I Love crafting! How can I do it for less?

I Love crafting! How can I do it for less?
(picture is a scan of fabric from my stash bin)

#1. Rethink what you have. Approach with the glass is half full attitude.

#2. Swap supplies with friends. Beg, borrow and steal – ok don’t steal. Chances are your friends have a tool you need to use and vice a versa. Are you overloaded on pink ribbon and you really need chipbaord letters? Ask around on craft or art forums, message boards, twitter, facebook or myspace for anyone who might be interested in a swap. If you live near crafty friends host a swap party where everyone can bring items they want to swap.

#3. Co-op purchase large or expensive tools with a creative friend.

#4. Use coupons! Use the coupons from craft stores that are found in the newspaper. If you don’t get the paper, ask a neighbor to save them for you. Sign up for a sale flyer via email. The stores will email you when they have a coupon and you print at home. Jo-Ann Fabrics does this.

#5 Learn new stitches. If your yarn stash is low and your budget lower, work on learning new stitches.

#6. Break it and remake it. Reconstruct old or outdated jewelry into new pieces by breaking them apart and restringing.

#7. Use textile medium to create your won fabric paints. You can turn an entire rack of acrylic paint or 1/2 a bottle of acrylic paint into fabric paint by just adding a little textile medium to the mix.

#8. Re-cycle, re-purpose…..re-create. Remake something around your house or closet. A fresh coat of paint, a little Mod Podge or the addition a ribbon trim are quick and easy ways to creatively update items you already have.

#9. Finish a project that you have started. Before you begin something new…finish what you started.

#10. Make it small, work on smaller projects. Yes, it can be as easy as that…use scraps of fabric to create smaller sewing projects, make flowers and trims with scrap yarn, work on earrings and pendants instead of that necklace that requires 17 large beads.