Crafting and the Economy
Welcome to our brand to column “Talk Crafty to Me.” (Yeah, we’re both proud and ashamed of that name!)
In this column we’ll ask you questions that we’d love to know your opinions on! And if YOU have ideas for questions for this column, we’d love to hear those too.
So here’s our first question for you all…
Do you think you’ll be doing more crafty / DIY projects in the future as a result of the state of the economy and a desire to want to cut back and save money?
Do you have any stories about other people you know who have started crafting now as a way to save some money?
We’d love to hear any stories about yourself or others using crafting as a way to save money!
heck yes. i’m going to be a freshman in college, and i’m excited to see my crafting being pushed to new boundaries on the typical poor student’s budget. i see a lot of recons in the future and upcycling fabric…which means i’ll have to get over my fabric addiction
as for the whole economy thing, i know it’s going to be tough to get federal grants now (bad) but maybe i will develop some fierce mcgyver-like skills that i can carry through life (good).
So glad you’re looking forward to being able to use your crafty skills to save some money!
It’s a great idea to look for ways to upcycle free or cheap fabrics to avoid having to buy new fabric.
Definately!
I read in my local paper that sewing machine sales are up 120% on last years figures. So either everyone’s old machine broke, or more people are buying them!
I hope there will be more free sewing patterns in women’s magazines. I love my mags, and will keep buying them for as long as I can afford, so it would be a bonus to find a trendy dress pattern in there.
Definitely - all of my birthday gifts for friends are now crafting projects with materials I already have. I also have a number of friends talking about reworking old items of clothing to make them a “new” piece for nothing.
ais
I always used crafting as a way to be thrifty, so it isn’t really changed. I will avoid the kind of crafting where you don’t save money at all, like elaborate large quilts with expensive designer fabrics or crocheting and knitting with premium fibers. We were going to hire painters to come and paint my daughter’s bedroom, but now I think I’ll go ahead and do it myself and I think I can figure out how to customize her closet with stuff from the hardware store instead of The Container Store.
It is both a blessing and a curse to see things around that you want and know that you can make them at home yourself. It makes you feel powerful and capable, but that project queue gets really really long!
I can’t say that I’m doing more or less crafting for myself. I have picked up some commision jobs that would never have come my way a year ago. I am also using up alot of my stash rather than buying new. It has made become extra creative to be limited to on hand supplies.
I will be crafting more as money is tight and my be even tighter if the company I work for does not will a contract that is coming up for renewal in the next few months.
This means not only reuse, recycle and upcycle for for simple economics, but also as the entertainment budget is very limited.
Eating out, going to the movies, shopping and other activities have been replaced with cooking meals, checking out DVDs from the library, shopping at thrift stores, playing board games, reading books from the library and sewing and crafting.
The upside is that it has and is forcing me to become more creative and think outside the box.
Frankly, I’m kind of glad the economy is like this. It’s forcing people to craft more to save money, which means even more ideas are going to spread around. Hopefully there will be a increase in patterns, recycling ideas and materials.
As a poor college student where my books cost OVER $500.00, my budget really limits me on what I can do. I call this CRAFTONOMICS. An example, I can spend about $15.00:
-on a movie ticket + drink + small popcorn,
-on 10 scrapbooking paper sheets, 2 sticks of glue, 2 skeins, one Wilton tip, and then have room leftover for some item that I know I can do “something” with, whatever that is.
Craftonomics help me save money and sanity, and I actually end up with something mildly useful at the end of it all. Well, hopefully.
I will be stepping up my craftyness a bit this year. I have decided that I will make everyone’s gifts birthdays, Christmas, etc this year–even the guys. I’m also looking into repurposing things a lot more than I have in the past. Its been great so far because I’m using up items in my stash, using my creativity and staying out of shopping malls! Besides I’m creating great memories with my daughter this way.
How does that saying go? Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do or Do without. That’s my stance this year. I’m tired of all the waste. Even my 1 year old has too much stuff. Honestly I think its great that people are starting to think about being more practical and self sufficient. Now bring on the warm weather so I can start my garden…yum
Not crafting for myself so much lately but I’ve had half a dozen requests for help from family and friends and it’s only February.
So far I’ve taken cake orders, which is so much cheaper than ordering from a bakery as I only ask people to pay for ingredients. My sister saved hundreds on her wedding cake this way (plus I got to play with sugar flowers and more ganache than was really healthy…*grin*)
I’ve sewn school uniforms too; just simple, black wash-and-wear skorts for five year olds that the store was charging $30 dollars for. I made three for the same price and it took next to no time. I’m also sewing simple dresses for a friend, which saves her more than half the cost of buying them new and she actually gets something she can wear comfortably.
It’s a good system. I get to help make life easier for my mates, they save some money and often I get a few extra dollars in return. Every little bit helps!
Now taht the economy is in bad shape there are more resourses for of us who have always had to make do with watever we have on hand. Personally I want to take a decent vacation this year so to save up I hid all of my ATM and credit cards and decided to bust my stash. So far I have made simple things that I would otherwise bought, for example: I made my hubby a lunchsack for him to take to work, it was practically free since I made it from scrsps from previus projects and his co-workers were amazed at how nice it looked. With that I killed two birds with one stone: saved myself $10 and made something cute!
Right now im working on my Valentine’s Day projects, otherwise I would have hit Walgreens for over price plastic crap.
Since I’ve had a tighter budget lately, I’ve totally been making what I can over buying more things. If it’s cheaper to make something, then I make it.
Also, my etsy store has helped a lot! I’ve never really promoted it or anything, but a recent creation has really taken off and just today I got an order for 100 of my top selling items!
My advice… if you come up with something useful for yourself, make a few more and put them on etsy just to see if they catch on. You’ll be surprised! Always make sure that its your own creation and not a copyrighted project.
absolutely!! i started sewing last spring for my daughter and am now planning to make most of her spring/summer wardrobe. i tend to like expensive, boutique clothes, but i can justify them so much more when i spend $10 on some fabulous fabric and make it myself!
i also have been making gifts, not only are they often far less expensive than store-bought, they have personality and meaning and everyone knows they were made with love
I started taking sewing classes when I was laid off from my job last year (I worked in Finance). I’m still unemployed and have had to cut back on spending in LOTS of ways. I probably haven’t cut my hair in a good 6 months (I look hideous), cook most meals and most of all, make my own clothes now! I also started my own Etsy site to help supplement my unemployment income.
So crafting and sewing has been a huge lifesaver for me.
I started a blog chronicling my creations and work and progress of my Etsy site and people have really responded! Everyday I meet someone who has read my blog and have begun sewing themselves because they thought it just looked like so much fun! Here is my site: http://www.xanga.com/Jenny_is_sewing
I’m trying to craft down my stash more this year, buying only what I absolutely need to finish off a craft and the rest is from the stash as opposed to buying everything for the craft so it’s “just Right”. I’m also changing up the crafts to suit what I can find on sale. I had plansto do a scarf with an accent of a $9 yarn but found a comperable yarn in adifferent color for $1.50, and it’s turning out quite well. I’m buying from thrift stores ,the dollar stores and ebay for my craft supplies. I’m not buying any clothes for four months and reconning a new wardrobe. I’m Making most of my holiday gifts too. (yes I already stared)
I have always been a crafter, but some things I left to others to experiment with. These days, I’m getting by on less, and trying all those things I passed up before, like growing my own food and canning or processing it, making a quilt and rugs for my house from my old clothes, and generally not throwing anything away until I can no longer find a use for it.
YES! I definitely will be. I am going DIY on about 95% of my wedding, in order to save money, and when we get our first apartment, we will be making a lot of our own decorations, or revamping stuff we find from the thrift store. I’ve been researching how to do lots of things like how to reupholster chairs, to making curtains. Also, I like making arty things, so we’re painting or drawing pictures to use instead of buying art. It’s fun, and challenging to find ways to spend as little money as possible.
Maybe- I always enjoy having crafts as a stress relief or just outlet in general. Unless I loose my job (never know in this particular day and age), I don’t think I can really find more time to craft.
I do think I might start using my craft stash to create things I can give as gifts rather than concentrating on what I want to do and try myself.
I had to spend money to save money. My sewing machine broke! After a little bit of running around and $60 worth of service it runs beautifully.
After spending that $60 (that I made from making a sweater), I found a cute little hobo purse I wanted (to buy), for $20! I am still working on my hobo purse project, but total cost to me is $5…plus a couple hours. Mine is cuter!
Not only that I got a pound of yarn for $5 I made two projects out of it. One sweater that would run $30+ at any department store, and a shawl, that I spent way too much time on.
I have been making my husband hats. He loves them and begs for a new one every winter. Yarn cost is minimal compared to spending $15 for a brand new hat.
I definitely think that people will start doing more DIY projects with which to save money in today’s economy. In fact, the whole way that I was introduced to this site was because I was talking to a friend around Christmas about the price of having to wrap presents and the fact that it just creates a lot of trash which is something else that I wasn’t happy about because of trying to recycle more. She then pointed me in the direction of this site and the fact that someone had posted the idea of making gift bows out of recycled magazine paper! It’s become a new addition for me! Now other things that I’ve made to save money are things like a door snake that I found the idea for on here which not only helped me recycle some old tights, but also is helping to save heat in my house! Now I find myself looking at a lot of items in a whole new way. Even something as simple as getting iron transfers and $3 dollar shirts and printing out my son’s favorite characters to make him the kinds of clothes he would like that cost a bit more just for that character on it. It’s saved a load of money thus far and I plan on continuing checking out everyone’s ideas and using more of them! Plus, more friends have been noticing what i’m doing and the ideas are catching!
Oh yes. I just made a duct tape wallet so I don’t have to buy one and I’m making all of my own jewelry, plus I’m fixing instead of buying new and coming up with creative reuses of a lot of different items. I hope this will save me lots of money.
I am now a stay at home mom, because the resturant where I worked went out of business and my husband and I felt that me working to pay for day care was ridiculous.
I have been crafting more as well, but in new ways. I get “new” supplies by shopping the thrift stores on sale days, not only do I find clothing for my family, but it is also an excellent source for fabric, buttons, and other supplies. I also agressively shop yard sales and have purchased lovely fabric in pillowcases and sheets, I usually find baggies of sewing notions for under $1.00, most of them vintage.
This has also motivated me to use up some of the craft supplies I have been hoarding for years, I currently have a list of about 50 projects that I can complete with minimal or no extra purchases and there is also the possibility of trading supplies with someone to get some different stuff.
We have also received a years membership for or local childrens museum and the zoo, where not only do we get to play and learn, but my children can also do different art project for free. We also utilize the library’s free story time.
I could go on and on…
I think I might be doing more, until I start running out of supplies. I still have quite a bit of fabric and some patterns I’ve never used and I really would love to get into making some clothes, since they are so expensive these days. I try to be thrifty anyway and I can’t really think of anything specific I am doing to crafty and save money, but I know that things are popping up every now and again where me making or doing something myself is going to be a huge help later on.
Ive(ad my family) always been cash poor so its o big change but it does mean the frugal way we live will be scene as less oddball now.
Also when I do have cash to spend on myself Im spending it at Esty.
i’m reluctant to admit that i’m not really feeling the recession…. it’s hit friends in the US really hard, and specific industries here in canada, but none of my local friends have really been affected yet. i suppose it helps that none of us have to worry about things like mortgages, we couldn’t afford west coast prices even before the recession!
i’m also extremely lucky that everyone in my family works in the public service, and 4 out of 5 of us belong to a fairly strong union. if we were working in private corporations we might be feeling it more.
however, i AM finding that i’m planning more projects due to the recession, because i’m thinking of things to make for friends that have been affected more than i have, and making stuff for others is always fun!
Do you think you’ll be doing more crafty / DIY projects in the future as a result of the state of the economy and a desire to want to cut back and save money?
I’ve always crafted as a result of my economy (not necessarily the national economy) With two children and one traditional income crafting has always been a way to save here and there. It really doesn’t change much for me. Though I will be crafting more from my stash rather than doing tons of shopping for crafting supplies for whatever project hits me
Do you have any stories about other people you know who have started crafting now as a way to save some money?
I have a number of friends showing greater interest in crafting in the past few months, but have yet to have any of them actually commit to allowing me to teach them something new. I’ll post an update if one of them does come over to the wild side
We’d love to hear any stories about yourself or others using crafting as a way to save money!
My sister decided to make and use cloth diapers and cloth ‘unpaper’ towels as an effort to go green, but has also seen financial benefits of doing so.
Just the opposite; people don’t have the spare cash to buy handcrafted items, and I am buying less supplies as I have less money to spend. I am crafting less, not more. It’s cheaper to buy a £10 top than to make one yourself, which is a shame.
I’m sewing and crafting a lot more now– I haven’t been able to find a new steady job since I quit my last job last summer. That means I have more time to sew, and also that I’m more motivated to sew. I don’t have to wear boring office-drone clothes, so I’m making clothes for myself and trying to rediscover my own style. I’m working on designs to sell on Etsy to make a little cash. And I’m trying to buy new materials as little as possible– if there’s something I need that’s not in my stash, I’m reconning secondhand clothes. I even went back to my parents house to bring my really old stash home with me, and nabbed some of my mom’s stuff too. And I’m definitely being careful about not wasting materials, cutting things out carefully, and planning more so that I don’t have to rip out stitches, and saving ALL my scraps. So the recession has impacted my crafting, but in some very good ways. In high school, my art teacher often told us that limiting your tools or materials is a good exercise to force you to be more creative, and that’s bearing true.
I’m definitely going to start crafting to save money! I’m starting to use up my stash of fabric instead of buying more, or going to thrift stores and using old clothes if I need a certain kind I don’t already have. I’m going to start making my own cloth pads instead of getting disposables, since the money-saving AND the waste-saving will make it better in the long run, especially since I can use up my stash doing so. I’m browsing clearance bins more than I used to…stuff like that. Luckily, my crafting tastes involve using scraps and bits and pieces anyway, so it fits into my philosophy. And I’m doing my best to make all my presents this year, other than those I bought already at last Christmas’ sales. -_-;
For sure. Making stuff is a great way to save money and even cheaper if are using recycled materials. It’s also entertainment rather then going out and spending cash. My hubby and I sit around talking and painting together, it’s a great way to spend time together on a budget.
I’m in crafty_dame’s situation above. DH and I have been very fortunate in that we haven’t been affected by the state of the overall US economy so far.
Actually, I guess you could say that I am bumping up my crafting to MAKE more money, not just to save some. I’m doing a pretty brisk business in custom commissioned work at the moment, and it’s something that I can do on my own time, from my own home no matter what my hours are like at work, which, thankfully, is still stable. I’ve always had a knack for making things that people actually want to buy and have enough business sense to make sure my material costs aren’t eating up my profit.
I’ve been frugal and crafty since I was a kid so I’m not crafting any more now to save money than I have at any other point in my life. I’ve been sewing clothing off and on for over 22 years now, make digital art for video games full-time, and recently picked up crochet again after almost 2 decades away from it. I’ve also been doing the Wardrobe Refashion pledge to sew only from stashed fabrics and recycled clothing already in my closet for the past year and a half which means that my clothing budget is almost zero outside of shoes and socks. I always buy supplies on sale (even before the downturn) and don’t consider myself a fabric or yarn snob at all.
I probably *will* make more handmade gifts or art this year for friends and family, not because of the state of the economy, but because I have rediscovered my love of MAKING things again and have all kinds of ideas for cool things to craft.
I don’t have as much money to spend on new clothes, so I am altering things I already have, or hand-me-downs from friends and family. I have been embellishing with things I already have; embroidery thread, buttons, scrap fabric, etc.
I’ve always been a thrifty person, and my crafting life has never been an exception. I buy clothes from thrift stores to use as fabric or unravel their yarn, I save random bits of garbage because I can use them in craft projects, I dig through my friend’s thrift store donation piles to get free things to recon.
Will the economy affect my crafting life? DEFINITELY. I lost my job in September. In my area, there’s nothing–I can’t even get a temp job because there are so many unemployed people with more experience than me. I used to be able to run to the craft store to grab extra supplies when I ran out, but those days are over. I can *only* use stash now. Furthermore, I’m ramping up my craftiness so I can make things to sell on etsy, including knitting patterns, because at this point, it’s my only hope for income. Hopefully only being able to use stash will up my creativity.
I am a life long crafter and seeker of value. Crafting is how to save the old piece of furniture or repurpose it, remake a sweater or turn clothing into pillows. It’s not about spending more, it’s doing with what you have. Curtains out of sheets,tabelcloths or pieced scraps. Crafting is more about ingenuiety not about cheap. Our country’s spending has been out of control for a long time, to much of everthing of which most wasn’t needed. Most families don’t even have a savings plan, living by the seat of your pants is the norm.
Take stock and feel good about whatever you can cut back on.
For the past year or two I have made an effort to hand make myself or buy handmade a gift for every person in my life. I even found an incredible hand molded and painted articulated orange and red dragon mobile for my video game and fantasy obsessed 11 year old cousin. For my hard to shop for aunt, a hand screen printed Tshirt featuring prehistoric art from Puerto Rico, where she grew up. With a little ingenuity, you can buy or make the perfect gift for anyone. I am hoping these hard times help people realize even more that it’s not what it cost or what name is on it that matters. Who needs that cheap made in China crap anyway? It really is the thought that counts and no thoughts are more meaningful then the time and love put into a handmade gift.
For me personally, this economy means using more of the vast supply of fabric I have on hand and being more creative when I don’t have the exact item I need. But they sat necessity is the mother of invention and in that way so too is recession is the mother of crafting.
I’ve been making a lot more gifts for friends and family which they seem to like better. I’m buying a sewing machine with my tax returns and I plan on making some clothes. I’ve also started to make my own jewelry.
Oh yes, Hobbycraft (The UK equivalent of Jo-Ann’s or Michael’s, I think) have reported increasing profits in the run up to Christmas. For me it is nice to know that I can still give family and friends gifts which are thoughtful and caring without needing to spend lots of money.
I am planning the year though, mapping out which people I want to give gifts to, and when, so I can make them throughout the year.
I have budgeted a small amount each month towards my crafting obession. LOL Crafting and epecially sewing right now is my therapy, so I can’t just stop!!!
I am already making presents homemade presents for everyone for this year Christmas as well as birthdays.
I with crafty_dame and maggie, my BF was just promoted again which allowed me to quit my second job. That right there gives me more time to craft (which i’ve always done). Hopefully within the year I’ll be able to quit my full time day job and just focus on home making and maybe even my crafting business (a dream currently).
I have been able to help others though. I have always made gifts, canned veggies and jams, cooked and baked. I have more time to do these things and my neighbors and coworkers enjoy the fruits of my labor!
Even though the bigger craft stores are coming out with more cute fabrics in the upper price range, I found a store selling off overstock from the fabric warehouses to save money. Sure they don’t always have what I have in mind, but the have a $.99/yard bin in the back with all sorts of “defective” or misprinted fabric. Most isn’t screwed up beyond repair! I get more than twice the fabric for the same price I usually spend at JoAnns, Hobby Lobby, or Hancock.
I bake a lot and I do OAMC (Once a Month Cooking) where I freeze portions of whatever I make for ease of bringing small pre-packed lunches to school or work, and save lots more of my cupboards and fridge from expiration. I’ve also started buying the good eggs (organic, veg-fed, free-range chicken eggs that taste like clouds) and freezing them. Scramble the eggs and freeze them in my large ice cube trays. They last about a year in an air-locked bag. Take a few cubes, let thaw in a plastic baggie in the fridge or in warm water to use in recipes.
Reusing zippered plastic bags until they are dead, recycling everything possible, making loads of fabric grocery bags from old sheets/clothes/whatever, saving all the thin cardboard boxes for my gerbils to chew and cats to climb in, buying meat in bulk or on sale and freezing pre-prepared, sewing lots of my own clothes, making over 4/5ths of my yule gifts this year, making my own beauty products… I feel like a real, functioning member of society since the recession started, and I know I’m saving myself and close ones money and having fun doing it.
Yep. I hate sewing. I tend to throw things away and replace them if they need to be sewed. today I sat down and sewed the holes in my croceted blanket. Im so proud
I thought moving to Hawaii last year (my Hubby is in the Navy) was gonna be awesome. Then I went grocery shopping out here, where at a regular grocery store(not at a commisary)a gallon of milk will cost about 9 dollars. Needless to say produce isn’t much better since most of it has to be shipped out.
So when ever I buy fruits and vegetables I try to save the seeds and plant them like peppers, tomatoes, and papaya(even though it’s a tree they grow REALLY quick and if you have a female they are so fruitful you’ll get sick of them). But when I buy green onion I only use the green part and then I’ll plant it about 2″ into the ground and it’ll grow back. But once it starts to flower it’s done, just let it bloom and then it’ll seed.
Whenever I buy a pineapple I’ll cut about an inch or so away from the top and then I’ll bury it up to the leaves. Now I’ll only get 1 pineapple from each cutting but that’s one less I’ll buy in about a year and a half(they grow really slow). I’ve also started growing my own luffa (also know a chinese okra), so I can save money on sponges that won’t hurt the environment(and if I get crafty with some melt and pour soap I’ll have some nice gifts for friends and family come Christmas).
Yep! It’ll be a good year for crafting.
If fact,my 11 yr old daughter has made two birthday gifts for her little girlfriend’s parties because we really weren’t in a position to go out and buy gifts for them. The girls Loved them and she was very proud of herself for being so crafty and able to sew nice, one of a kind gifts.
As for myself, since along with a few hundred thousand other Ca. ‘State Workers’ I’ve found mylself with two days a month free to do whatever I want thanks to the budget crisis, I think I’ll try to spend that time being creative and gettig closer to my sewing machine. I’m not going to be buying munch in the way of supplies this year so I’ll just have to dig into my stash and use what I have. Come to think of it, as far as crafting and sewing goes, maybe it’s better being a little strapped. Using what I have on hand in my ’stash’ and making do intead of running out to the store will force me to think a little harder and be more thoughtful and creative. It’ll be a good year.
I am definately getting into crafts more now that moneys so tight. I always had an interest in crafting but I just never got around to it. Now that I have less money to spend and more time on my hands, I have more motivation to get my creative juices flowing. I really enjoy it too. I think even when things pick up economically, I will keep on crafting, just because it’s so fun and it’s good for the environment
Believe it or not, we weren’t really affected TOO much by the economy. I mean I’m overworked due to our employer not wanting to hire additional help & such. I was mainly affected by the “people” who were affected as a result of job loss; who moved onto criminal acts [like stealing the things we worked hard for].
Crafting wise, I’d say I still craft for pleasure—not to save money. It probably WOULD save me money; except I rarely ever craft for myself. Not to mention, EVERYONE knows how expensive craft supplies can be.
I will add that I have made handmade GIFTS to save money. I don’t really like consumerism & would prefer handmade anyday.
* I will have to say that the economy has the BF “anti-craft swaps” at the moment. S0o, I suppose that affects me too; as I am totally addicted.
I’ve always lived on a limited budget, being a poor college student from a large-ish middle-class family (six people), so the change in the economy hasn’t changed my standard of living.
I’ve recently started teaching myself how to crochet (just the basic stitches). Because of my lack of money, I buy Lion Brand’s Pound of Love yarn. At Joann’s, it costs about eight dollars and since it’s a pound, you can manage a nice baby blanket with it. Everyone I know is having babies so I know it’s something I’m buying that I will use, versus running out buying fabric when I know that, until my machine is fixed, it will just sit in a box. Plus, I think it’s a lot more meaningful to make someone a baby blanket than to pay for a machine-made one from the stores.
It’s very interesting to read other people’s comments. Like a few other people in this thread, haven’t been personally affected by the recession or job loss. I think one of the main ways that crafting can save money is by replacing other more expensive activities like eating out or going to the movies. It can be hard to know if it’s actually cheaper to make something like a scarf for yourself or buy it on super-discount sale. It’s better and more fun for sure, but not necessarily cheaper.
Here’s something that is cheaper to make at home: bread in a bread machine. (If you don’t have one already, try a thrift store. Around here you can pick one up for about $20.)
I have been having a great time interpreting higher-end crafts by using dollar store stuff. The past Craftster dollar store challenges have been inspirational. I have a blog called Dollar Store Crafts that is all about hip crafting with dollar store stuff, and people are really responding to it!
So, I HAVE been crafting more! Just focusing on stash-busting, thrifted materials, and dollar store stuff.
Heather
I’ve been crafting more, partially to save money, and partially for something to do when I’m not working. The economy has affected my job a little, I do part time retail work, so instead of the usual 10 hours a week I get cut back to in February, I’m down to 4. That earns me only a few dollars more than my health insurance costs. I did still sign up for a craft swap, but I’m primarily using things I have, except that I did spend $20 on colored pens for it, but at least I get to keep those!
I’m definitely doing more crafting; trying new things every week - but I’m definitely trying to use found items around my home instead of buying everything.
I was so happy to read in a previous post that sewing machine sales are up! It seems like a lot of sewing stores are going out of business. It’s such a shame!
My husband and I decided we’re going to try to not buy anything new this year (besides consumables and underwear). So now whenever I see something I really want - I have to figure out how to make it for myself. It’s been fun so far - we’ll see how I feel later in the year.
I’ve started selling swarovski pendant necklaces. I’ve only made a few. One day I hope to become someone like Tarina Tarantino. I’m very inspired by her. Another dream I have is to attend design school in America so I’m working really hard to make my business blossom so I can save up for the school.
Not buying anything new for a whole year sounds difficult. I think I’d start to run out of supplies to make things, at least particular things like zippers and whatnot.
I have become more crafty because of the discovery of craftster.org. The money saving aspect is a perk but the state of the economy likely wont effect the amount that I craft or do it myself.
In general I think crafters will do conversions and recycles and DIY. But crafting can cost too.
My suggestion never craft less just craft thriftier!!!!!!
I can’t tell if I’m making money or losing money yet. I got laid off a few months ago so my output is off the hook.
But that means I’m going through more supplies.
But I have the time to scour for deals + bad personal economy means public transpo and walking, so I finally see all those tiny stores selling pairs of Susan Bates Quicksilvers in the back for .50
Time to run the numbers
Oh another thing …this year my husband and I have decided to use our personnel “pocket money” at places where we feel they are going to do “not-evil” such as Etsy or http://www.betterworld.com/ and the like…
My mom grew up during the great depression, she was so used to recycling and reconstructing that she passed he values on to her children. I’ve never known any other way. I always find it more exciting and more challenging to find creative ways to make do with what I have. Anyone can buy a kit or use ready made materials. It’s more fun to push yourself. In times of plenty or in times of want doing it yourself, your way, is always best.
I currently work doing portrait photography but unfortunately because of the economy not too many people are wanting my services right now. I’ve always loved doing crafty things so around the holidays I started making things like paper snowflakes (used some to make cards to send to the family) while I was sitting at work with nothing to do all day. Then I decided that since work is slow and I’m not really making as much money as I would like, I’ve started using the time to do things like knit hats to sell on the side. It helps my days go by faster, I feel productive and creative, and people where I live can never really have too many hats as well as most would prefer buying something handmade than store bought so it’s working out for everyone.
For sure I’m doing more crafty things! We’re military, so we’re always looking for a way to save some of the tiny paycheck we get. But this past holiday season, I made EVERYTHING for most on my gift list. Aprons, blankets, pillows, coasters, ornaments, hats and scarves. All using fabric I’d had laying around or from clothes I’ve not worn or my kids have grown out of. My kids birthdays were also craft-central. I made everything, from games to treat bags (cute fabric purses as favor bags, etc.). It’s a little more time consuming, sure, and the important thing is to compare costs, because honestly sometimes it costs MORE to make than buy ready-made!
Yes, I will be crafting more now. I have been wanting to craft more anyways, and living in such a crafty city (New Orleans, you see hand made goods at every other store) I think I might actually make some money off of the goods too.
I think I’ll definitely be doing more crafting. My fiancee and I are looking into housing options for next year, and suddenly my college job isn’t cutting it anymore! Between rising education costs and rising housing costs, I’ve gotta start making some etsy sales! This summer will be all craft fairs and art shows, so hopefully that will help. I can also be recycling things into useful lhousehold items for our new home, hopefully!
I’m definately doing more crafting this year–to get my stashes to a more managable size. I have too much Fabric and not enough space for all my stuff. what with the economy taking a monumental dump and loosing my job i have more time to craft. unfortunately when my stash is gone, my stash is gone, and i’ll need to bulk up more–wait, no i’ll need to just buy what i need for that project right? right.
I’ve always been in the situation that if I can make it for cheaper, or make a more economical alternative, then I do so. The economy has had some effect on us, though, and I’ve found myself shopping more at the thrift store, using up my yarn stash and being way more selective about craft purchases. These days, unless I need something specifically for a project or it’s on clearance, I don’t purchase it.
I used to be quite proud of the unusual gifts I bought. Recently I have had a change of heart. Mainly due to my convictions about the environment, but partly due to the economy too. I am now trying to do handmade gifts for all of the people in my family and close friends. It takes a lot more time, but it means so much more and even if it is not the “perfect” gift for them, they still appreciate it becasue of all the effort put into it.
I am stunned by how cheaply you can buy materials to hand-make stuff. I am particularly into making hand-sewn stuff out of t-shirts (inspired by the Alabama Stitch Book). The shirts cost me about a dollar from the thrift store but I can make really amazing stuff out of them! It’s awesome, I’m spending way less money and giving way more.
I’ve always been an avid crafter, so I can’t say that I’ll be crafting more or less, but I will be giving more home made gifts instead of store bought. Instead of buying new clothes for my daughter, I take the clothes I’ve outgrown and make her little dresses and pajamas. I also collect clothes from other family members that they don’t want, my husband is a 2XL, so lots of fabric there
I also find creative ways to use things “normal” people would throw away.. like formula containers, magazines, stuff that is considered trash becomes a new purse, or a cool wall hanging.
We are not really hurting so bad that we can’t afford clothes for the kids, I just enjoy the challenge of taking something old and out of style and making it cool again.
Unfortunatly I don’t think crafting will help whole lot in my case. It gives me something to do and I feel more productive while I’m not working, but I can’t craft car insurance, which is one of our major expenses in February, which is always the month my hours get chopped, regardless of the economy. Now it’s just worse.
Usually; I start the next years Christmas (and birhtday) shopping the day after the current Christmas. This year, I pulled my list for ‘09 together and started planning crafts. I have an enormous fabric and craft stash, so I think it would be irresponsible of me to shop when I can make.
Since the downturn in the economy I have started sewing a lot more for myself than I did previously. When it came time to clear out my wardrobe, instead of getting rid of items that didn’t fit or were damaged I started repairing them. So now I have a whole new wardrobe that I spent very little money on. I’m a lot prouder of the things I wear now. I had a designer blouse that I used to wear with a mixture of pride and shame because it was very nice but had cost quite a lot. When it got bleached in the laundry, instead of throwing it out I decided to instead re-dye it and get more wear out of it. Now I just feel proud when I wear it because I saved it from the heap.
I’ve also started making gifts instead of buying them and have been getting much better responses from their recipients than when I just bought something generic from the rack. Home made gifts are so much more personal and when done well, send a message not of thrift, but of sincerity and thoughtfulness.
Craftiness has made it’s way into our work lives as well. My boyfriend and I have very physically demanding jobs and come home with a variety of muscle aches and pains. Adhesive heat pads from the pharmacy worked great; but were expensive and basically wasteful since they got thrown away after only one use. Now we have reusable heat pads that I have made and they work just as well and are no longer a strain on our budget.
So it’s already been a rather crafty/thrifty year and I am looking forward to finding more ways to save in the future. There is a certain sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from making something wonderful from what you have rather than spending your troubles away. I feel more like I am contributing to the household that I care about rather than paying for some greedy CEO’s corporate jet. It’s a good feeling.
You wouldn’t believe how many times lately that my S.O and I have gone out shopping and we’ve picked up something we like, and I end up going “I could make that for a tenth of the price”.
I now carry around a little sketch/note pad, and write down all the ideas, and maybe take a snapshot or two on my phone if I need to [and if the shopkeeper isn't glaring at me!]
I’ve very quickly learnt the cheapest places to pick up a lot of crafting supplies.
The other month we found these really nice woven plastic placemats for $10 each [yeouch, as far as I'm concerned!], I tucked the idea away in the back of my mind, and a few weeks later I came across some very thin plastic placemats for 50c each. A ruler and a scalpel later I was on my way to making woven placemats for much, much cheaper!
The whole economy slump has actually pushed me to craft more. I know I can’t afford something, but I know I can afford to make it, even if it takes a few hours out of my day, but because I find crafting/sewing relaxing, I really don’t mind!
Op shops and second-hand stores have always been a love of mine, and lately I’ve been taking to buying clothes that are far too big for me but have nice fabric, and then reconditioning them down to something I fit. I can end up with one or two tops for only $2.
Like most famililies, we are trying to save money. I made most of my daughters clothes for winter, and some for my son. I’m planning on doing the same for summer, only more for my son this time. I have such a fabric stash that I really need to concentrate on using it up anyways. I regularly make baby gifts for my friends, even before the recession. I think it is more personalized that way and have had special requests for my baby carriers. I want to make some more clothes for me, too. My project list is getting quite long!
For our family, it’s not as much about saving money as being responsible consumers. We’ve been hitting the resale shops for years both as buyers and sellers. We get great deals and reduce our waste. I’ve been sewing, thrifting, and crafting for as long as I can remember. I love the challenge of repurposing. Each object is like solving a crafty puzzle.
Oh yes. I’m doing a lot of recycling/upcycling lately - almost everything I make these days used to be something else.
Furthermore, I love t-shirts, but they can be expensive, so instead of spending that $18 I’ve been thrifting blank ones and stenciling them myself - and liking the result better, anyway.
I love what you said, Sheila, “I love the challenge of repurposing. Each object is like solving a crafty puzzle.” That’s exactly what I always say when people ask me why that kind of crafting is so popular on Craftster.
I always say that it’s great because it’s environmentally friendly and saves money but even more importantly it’s a really fun challenge!
I have always crafted, but I’m finding that I want to try more and more things. Fortunately, I have friends who can help me make the expensive stuff (like my loom!). I have managed to create quite a stock of craft supplies, so I’ve been trying to work through what I already have. If I need anything new, I ONLY buy it on sale and I hoard Jo-ann’s coupons! I also buy some stuff online- Ebay can be a good place to find some stuff. We have some great resale shops around where I live and I’ve managed to find some very useful stuff there. We just had a Jo-ann’s go out of business and they donated all of their left-over fabric to one of the charity resale shops.
I justify a lot of my crafty supply purchases because I make nearly all of my gifts. I have fun doing it, it usually ends up being cheaper, and I know the people I give them to really appreciate them, so it’s all worth it to me. I do do some professional sewing and knitting, but I don’t have much time for that (I’m in college full-time). Even though money is tight for me, my crafting is a priority because it keeps me sane! I think if everyone had a crafty hobby, they would be less stressed overall.
For all of those college crafters- I really recommend checking out your local resale shops- sometimes it takes time to find some good stuff, but it’s worth it when you do!
Money has always been tight for me as a single mother of two so Nothing will change but my first and most influential craft mentor was my grandmother who referred to herself as a “depression baby” having been born during the depression, she had instilled in me not to waste and always used ingenuity in creating crafty projects, on of the first craft projects I remembered crafting was a leopard print floppy dog ash tray that sat on the arm of a chair, the leopard print was from an old coat the ash tray part was a tuna can on it’s back and the stuffing was dried beans and rags, so I learned from example to be thrifty
Not crafting more. I was crafting a lot for years, looking for ways to make more plain items more upscale, to personalize gifts more, to get more bang for the buck for presents, or looking for interesting ways to decorate things/make things stand out for showers/gifts - or cheaper ways of replicating things I saw that I want for my own house.
I did see that last Christmas, my SIL made some things with her daughter - homemade dog biscuits in glass jars decorated with ribbons, and bird ornaments for trees that they gave to family and friends. I really liked seeing that - some of it was from frugality to use up materials they had leftover in the house. I appreciated it, both from their hard work (my dogs LOVED those cookies), and I loved how my neice was spending such great quality time doing something productive with her mom. I hope it continues.
Money is always a bit tight here, what with DH being in business for himself in renovations, and the need to renovate drastically our own home.
What I may be doing now is looking for more frugal sources of materials. Crafting doesn’t necessarily mean cheap when you’re talking things like Swarovski crystals and Japanese ToHo beads :/
Well I’m also going to say that the recession hasn’t affected me personally. I don’t pay a mortgage, and my hours at work haven’t changed since previously. . . and since I work in social welfare (housing for mentally ill adults), the recession is actually bringing more potential clients; we’re actually hiring!
BUT… as of whether I craft more when I’m feeling a pinch. Er. . . not so much. I craft a great deal as it is, but I tend to spend a lot of money on crafts! (Including shipping for my numerous swaps :D) …. I can (and enjoy to) make crafts with no expenditures, but I just can’t resist buying all the new products/cute things/etc.
With the economy in the dumps many people second guess their shopping desires which then breeds a new type of innovation “If I can’t buy it I bet I can make it”. This leads people to become less complacent more creative and hopefully that leads to more recycled and reused materials. After a long time in paper crafting I began to get disgusted by the heaps of paper I had accumulated over the years. So one day I decided to challenge myself to not buy any brand new paper and that became an obsession which is now called http://www.wethepaper.com. You wouldn’t believe the great things you can do with the Yellow Pages or old cereal boxes
I went down this road for the earth and then quickly found out it was just as great on my wallet as it was for the earth. So the economy sucks but it’s these times that if creative enough we can not only survive but also thrive 
I will be crafting more. Though not because of the econmic down turn per say, but just because I have loads of stash to eat at.
The drop in the cashflow in our house has been a little not severe, but now instead of shopping and buying and buying yarn/fabric/supplies. I’m going to use it all up.
I’ve got loads of projects and the stuff to do them. all I need now is the time. I’m a full time working parent of 1, so evenings are my only time and they are usually pretty full.
Though New Years resolution was just to get on with it and say “Oh Well” to the cleaning!
Good luck to all and their efforts.
I figure I saved about $75 by making hand towels and wash cloths by cutting up old bath towels. I had replaced bath towels (on sale and with a 20%-off coupon) that were worn around the edges, but still plenty thick. I cut one in four pieces for hand towels, and I got 6 new washcloths out of another. I made bias strips from scrap fabric and sewed around the edges. They look great and feel plushy. I may even get out my monogrammer.
I’m reconning everything.
I even made my own bedding set so I could save money on buying them. It’s my first year of college, and I’m becoming painfully good at pinching pennies.
I’ve started making my own clothes again, and going to good will every month, buying huge clothes, and making new ones from them. That way, I don’t have to go buy fabric or pay for clothes.
I’ve also started to knit, so we’ll see what I can make from that.
I will definitely be crafting more, swapping ideas with other crafters, and giving homemade gifts, in order to save money, especially since I am now retired, and have the more time.
Definitely yes. Although I’m not very active here on the Craftster forums anymore, I’m still finding ways to reuse and create things rather than buying. For example, instead of buying more shelving for my kitchen’s storage needs, I wrapped aluminum cans with foam mesh cupboard liner and made a honeycomb shelf structure out of them. I also make my own no-sew fleece blankets using cheap/clearance fleece.
here in new zealand welfare benefits were slashed in 1991 and have never been raised again.as a single parent invalids beneficiary im well practiced in living off the dirt on the road.as a political statement art project ive been making things and giving them away to deserving (in my opinion} folks.people with kids get jam or
woolly garments to keep the kids warm.but the real core of my project is the knitted sox.each pair takes around 20 hours work, @ minimum wage thats $250 of labour alone. as i have a textiles degree i figure im worth $25 per hour so im giving people $500 worth of my labour.people like my daughters best friends mother, my ex neighbour whod always help out when my house malfunctioned etc.it makes me feel a bit more powerful.
Oh yes, I am doing more crafting now, because these days I find it hard to throw things out when they show signs of wear. For instance, I re-upholsterd my pot holders and oven mitts rather than buy new ones, and they look better than before! That inspired me to make a t-shirt and jeans oven mitt and pot holder set, which led to an oversized mitt for my large manly roomate and a small foldover potholder for the toaster oven area.
I’m also way into recycling. I made a slipcover for my couch, it was originally (long ago) cream leather. Then I used the seat cushion covers, suede side up (because the cream leather was stained with age) to make a replacement backpack for my seven year old one. It sent my sewing machine to the shop, but the backpack came out great!
Since I have been on a fixed income for almost ten years, these things are not new to me; I am so happy to have my frugal ways become popular, but so sad that our economy made it so!
I find myself using more and more of my fabric reserve, and making things out of supplies that I’ve had lying around for a while. I’m also repairing and re-conning instead of buying things new. My goal is to use up all of the fabric I have stored before I buy anymore!
I’ve always been a crafter/DIY kind of person - it’s the way we were raised. It’s part self-sufficiency, part economy, part being friendly to the environment, and part getting what I actually want instead of only what’s currently available at the stores.
I started doing even more six years ago when I moved from Canada, where everything is available, to Sri Lanka, where very little is (in terms of what I want, that is.) Crafting/DIY is my form of self-defense against local French bread that isn’t at all (French bread is NOT supposed to be sweet, savoury, dense, or have added oil), mayo that sells for $8 or more a bottle, available clothing only for the petite and tiny when I’m neither, and so on. Seriously, a girl’s gotta have a bra that fits, ya know?
Granted, I started doing more early in 2008 in defense against the local economy - we’ve had inflation in excess of 20% per month for well over a year, perhaps two. Now, with decreasing oil prices, some prices are dropping, but certainly not to pre-exorbitant inflation levels. Our eggs that started at Rs.45 per ten rose to a high of Rs.160 per ten, but only dropped to Rs.150 per ten, for example.
But also, like others have mentioned, to me, crafting/DIY is a way of life, a way of reducing my carbon footprint, of making the world a better place any way I can.
I’ve been crafting for the last 15 years and the more skilled I get the more I craft. So it doesnt have to do with the economy that I now do craft more than ever. And I actually doubt that crafting saves money, unfortunately. I am a writer, especially for radioplays but my income from that is quite irregular so I have a stupid little job two or three days a week where I get 8 Euros per hour. So after one hour I could buy a shirt on sale at lets say H&M. Could I cut the pattern, the fabric and then sew a shirt in one hour? No, I couldnt. So - even if you recycle the fabric or got it for free - I dont see that crafting helps you save the money. BUT! crafting creates another, much more precious additional benefit, of course: like quality, uniqueness, independence from the industry, maybe sustainability … and many more.
All that makes it also almost impossible for me to sell my stuff. If i asked a fair price, because I work hard and skilled on my stuff it’d be not only quite expensive, but it’d also reproduce the idea of commerce and rich folks could/would buy all those benefits I mentioned above.
I rather give away my stuff as generously as I can push myself and try to help people to get crafty, too. That is, what I like craftster for: to share ideas and knowledge and when I discovered it I had to get a member and soon I’ll have my 10 first posts complete and then I’ll start uploading tutes (after my 6 week holiday in Brazil, where people are unbelievable crafty).
Right now I’m attempting to do more with what I have and can find laying around. For example, I always make quilts for friends and family for their weddings. This summer I have 7 people getting married, so that’s 7 quilts to whip up. Normally I’d go through some quilt books, find a pattern I liked for each person and go buy fabrics for them. This time, I pulled out my quilt books, siddled up to the internet, and found lots of patterns that use various amounts of scrap fabrics like the “Stacked Coins” pattern. Then I dug through my fabric bins to see what I can make out of scraps I have left over from other quilts I’ve made in the past. So far, I’ve been able to come up with the makings of 2 quilts, and large pieces of 2-3 more (scrap pieces, backings, etc). I’ve also been tricksy in decorating our house. We need curtains, not only to look pretty but to help insulate and save on energy costs. I did my research and it would cost me about $100-150 for my living room, with curtains and rods (and almost as much if I make them myself out of by the yard fabric). But I’ve also been keeping my eyes open in clearance sections of Target/Walmart, etc. I found two huge table cloths, of beautiful, warm fabric for $11 each, that have enough fabric to do each window! They might be plain now, but once I applique them with fabric from my stash, I’ll have custom curtains (with rods) for about $60! I’ve also been letting craftster help me save money, but saving ideas I see here. I keep detailed link folders of items that I know I can make easily and cheaply, or items that I already have the supplies for. Whenever I have a spare moment, I’m whipping something up and putting it away for friends and family for birthdays and holidays. Thanks for helping this crappy economy craftster!
I def craft more when money is tight…it’s a combination of making things myself because it’s cheaper than buying new in most cases, esp if I have suplies left from other projects but also it fills time nicely when I can’t afford to go out as much.
I’ve already done this- I went to a swap meet, looking for fabrics and/or buttons, and i got a green sating sheet set with seven sheets, a bedskirt, two pillowcases, and a sham and comforter for-get this-FIVE BUCKS. You hear me right. 5 dollars for all of that. I think that ALCO and WALMART are the best places to go-they have fabric for the yard for 1.50 PLUS remnats. The economy may be failing, but I am rising!
I have to disagree with the poster who said sewing your own clothes can’t save money, even if the material is free. Sure, I make $9.25 an hour, and I could buy a cheap shirt for that much, though it would probably fall apart soon after, and it would take me more than an hour to sew a shirt myself. But I can’t be working all the time. I can get paid nothing to play computer games, or I can get paid nothing to do something productive, like sew a shirt. So maybe after material costs I only save $5, and it takes 5 hours. My hourly wage is $1 an hour, which seems low, but still more than I’d get out of watching TV for that time.
I still live at home so don’t have household bills, and I am always on a pretty low income (hence living at home) so the recession hasn’t really affected me yet, but I’m still being cautious. I’ve been making clothes for myself for about 2 years now as I never really wanted to pay lots of money for something I could whip up for less than £10, and I think now I’ll be making more, and using stuff from my stash up before buying new fabric, like lots of other people who’ve commented here. I’m also thinking about making my own bath and beauty products using essential oils and waxes etc which I already have but haven’t used. There are some great books on making your own cosmetics out there. I have an etsy shop which weirdly seems to have been getting more custom since the recession started! I do think people turn more towards individual handmade things in times like these because they want to feel they are getting more for their money. I’m also planning to make birthday and Christmas presents this year, which I normally do for my family but am now extending to everyone I know, I stocked up on cards/paper etc in the post Christmas sales and am also reusing wrapping paper which is still in good condition. Asda has really cheap plain white or black t-shirts which I am buying and then customising with offcuts of fabric, and I am getting old clothes off anyone who is throwing them out and reconstructing them. Also I am just about to start redecorating my room and making a sewing room in my attic, so lots of customisation etc will go on there-probably decoupage involving my massive Vogue stash!
I’ve been buying secondhand and recycling or repurposing a lot of things I find there. Also making more stuff to sell on Etsy, which so far hasn’t panned out much… it’s more of a monetary loss than a gain for the nonce. I just can’t resist! Curse you, Etsy, with your siren song of craftiness!
I am saving money by crafting everything I can.
I make gifts for everyone, fix up projects around the house, and find that it really helps suck up all the time I would usually spend going out for entertainment.
I have also had lots of requests from friends and family members to make things for them (as they think it is cheaper), fix things for them, or teach them to make/fix things. So I guess everyone is tightening their belts.
I made an informal pledge to stop buying new craft supplies. Instead I make an effort to use supplies I already have or look to thrift stores for inspiration.
I’ve done more “up-cycling” and revamping of other items. And found my self fixing and mending much more items around the house in a crafty manner. Lately my projects have been revamping promotional canvas bags, using scrap fabric for a quilt top, and an old tshirt quilt top.
I’ve also hosted several “crafternoons” for friends to get together to make crafty gifts (soap and such for the holidays) and will probably host another before mother’s day… and of course Craftster is a big source of inspiration.
Well with my husband in and out of work and our first baby due in 3 weeks-YES I HAVE BEEN A CRAFTING MAD WOMAN!!
I have always been a big supporter of cloth nappies and was so enticed by the cute fitted ones that are available these days. But sadly they are NOT very affordable when money is tight.
So I have been busy sewing away and have now made 5 fitted nappies using free online patterns, old towels and t-shirts that just don’t fit me anymore.
I also designed my own nappy (diaper) stacker and made one out of some fabric which has been lying around for ages as well as making a tonne of toys!
I also find myself being rather creative with meals, cooking in bulk and freezing lots.
Also making simple but yummy meals using cheap items such as tinned tomatoes and lentils (DELICIOUS SOUP!). And there’s no reason to go without dessert! I made a peach crumble last night and all up it cost us AUS$4! And that was with cream! My husband was VERY grateful for that one
Even if our circumstances did change I think I’d still craft my butt off and experiment in the kitchen. It is too much fun!
I am crafting more as it is always been my hobby. I am trying to stretch, save more money by using recycle fabric (for scrapbook) or rework from other items to make new items. I also bought a second-hand sewing machine through Classified advertisements. I would not buy a new craft book unless it is totally some book I wish to own and it is not available at the public library.
DEFINITELY! I find myself substituting less expensive yarns for premium fibers, so on and so forth. I’m also finding myself reconstructing items from thrifted fabrics like vintage linens and old clothing. It’s not only helping our budget but beautifying our ‘new’ home and providinf much needed diversion while my husband is on a deployment.
I crafted an entire theatre production out of recycled materials thanks to the newfound thriftiness of the middle school that I was working with. The show happened to land on Earth day, and it was pretty rockin’. We put on ‘Lily Plants a Garden’ and the kids helped to craft bubble wrap sculptures and plastic bag trees. My pipe cleaner collection came in handy for some awesome wigs, and I made the cast t-shirts myself with my first venture into inkjet iron-ons. It was a task, but the show was excellent!
Ok so I am a newly wed and my husband is the only on working right now to support us. And for a while I have been thinking of starting off a craft/card business and this is my chance, I feel as though God helped me into this he didn’t stop me when I quit my 10-15 hour job and has given me a new feeling of crafts! I love it! And we are saving to move out so a lot of the gifts we give are crafts made by me or by him. It is a lot of work sometimes, especially when we haven’t done something before. We are both still learning. I have for a while made most of our gifts to give, but I think now it is more important than ever in our relationship to save money as a newly wed couple! =]
Yup - I sure I am crafting more! I’ve always scrapbooked and made cards. Then it turned into making Christmas gifts for everyone. Now I’ve entered craft fairs to make a little extra money. I’m also starting to sew my own clothes - how fun!
I love being thrifty about my crafting too however - I freecycle for craft supplies (I’ve met great people and now we regularly get together to swap supplies), go to goodwill to look for cool things to turn into something new (plus if you are looking for CHEAP fabric go find a cool pattern table cloth, sheet, or blanket HUGE amount for around $1-3) I know that probably makes me cheap but when I create something usually for $15 and can find a way to craft the same thing for $4….and still sell for $25-30 then hey, why not? And plus it makes me cool - I’m green! 
Oh yeah.
No job=more time for crafting. No money=more NEED for crafting.
I mean, who can spend $40 on a pretty fancy shower curtain when I can thrift a cool old sheet, add 12 buttonholes across the time, and have a unique and awesome shower curtain? Why would I spend $15 on a new pillow for my couch when I can go through my scraps and piece a new cover for an old one together? It makes sense economically AND keeps me from the blundering depression that is unemployment.
the economy was one of the reasons why i re-started crafting. i do not regret a single stitch!
I’ve always been pretty poor and pretty DIY minded, and this recession isn’t really affecting me as I’m on a disability pension. I am thinking about trying to MAKE some money off crafting, and I live in a busy tourist town with extensive outdoor markets, so I’ve been spending more money than usual on craft supplies LOL! (However, I use a lot of seeds and shells and stuff I find in skips too.)
I find it really exciting that others are crafting more because of the economic downturn. I have this vision of everyone being just that bit more self-reliant. I wonder if it will last?
I’ve always loved sewing and making clothes. I couldn’t find a job this summer so I have no money to spend on new clothes! So I’ve been spending the summer tearing apart old clothes I won’t ever wear again and reconstructing them into something new.
Definitely. A recent example. I bought my daughter a pillow (she’s still in a crib w/ no bedding/pillows/etc) because she loves to “steal” ours. So I was going to buy her a cute pillowcase that would be obviously hers (Dora, Yo Gabba Gabba, etc) But the only ones I could find that didn’t come with an entire sheet set was for High School Musical and Little Miss Sunshine. Which was cute…except it was $8…!
So I decided to get a yard of fabric for $3 and make it myself. Now her little ladybug pillowcase is adorable, WAY cuter, more sentimental, AND cheaper. I didn’t save a fortune or anything, but every little bit helps.
Also I love quilts. But I can’t ever find one I love. Plus they’re expensive. So I’m going to make my own out of scraps I find that I love. It might take a while, but it’ll have so much love put into it INSTEAD of a lot of $$$.
I love being more self-reliant. Learning how to do things myself and not have to pay someone to fix my car, make my own lampshade instead of settling for one in a store, etc.
I’ve been making my own Christmas cards and gifts for the last couple of years. This year I started baking my own bread and shopping more at the local Goodwill and Marshall’s for clothes and household items - it’s amazing what you can find. I just bought some awesome fabric on the clearance rack at Hancock for $4/yd that I’m going to use to re-upholster an ottoman and office chair. I also made good deals at the clearance racks at Lowe’s- the plants may have slowed their blooms, but dead-head certain varieties, give them some fertilizer, and they bounce back twice as nice.
I have to say that with the economy being the way that it is…I have been doing more than ever with my baking supplies and my fabric and sewing machine.. I know that because of things that my mother in law left to me when she passed away in July, that I now have many opportunities to be able to work from my home and still be here for my kids, and not have to send my Daughter to daycare while I work. With the stuff that was left to me that just means that I have less out of pocket that I have to spend on Fabric and other supplies that I didn’t have. I am looking forward to an exciting adventure in Crafting… and being able to make things and not break budget which needless to say will make the hubby VERY HAPPY!
With a new house and my recent firing HECKS YEAH I’m crafting to save money. I have a huge stash I’ve needed to bust and the house seems to be getting a lot of new things. I’m still buying things but I make sure there things I need but I’m about to get a job at a fabric store. My man meat doesnt seem to mind because I’m saving us money and hes getting awesome things. Sadly though this means my new huge craftroom will be a little bare for awhile
Yes, I love to sew and alwasy have, am now alot more aware about what I spend my money on though. My friends and I have started a hand me down line for the kids clothing which is great and there are four in the line which seems to be the natural life of clothes so far
I cant knit, something I am determined to change and therefore will be makeing more of the kids sweaters and hats myself. I have turned my passion into my work from home project and have started making recycled/upcycled fabric bags out of old clothes. Each bag is unique and I love carrying them. I know other people who are making their own cards and selling those as well. I love that we are all doing something we love and finding ways to make some money out of it as well. YeaH!!!!
aliza @ http://www.seamsoeasy.com
Don’t buy what you can make yourself. That seems to be my motto these days. I tend to save the most by making gifts for people, rather than buying. $5 and a little time can make a pretty impressive birthday gift! I’ve also taken to using fabric scraps or upcycling old things to make throw pillows and such to spruce up the home decor, rather than running out to buy new drapes and new throw pillows. I’ve also been making some of the kid’s clothing. It is much cheaper to make the cute matching outfits than buy them.
I definitely am doing more crafting. I’m getting married next summer and we are crafting alot of it(we would either way actually), but as the weather is getting colder I am going to be forced to make alot of draft blockers, mittens, blankets and scarves in order to cut down the heating bill for my house, my friends and my family.
Originally I crafted because I didn’t have much money, and this year is the same. There is no way I could afford to get to school and buy my books if I was buying christmas gifts too, so my fiance and I are crafting alot of gifts: food, accessories, liqueurs, you name it. The thrift store is going to be my best friend when it comes to getting supplies to make mittens(cutting and sewing old sweaters), I’ve signed up at the craft stores to receive coupons, and I’ve been on craftster more than usual to find ideas for everyday and for the wedding.
When we get married we’re going to be crafting like hell to get our nest ready for the winter and to just make it hospitable.
Over the past 7(?) years since I joined Craftster, I have been doing more and more crafting, just because I am always challenged, inspired or in a swap.
Living in Montana, the impact of the economy hasn’t been nearly as severe as other places. However, there have still been changes. The result for me has been changing how I think about crafting and apply my skills. I have been trying a lot harder to improve the skills I have and craft with the supplies I already have. When I do go supply shopping, I treat it like grocery shopping…hit sales and don’t deviate from the list.
Now we have Christmas and baby on the way, so I am trying new, practical crafts. I have been thinking of trying things like homemade laundry detergent.
There are some family members that are impossible to craft for, and some things I can’t make. In those cases, I have been focusing on buying local and handmade goods. I have already bought a few gifts off Etsy.
Because of the economy (and all that), I was part of a 75% staff reduction. So I’ve been laid off for a few months now, reduced income, increased time. To keep myself busy, I’ve reestablished my love affair with crafting. It’s helped me realize what I really want to do in life, which I’ve always had a problem deciding. I know I’ll go back to work eventually, but for now, I’m really happy and producing lots of items that I’m really proud of. I no longer go on shopping sprees to make myself feel better about my daily/work life and I really appreciate the items that I make. Instead of buying multiple purses or scarves or shirts, I look at what I have first. Crafting has benefited me in so many ways in what started as a difficult time in my life.
Absolutely!!!!! Crafting is the way to save money, and to entertain myself. I have found that this recession is good for something. I have found that I have a craft “gene” that I thought only my mother possesed. I love making stuff from other stuff and having my friends and family compliment the final product. My husband is getting into it too, only he still needs to get that he can make alot of new stuff from the old stuff he has around the house he has spent a small fortune on his craft but he has found a love for it so that’s not all bad right? One of these days I’m going to take pic’s of his craftiness and post to the craftster. I love this place!!!!! I am always inspired when I come here, and I come here OFTEN!!!