For those that want to make your own costumes instead of modifying what you purchase at Goodwill you could try looking at JoAnn’s Fabrics.\u00a0 Be warned though, she’s a bit clingy.<\/p>\n
Part of my start up costs included all the incidentals for running my sewing machine and creating other items I might need.\u00a0 Extra needles, thread, patterns, etc.\u00a0 None of which should come as a surprise.\u00a0 If you get started in this hobby thinking you can get things done with just the manufacturer included items then you more help than this blog can give you.\u00a0 Some of these “incidentals” hardly have an incidental cost.\u00a0 The self healing cutting mat ran about $40 and I needed to buy a second to cover the entire card table I use for measuring my fabrics.\u00a0 Of course you’re certainly welcome to run your blades over your table and mar the shit out of it but why not do things right?<\/p>\n
As I have already mentioned, I wanted to cut costs but clearly wasn’t very good at it.\u00a0 One thing I did do to keep costs down as much as possible was to sign up for JoAnn’s mailing list.\u00a0 They mail you coupons about2 or 3 times every hour it seems.\u00a0 Most of which, you’ll want to keep around.\u00a0 You’ll frequently get 40% off of a regular priced item, that includes a single cut of fabric, and 25% your entire purchase.\u00a0 The fun of this is that these coupons stack.\u00a0 Remember, you get plenty of them.\u00a0 Check the dates because they will send some out well before they are active.\u00a0 Also check the bar codes to make sure you’re not trying to use the same one multiple times, and I have yet to see any of them repeat.\u00a0 While the 40% or 50% off coupons will not work for sale items, the 25% off coupons do.\u00a0 As I said, they stack also.\u00a0 If you’ve got five 40% off coupons and a 25% off total purchase coupon, you can use them all.\u00a0 An added bonus is that the coupons will automatically discount the highest priced item it can.\u00a0 Just about anywhere else you go the exact opposite is true.\u00a0 How cool is that?\u00a0 I’ve walked in and purchased $110 worth of items and fabric and paid only $65.\u00a0 Not too shabby.<\/p>\n
Why is this important?\u00a0 Now the following may not apply to everybody.\u00a0 But sewing is addictive!\u00a0 The more that I do the more that I want to do.\u00a0 And all of it is practice.\u00a0 Where I first started out doing something simple to become familiar with the machine I have now gotten to the point that I can make some pretty decent clothing pretty quickly.\u00a0 I muddled through a quick and dirty swag bag and then progressed to some novelty vests.\u00a0 The first two vests took about 4 days to complete.\u00a0 The second two vests took 1 day.\u00a0 On top of that, the second set I modified the designs so that they are reversible.\u00a0 My first swag bag was basic to the point of laughable, the second two were badass creations of my own doing!\u00a0 I took an idea and ran with it.\u00a0 No patterns, just a concept and some quick references.\u00a0 Needless to say this has fueled my desire to sew and that has fueled more fabric purchases than I would care to admit.<\/p>\n
As I’ve said before, PRACTICE!\u00a0 These are the tools of your new trade, or hobby at least.\u00a0 Get some time behind the wheel and make sure you’re comfortable with it.\u00a0 Yeah, I still have a lot to learn but I never expected to have everything down in the first couple of months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"