Where to Buy Linen and Other Supplies

I haven't tried this yet, but you might look at your local fabric store for linen.  Another suggestion I've read if you have to be really frugal (as I do) is to buy an inexpensive canvas or linen apron at the craft store, wash out the sizing, and cut to a usable size.

As for other baking supplies, almost every town has a restaurant supply store.  You can find inexpensive Cambro containers for dough rising, peels, etc.  They may not be as pretty and fancy as some on websites, but they are generally less expensive and no postage to pay.  I buy ingredients inexpensively in bulk at Costco or our town's version of Smart and Final (geared toward restaurants). 

There are some websites that have very reasonable prices. SFBI.com (San Francisco Baking Institute) has very reasonable prices on bannetons.  So does Breadtopia.com, but watch the shipping charges with mail order places--it adds up! 

I do a lot of hunting on eBay.  I got a clay baker there for about half the price as La Cloche.  Not as fancy, but works fine. 

And you'll never know what you can find at a thrift store if you go with an open mind and a keen eye.  I found a very nice bread slicing guide, my first clay baker (I carelessly broke it many months later), and I'm still kicking myself for not getting a new looking electric knife for $5 that would have been perfect for slicing bread.  I also got this deep enamel turkey roaster that I use as a cloche for longer breads.  Great finds. 

"Breaking the bank" means different things to different people (and I get deep satisfaction from working with high quality, well made tools), but may I suggest TMB Baking (http://www.tmbbaking.com/)?  I am not affiliated with them in any way except being a satisfied customer.  They are very service oriented and provide good quality wares at what I would describe as "fair"  prices.

Hope this helps.

linen from WAL-MART.  It is available from many other places as well.  I used "pinking?" shears to cut into rectangles of sizes I wanted.  My wife then ran a narrow zig-zag stitch around all the edges to keep them from fraying past the stitching.  I have used them for a couple of months now without any complaints. 

I did not launder the cloth at all, but we ironed it before working on it.  I now wish we had run them through a cool dryer cycle after all the cutting and stitching was done because the very small threads around the "pinked" edges are only now, after many uses, finishing coming loose and spreading around my work area!  I think a good toss in the dryer would have helped clear that all up sooner.  Otherwise, I am very pleased with my proofing clothes, and only invested $5.50 and a little bit of time.

It was not my original idea, but one of the early values I found here on TFL.  Thanks to all of you that contribute!

OldWoodenSpoon