My Sewing Supply Thrift Haul ~ Amazing Goodwill Sewing Treasures 

I thrift to find wool sweaters to unravel and use as yarn. To buy new, wool to make a sweater would cost upwards of 35 to 100 dollars. 7.99, especially if it's cashmere, is a great deal

I have been using super soft blankets on the backs of my quilts for years. I made the mistake of saying it in front of an "undercover officer with the quilt police". She informed me that I couldn't do that. I looked her square in the eyes and told her but I have!" She was appalled, but I told her that my grandbabies love them. And they do! I have made them each several quilts as they have grown and heaven forbid if someone uses their quilt without permission. You will love being a grandma! We have been blessed so far with five grandchildren and they are each truly a blessing.

I donated my sewing supplies to the local community college. They had a fabric library for unmonied students. The director came to my house and made 3 trips with a truck. She was thrilled to have so much. I moved to Puerto Rico and just couldn't move it all.

For those of you wanting to donate good fabric, look in your area for a quilt guild and quilting clubs. Most of these groups sew for charity and would love to take the fabric or would know who would take it. I belong to a group, Binky Patrol, we make crib quilts for women’s shelters and children’s hospitals and generally any place that asks us for a donation. We have fabric donated to us and we always appreciate it.

My best sewing related Goodwill haul was a Janome MemoryCraft sewing machine. It was in great physical condition, but wouldn’t turn on. There’s 3 things that would cause this: A bad power cord, a bad mother board, or a bad fuse. Goodwill lets us return electronics within 7 days if it doesn’t work, so I wasn’t worried about the mother board. I already had a Janome, so I tested it with my cord, no go. Went to a sewing machine shop, bought 2 fuses for $10, and BINGO! I paid $13.99 for the machine (minus 25% on senior day), $10 for the fuses. For less than $25, I have a machine that I checked on ebay, and it was selling for $800+! No, didn’t sell it. I’ve still got it!

You're right goodwill prices are way too high.I used to love to shop in the store .But now some stuff you can buy new for what their used stuff is priced.

The best thrift store hauls - to me - are sewing machines. I've bought vintage machines for $15-$20 that are the BEST machines I've ever used. For example, a 1970s Kenmore 158.1774 with a 1.2 amp motor that will kick any modern machine to the curb and it cost only $14.99. Even if you like modern, computerized machines, having a solid mechanical like this can do a lot of your heavy duty sewing. Usually all they need are DIY cleaning and oiling to work perfectly, even after all these years.

Being a serial thrifter is my lifes mission, with that said I refuse to shop at over priced chain "thrift " stores. I enjoy spending my blessings at smaller nonprofit local stores, prices are more often reasonable & you get to help local causes, a win-win any day! Thanks for sharing your outings & happy thrifting!♡ Health & Prosperity 🌻

That retro sewing plastic container may not be worth $12.99 but I have my mom’s. She’s been gone 52 years and hard telling how long she had it. Besides, in the one you showed, it had a lot of notions, especially zippers. One can’t buy zippers very cheap now. I recently bought a sewing machine from a gal whose mom passed plus all her notions too. It had tons of zippers and bias on it. Wow! I felt I hit a gold mine because I like making cosmetic purses. Also, I saw a shadow box made w all antique sewing items in it which are in boxes like you didn’t get. However, I do enjoy your videos, especially your “hack” ones.

It's fun to go thrifting virtually! Thanks for the ride!

You found some great deals. I LOVE Thrifting. A friend of mine gave me an excellent idea if Puzzle pieces are missing. She cuts the piece out of the font box picture and it is an amazing match. I couldn't tell the difference.

An idea for that quilted puzzle that’s missing pieces. You could totally still finish the puzzle, I would actually exclude more pieces and fill the missing pieces in with some of your favorite fabric. A little artsy twist lol

Fleece is an awesome quilt backing. My young grand daughter suggested I use that when I was making some child sized quilts for the children's hospital!

Some thrift chain store insider tips: --Often folks gripe at SA high prices. As explained below, they have strict biz ops laws, and all SA store pkgd items (anything they seal/tie in plastic) are (by-law) professionally hygenically cleaned before selling. --Multi-ball yarn baggies are also prof'ly cleaned and checked for quality before sale, hence the per-item higher cost than GW stores. --Small ~$15 sewing machines (5"×7" base x 9"tall approx) are "Crafter's sewing machines" - for paper and light fabric stitchery or tiny mending - and can include rev stitch, 2 speeds, 1 zigzag, button accy, an 'arm', clear bobbin cover, twist on/off light, accys drawer, or tools/notions kits. --Large cones of ~$4 fibres are meant for loom weaving artisans. --Both SA & GW offer daily price tag color discounts, wkly Sr discoun day, and wkly half-off day. --A knit/crochet hint: buy a lush sweater fiber, launder it, disassemble it into skeins - it's already preshrunk, and a great price. --Same for leather/fur crafting. --Note prices: handbags ~$8, beach totes ~$3, beaded clutches ~$3-7, leather wallets/shoes btwn ~$1-$12, leather/pleather folios & 7-ring day planners ~$1-10. --SA cleans all shelves weekly, entire store monthly, date stamps all items, price-tags per brand label not item condition, rotates inventory in cycles till their internal expy date. (This is because SA stores are a 'ministry' extension, unlike Goodwill who run stores with intent to provide hired in-need staff life/recovery/job skills, with GW prices, inventory through put, store tidyness varying btwn stores. --if you tire of vtg covered glass pedestal bowls, consider selling it on ebay, etsy, etc. Round were vtg candy/preserves and square are wedding cake 'caskets' (for the bride & groom's First Slice. Internet offers loads of pattern + history (ex., the 'Manhattan' pattern tilted-pitcher can be seen on the farm table in 1953 War Of The Worlds movie clip (on youtube). ABC (Amer Brilliant Cut) and EAPG (Early Amer Pressed Glass), glo-glass, Pyrex bowls, etc are extremely desired. --Ask or notice if your thrift chain keeps donations at the donated location or routes them to main distribs. Also look for name label brand stores' overstock donations or stale season items, to avoid paying full price. --Denims, beads, other decor/trims are sometimes better priced at thrifts than stores - and vintage are a great find! --Lastly, expy dates on SA inventory get pulled and sold overseas, at bid, to be refurbished, refreshed, and reprocessed into new fiber for new garments, unlike GW. --GW staff work very hard to give in-need staff productive lives. They may frustrate more easily, or seem shy or nonverbsl - it's because they receive/need abundant/special needs attn, care, and training. SA staff are hired as store staff with high learning skills and mgr's instruction grasp. For those of us who have spent decades caring for special care humans, it takes many of them great courage and focus to work at these high-pace, busy stores. Let's be sure to express our appreciation to them - and even moreso now, as CV19 lockdown ebbs and laws & rules remain stringent and heavily monitored. --At both chains, estate or repo divestments also have rules-to-clean and so-label before selling.

My daughter-in-law found a gorgeous wedding gown at a goodwill for 75.00! I couldn’t find anything wrong with it. It was heavily beaded and came with a veil and a coat. It fit her like a glove!

To add to my comment there is a Salvation Army store (Family store) in Christchurch that is very pricey, and they wont negotiate the price either. Yet there is one in Mosgiel (NZ) and they are willing to help those in need, after all isnt that who these shops are aimed at. I do like to fossick around in these shops, I figure even if I am not in need the money I spend hopefully will help someone with their needs. However it really doesn't help anyone if the prices are too high.

I loved this video and can’t wait for the next thrift store haul 💕 Thank you for your commentary which I found useful.

Omg, the “tackle box” sewing kit! I inherited my moms from the 1970’s and after several years dropped it and it cracked. It held so much stuff! I finally stumbled across another also at a good will and grabbed it up! Handy!

Living vicariously through your thrifting!

I used to do string and wire art all the time, they come out amazing.

Thank You VERY MUCH for sharing and showing this video!!!! 🌻

i love doing string art, every one is always different

We have a thrift store in my town that has 50 percent off on Mondays and Thursdays. Regularly they can be bit pricey. I go on the half off days and I always find bags of fabric, new zippers, pkgs of binding, cross stitch hoops, and yarn. Goodwill was a lifesaver when my daughter was a baby. They would often have brand new clothing or gently used from 99 cents to 4.99 a piece. 4.99 was for coats or snow suits. They receive overstock from carters and target. I have grown to appreciate thrift stores now as an adult.

I had was working in Ohio for a year back in 2016 and the church that I attended had a women's group that did crafting once a month. We did a string art project one month. It was very easy and the end result was beautiful.

Years ago I picked up white sheets from a goodwill they must of been from a hotel or something like that, they were thick and durable. We still use all 10 of them that I picked up

Thank you, Tracy! This was a great tour through the thrift stores.😊

Those tan blanket type that your kids love are great for making weighted blankets, especially since they come in different thicknesses. I also use them for batting & backing in quilts.

Unless the puzzle is too old the company sometimes offer replacement pieces . Worth checking. its lovely. Thank you that was a fun video

I went to a yard sale once and found a yellow wooden silverware holder like you would use for a picnic. I paid $.10 for it, and keep scissors, small metal hem measure, erasable pens for fabric and many other sewing items. I could use the folding handle to carry from one machine to another. It has been in use for about 25 years and only cost me $.10. What a bargain.

Love the channel! Never understood why thrift stores ask so much for their fabric scraps, but sometimes those dice are worth rolling especially for vintage lace which is crazy expensive everywhere else. Thanks validating my own shopping opinions. I totally agree with your pricing comments.

There are some thrift stores that think their items are made of gold but when you look closely it is all junk. I pass by them and remember for the next time I go there. I have found quite a bit of sewing supplies at estate sales which is where I love to shop for this stuff. You have a great day

My daughter made her own string art a few years ago. Our local Walmart only had deer! She got a board and then went to hardware and got some nails.

My goodwill an hour drive from me had a bag of cloth pieces, that looked like apron panels for $6. I got it and pieced together enough aprons to make 12. Only 2 had different straps as they were cut off from the panel. I sell at craft fairs, so this was a great deal for me.

I use the bridal gowns for making demise layettes to donate to hospital NICUs. I usually don’t spend more than $20. though.

Hold your head high! Thrifting is so eco friendly😍

My Goodwill doesn't have such lovely treasures. Maybe I need to revist. Thanks for your ideas. 💜👍

Awesome!!!! I enjoyed shopping with you Tracy!!😆😀

I have that tackle box. A gift from my son. I love it. It came empty but I soon filled it up.

I love these “Haul” videos. Great finds to show others. Thank you.

Hi Tracy-this was my first video from TSC and I laughed my head off at your comments. They were definitely spot on. $11.99 was waaay too much for the throw blanket. I thrift a lot and really enjoy. The reason I laughed so much was because I would say the same thing and, nowadays with my mask on, I tend to say them out loud as if the mask keeps other people from hearing what I’m saying😂. Oops sorry I’ve been home alone too long! Oh, and since I just used an emoji, the screaming emoji for overpriced items was hilarious.

You can get spray paint in really fun colours for the drawer units

I’ve found terrific items at Out of the Closet. The money goes to AIDS care and research. Amazing prices and items that seem unused.

I'm a serial thrifter, too! I love to purchase clothing and use the fabric to make bags, bibs, pouches, etc. A tip for future reference, the puzzle piece count is approximate, not exact. It's possible the puzzle you bought had all its pieces.

One thing I always buy at thrift stores and yard sales are old quilt blocks that never got made into a quilt. The @ 10" square ones are perfect for making bowl cozies, and the results make it look like I spent a lot more time on them than I did. I found some gorgeous round pieced "Dresden Plate" design with fabrics from 1920s that I plan to use as appliques on a jacket. When I find them, they are usually very cheap, like $2 for a stack of them. Sadly, many of these get thrown out because they aren't completed.

It really use to be fun to browse in my local Goodwill. About the time that they left their non-profit status behind, prices climbed and the good donations slowed. So many things do not sell. Last time I went they were selling used tee shirts, totally plain, for 3.99. The Walmart across the street sells the same thing, but new, for a dollar more.

I use sheer draperies to make vegetable/fruit bags for the market, so I don't use plastic bags.

I use the broken jigsaw puzzles for paper crafting. The pieces add dimension and color instead of using buttons. I sort the pieces by color. Tina

Great finds

Awesome. I will make some of these.

Just found your videos, amazing. Wish we had a dollar tree in UK. I am now going to work my way through all of them! So much to learn as I'm new to quilting. Brenda in Somerset UK

I buy tons of puzzles from thrift stores, and hardly ever have a missing piece!

The thrift store is my favorite place to find sewing tools!

I think that tackle box WAS worth the price. Zippers are outrageously expensive right now and there was a good dozen in the bottom of that... and spare thread is always a good thing to have.

My husband used to do string art. He only intended to make one for me but he was inundated by neighbours and family and friends we reckon he actually made over 100 of them.

That was so much fun.....especially your ideas for usage. I agree with you on some of the pricing......the yarn, felt and scraps.....way too much money.

I like to look for bowls for notions. I would have grabbed that last sewing box because I use zippers and they are expensive here in Australia 🇦🇺

I've seen many good sewing machines in our Value Village, lots for 25.00, and some are not terribly old and Janomes. I got a serger for 12.00.

I Found a beautiful wedding dress today with lots of lace and appliqué at a Ggod Will for $29.99! I was shocked and of course it came home with me!

Some of the glassware make beautiful pin holders

Prices have gotten so bad in our Goodwill that I won’t go there anymore. I now donate to another local thrift shop that gives a percentage to two of our local schools.

Thanks for sharing, I like the first rocking chair

The wedding dresses? Goodwill has districts with centers storage locations. They group like things together then ship them to one location. The things in your Goodwill don’t come just from your town. This info was given to me from someone who knew the ins and out if Goodwill business practice. Goodwill does not give the profit to those in need, they just employ people in need of a job. I don’ know where the profit goes but I think I will start trying to find out. I have started donating clothes and other items to a group in my town that GIVES clothing to people that need it.they also take household goods that are given to people to people also.

MY gosh I'm on the edge of my seat watching you thrift!

Ohhhh I loved the vintage sewing box!,

those plush vinyl backed table cloths, if u can find plad or striped ones they are great for blocking croched afghans and such, the lines help u get it perfectly straight on all sizes if u get plaid ones. I just love then, i lay them on the bed and block my large crochet items to block so I get them straight, so my bed doesnt get damp from the steamer, and so it all comes out straight

Just hit 5 thrift stores in my area yesterday. Prices too high for mostly junk. Got a few fair deals in each store. One stuffed animal I gave offer on. Love thriftys. I do try to avoid Goodwill. Never donate to them. They pay themselves way too much. It's a scam.

Quick PSA puzzles saying they are a thousand or 300 pieces is just a rough estimate. When they expand the image to fit the pieces they don't tell you the exact piece number 😊

That sewing machine was definitely overpriced. I purchased a heavy-duty singer for $150 and the case was $20 at JoAnn Fabrics.

it was fun to do virtual shopping with you!

I used to work for the salvation. Army, and their stuff is always over priced. That's probably why everyone runs over to the goodwill. They are always reasonably priced, and I can always stretch my dollar.

In Texas, Tuesday at Goodwill is señor day with 30% off. That is the only time I go to Goodwill.

I’ve done string art and I loved it

I thought the bags said "mistrial" at first. It's a material world though! I agreed with all your choices and decisions to pass on prices. Too much. Sometimes you just wonder who gets to decide what they price things for. Good luck on finding a high chair for that new grand child and hope you fill up that brag book with sweet pictures!

My husband did a sail boat string art and he was in high school he still as it and it is about 38 years old going to pass it on to our son.

You gave me an idea about using soft blankets as a quilt batting.

They spelled “material” wrong 🤦🏻‍♀️ They also put the 3 in front of the .99. That’s probably just price tags to save time in pricing I guess🤷🏻‍♀️☺️ Love your videos Tracy. 🤗❤️👍🏻. Thank you for sharing your time with us and taking us along with you thrifting 😉🤗❤️👍🏻. Love it🤗🤗

I have that Singer sewing machine. I bought it at Walmart almost 30 years ago for probably $150. It is a Singer 1120.

I gave about 120. For my machine like that and another 40 for the case about 20yrs ago no even kidding. I still use it and it's a really good sewing machine

We did string art in my geometry class.

Oh my god, that quilt puzzle is soo cute. Such a pity that two pieces are missing :( Great finds! 👍🏻 Looking forward to our second hand/thrift shops reopening hopefully soon! Regards from Germany Stephanie

I found a beautiful, almost new Tommy Hilfiger pinstripe sheet with tiny whales. That’s a lot of fabric which will become pyjamas and a sundress.

To take that yellowish tone from that craft drawers mix 40 vol paroxide and baking soda , make a paste and apply to anything yellowish leave for 15 to 20 min and remove with a cloth or rinse it!

I would make a cover for it then use for crochet projects or sewing for that matter !

Your thrift store has 1/2 the price of ours! Think you are so lucky!

Ikea brackets are the absolute best for hanging curtain rods. They are cheap and so sturdy

U have a good eye for “overpriced”. I never buy appliances from thrift stores, I been burned too many times.

I got a Singer machine at a yard sale for $15. Took it to a sewing machine place that tunes up machines for $69,00 and machine good as new.

Re: the used sweater for 7.99, I think all the tops at Goodwill tend to be 7.99 now. I picked up a couple of sleeveless ones last summer for that price.

As you walked into the Salvation Army store there was a sign advertising clothes items for $1. I wish you had talked more about that.

At are salv army rummage sales get cotton scrubs top and cut them up for quilting\sewing.

Dollar tree has flannel backed table cloths

Some really great ideas Tracy! And those yellowed dingy drawers can be spray painted or covered with contact paper for anyone who runs into that issue,I mean those brand new are not cheep!

I find goodwill is not cheep. Used items that are only a few dollars cheaper than buying them new.

*_💥ALL of my thrift videos in one place- click here:💛 _**_ru-vid.com/group/PLZjN5JtxJR57QgHefJGEEJVBkzFJd_oLZ_*

That basket was a good find. The people in the Goodwill store price the items, so you may find some GW are cheaper. The Salvation Army has the main store priced and sent to area SA stores. I worked for both stores. The SA has better prices, on Wednesday there is wacky Wendsday, all clothing half price. It very crowded there. On Thursday, senior day, so take your senior friend and take advantage of the discount. I especially like the way you think of repurposing some items. Years ago, there were ladies that would buy prom dresses and cut them up for doll clothes. That was hard for me to imagine. cutting up a gorgeous outfit.

Such a delightful vlog post. I, too, love to thrift and estate sale. I've found some of my favorite "notions" while at estate sales - tools that are no longer made. We have wonderful thrift stores (western Oregon) but they get "picked" fast with eBay pickers - which is totally great until I want to find something. Your stores (especially the sewing machine price and variety) are so rich with finds! What part of the country do you reside?

Amazing vidieo 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍

Lol some one added the 3 to the printed 99 cent tag. I lov my little second hand store they have 1.00 clothing and the craft items are Great prices... I bought 2 sewing machines one for 30 and one for 25 lov them both

The last few times I have gone to a local Goodwill, the prices have been near retail. In fact, a purse was priced at $30. I checked online and retail was $26.

Just so you know, puzzles don't always have the exact number of pieces listed on the box. I've counted several over the years and some have more, and some have less. The only way to know if you have all of the pieces is to put them together, especially if they have odd-shaped, irregular pieces.