewing class info. It clearly isn't a priority for her. (Ironic since she and her family are very frugal on other areas.)

Brand new fabric is pricey in many retail stores and isn't always good quality. If you have an Ikea nearby, the prices are great for what you get. I have found their fabric quality to be excellent and the prices to be much lower than say Joanns for average quality. We also have a Home Fabric Store, which has a variety of quality levels and very reasonable prices.

[jeteaa]

I own a "cheaper" brother sewing machine. It is frugal in that I mend cloths I would otherwise have to put in the rag box. I can make special clothing and costumes for my kids that would otherwise cost more such as their scouts vests. If you find material ON SALE at the fabric store, thrift store or remnants, you can make a garment for not too much money. But I would not plan on making most of your families clothes to save money.

[cappuccinosmom]

You might also check on Craigslist and even Freecycle for an older machine, something to mess around with and learn on. For simple projects, all you really need is a straight stitch and zigzag. Maybe buttonhole.

If you are using new fabric from Jo-Annes, you may end up spending more. I find their stuff crazy expensive. Walmart is cheaper (and lower quality) but at least in ours they ditched the fabric dept and only have pre-cut stuff. For *frugal* sewing, your best bet is to become very familiar with your local thrift stores and gather material from there. I am particularly fond of flannel sheets that I can get from the thrift store. I've used them to make diapers, as batting and backing for quilts, and things like that. What I'm using my machine for right now is quilting. It saves me money, and makes me a little money (enough to feed my fabric habit. ) I can make gorgeous gifts, and sell baby quilts. It's even better when I get fabric given to me, or find it cheap at a thrift store.

Placemats and cloth napkins would be easy, and you could probably find some pretty nice cotton garments at a thrift store from which to make them. Curtains need a little more thought, but if you were doing basic panel curtains with a rod holder, it's all straight lines. Or you could skip the rod pocket and just sew on plastic rings to thread the rod through. Again, troll for pretty sheets. You might even be able to find beautiful curtain-worthy sheets at a place like Walmart or BigLots for less than the same yardage would cost at a big fabric store.

[Ethelpea]

For me it is frugal. I can barely sew, but I can make basic skirts. My dds and I wear long skirts and it is near impossible to find them in stores and to order on line can become prohibitively expensive. I have acquired a large amount of fabric at garage sales for next to nothing and through my mil. We've used scrap fabric for practice sewing and for cheap gifts as well.

[holidaymama]

I am going to say that for the most part, sewing can tend to be expensive. Especially as you are learning to sew.

For example, I just spent $15 on fabric to make a table runner and I don't like the way it turned out

On the other hand, I have turned a dress that I didn't like into a cute skirt, and I have easily made valances for windows that are custom to what I needed.

So, as everyone else has said, it just depends! I wouldn't trade the fact that I can sew somewhat.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

What do you use for fabric for your wraps and food bags? I would love to make some of these, and get the general idea of how to make them, but can't for the life of me figure out what kind of fabric to use.

I just use cotton canvas (sail cloth) for the interior. The exterior is whatever cute print I want to use.

[Tradd]

Before checking Craigslist and the thrift stores for a machine, check within your own family/circle of friends. I've found that lots of older women have a machine from the 1960s or 70s now sitting around unused and would be more than happy to give it to someone who would use it. If you get one free, all you would have to do is take it to a repair shop for a look-over and any small repairs it might need.

Worth a shot at least. The older machines are built much better than the new ones. Metal parts, for instance.

[MrsMike]

Just here to agree with everyone who says it depends on your habits.

I don't sew, yet. I am learning. My mom got me a new machine for my birthday a year ago and I'm just starting to learn. My mom sews and it's definitely a money saver. I always need pants and skirts hemmed. My husband, who works a very physical job, constantly splits his pants. I'm tired of buying him new pants, so we've just been sewing the ones he rips (he is nice enough to rip them along a seam ). We cloth-diapered DS and my mom sewed us a bunch of dipes that probably cost a dollar or less to make. I wear scrubs for work and my mom has made most of my scrub tops. Most of my scrub tops cost about $3.00 to make. My mom also made me a few pouch slings that cost next to nothing to make. It's all about hitting those sales. We signed up for fliers from Jo-Ann's (the only fabric store left here besides wal-mart ) and they usually have a 50% off coupon. This weekend they had a huge sale with 50% off their already clearanced fabrics. In addition, McCall's patterns were on sale for $1.99 and Vogue for $3.99. We stocked up on some patterns for thing we knew we'd need (Halloween, dresses and tops for me, mei tei slings...) and I got a Vogue pattern for dresses. I bought a bunch of fabric last night for around $1.00 to $1.50 a yard. I tend to stock up when I can get fabric and patterns really cheap. You just have to pay attention to the circulars (and I think you can view the circular online, too). For instance, I know Simplicity patterns will be on sale for $1.99 next week so I will probably stock up on a few of them. I also go to JoAnn's on black friday, it's the only store I go to on that day. I have gotten some really good deals on fabric and patterns on black friday. I always watch sales and use coupons. I have a general rule that I won't spend more than $2.00 a yard on fabric. I only splurge a couple of times a year (mind you, splurging is $4.00/yd ).

Wal-Mart is another option if one near you has a fabric department. Here, local fabric stores were unable to compete with Wal-Mart's prices and they ended up shutting down. Sadly, Wal-Mart is now phasing out the fabric section in many stores. So the only option is Jo-Ann's.

I'm big into re-purposing. I just gave my mom 9 t-shirts that I no longer wear but didn't want to get rid of. She's making them into re-usable shopping bags for me. Sheets have been made into diapers, wipes and napkins. Kid socks without twins have been made into catnip toys for my cats. The list goes on.

More good places to find patterns and even fabric; thrift shops, craigslist, freecycle and eBay. You can also share patterns with friends.

[SunshineJ]

About 6 or 7 years ago I got my first sewing machine. It cost $7 from a garage sale and had been dropped. It had a single straight stitch that still worked and serious bobbin issues! But we wanted costumes to wear for the Renaissance Faire and I wasn't going to spend $300 a person on them. Looking back, that was a nightmare BUT I did learn a lot! For Christmas that year my DH got me a decent Singer and I've been sewing ever since.

Trim is probably the most expensive thing I've run into. Thankfully not everything requires it! Jo-Anns is a decent place, they have an ok selection and they have a large section of bolts of fabric that have been marked down. They are a bit pricey, but if you get on their mailing list, the fliers always include a 40% off coupon. As mentioned by others, they also have some really good sales - you just have to watch for them. They're fairly often, so you don't have to wait a long time. Sometimes, like this weekend, they have 50% off the marked down fabric, so you can get some really nice material for very little money! I haven't been real happy with WalMart's fabric quality or really their price to be honest. Hobby Lobby, if you have one near you, has a small selection and seem very expensive compared to other stores. Hancock Fabrics, on the other hand, is a store you can get lost in for literally hours! Some of their stuff is expensive, but not all of it.

For what I make with it, it's a huge money saver for us. Then again, I tend to make a lot of speciality things - matching holiday pj's for the kids, period wear for the Ren Faire and SCA, ritual robes, etc. The fabric is considerably less than the cost of buying these items! I also mend everything, hem a LOT of pants and jeans (I'm 5'0, DH is 5'6, no surprise the kids are on the short side too!), make reusable cleaning cloths, make placemats, curtains, and anything else that I think of. Recently DD went through a huge growth spurt and after getting her all the staples she needed, there wasn't money for any cute outfits. So I dug out plain long sleeved t-shirts, bought a few regular t-shirts at the Dollar Tree, and got about 6 different 1/2 yard pieces of fabric. (Since she's only 6, a half yard was more than enough, and I could spend a little more per yard since I was only paying half.) It was easy to make skirts out of the fabric - maybe 30 minutes for the ones with netting under them, and then I put matching appliques on the shirts. Total cost per outfit averaged under $6!

One other thing to consider is that once you learn how to sew, you can make money from doing so. SO MANY people have no idea how to even sew a button on! I've had people talk to me about hemming pants and shorts, making Halloween costumes, and redoing the cushions for a sunroom. That covers the cost of the machine quickly in itself, though it takes a while to get to that point.

Really one of the main reasons I learned to sew was because either I couldn't find what I was looking for or I didn't want to spend huge amounts for something that didn't cost a lot in terms of fabric cost. For us it's really paid off, but like anything else, your mileage may vary.