household items used for quilting
07-02-2014, 07:34 AM
#82
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Arkansas Ozarks
Posts: 425
Wow, those are awesome tips.
I use a large coffee cup near my machine to catch snips and threads,
a old flower vase on the table I cut on for the same thing,
Corelle plates and bowls and cups for cutting circles, since they don't dull my cutter,
sharpies to hide boo-boos,
old tupperware to store sewing gadgets,
cheap baggies to store cutting templates,
freezer paper for appliqué,
a kid's plastic pencil box to store my rotary cutter and extra blades in
A plastic box type embroidery floss organizer to keep track of extra machine feet
an inside glazed flower pot to hold cones of thread while using them with my DSM
An old beeswax candle for drawing my hand sewing thread through
Two office desk organizers for my small tools, bobbins, forceps, etc.
a hanging key holder on the wall above my ironing board to hold small scissors for snips while pressing, and a small bottle of distilled water for misting while ironing
a clipboard hung over my sewing table to hold patterns where I can see them and they don't get buried that way.
A desk fan that I clip near me while sewing to keep me cool
binder clips for holding the binding in place as I hand sew
a canning jar to hold my supply of safety pins for when I am pinning a quilt.
three old dressers for storing some of my fabric
A rubber eraser for pulling all the threads with I "frog sew" (rippit, rippit)
A bamboo spatula to hold creases while they cool while ironing
Gallon zipper plastic bags to keep things organized as I cut pieces for a quilt
extra paint brushes to keep the lint out of my sewing machine.
color books for applique
I could go on and on, but I will leave room for other's ideas.
a old flower vase on the table I cut on for the same thing,
Corelle plates and bowls and cups for cutting circles, since they don't dull my cutter,
sharpies to hide boo-boos,
old tupperware to store sewing gadgets,
cheap baggies to store cutting templates,
freezer paper for appliqué,
a kid's plastic pencil box to store my rotary cutter and extra blades in
A plastic box type embroidery floss organizer to keep track of extra machine feet
an inside glazed flower pot to hold cones of thread while using them with my DSM
An old beeswax candle for drawing my hand sewing thread through
Two office desk organizers for my small tools, bobbins, forceps, etc.
a hanging key holder on the wall above my ironing board to hold small scissors for snips while pressing, and a small bottle of distilled water for misting while ironing
a clipboard hung over my sewing table to hold patterns where I can see them and they don't get buried that way.
A desk fan that I clip near me while sewing to keep me cool
binder clips for holding the binding in place as I hand sew
a canning jar to hold my supply of safety pins for when I am pinning a quilt.
three old dressers for storing some of my fabric
A rubber eraser for pulling all the threads with I "frog sew" (rippit, rippit)
A bamboo spatula to hold creases while they cool while ironing
Gallon zipper plastic bags to keep things organized as I cut pieces for a quilt
extra paint brushes to keep the lint out of my sewing machine.
color books for applique
I could go on and on, but I will leave room for other's ideas.
07-02-2014, 08:05 AM
#83
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 955
I store all of my rulers on peg board and sometimes it is really hard to find the end of the little PEG to put thru the ruler hole. So I use reinforcement labels (1/4" diameter) used for repairing broken holes on notebook paper. I just put them on the hole on ruler. Now I have something to AIM at for the peg.. I also use those labels for keeping the raw ends of thread from coming off the spool. Works good for the bobbins too! They are cheap and you get over 500 to a package. Great tips everybody! Thanks!
07-02-2014, 09:07 AM
#86
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,667
Great ideas! This morning I read:
Use Silk Organza for a press cloth. It's see-through and can tolerate high heat, also if you pink the edges it won't fray. I ordered a yard from eBay because I didn't see any at Jo-Ann's search.
I use shelf liner under my machine and under my foot pedal.
I use a mouse pad beside my machine to rest my purple thang, nippers, etc. so they don't slide away. I use another one on the table next to it for a coaster, very absorbent and doesn't slide. I used to get thick black ones at Wal-Mart cheap, and have had them for years.
I have a flexible light that has a magnet at the base, I put it in a magnetic bowl, then I can move it around to where I need it (ironing board, sewing machine, cutting table) and can also throw pins in the bowl. It's a heavy stainless bowl bought from Harbor Freight.
I also bought 36 In. Pickup And Reach Tool From Harbor Freight, works great for picking up stuff that fell under my sewing counter or behind my - way to heavy to move, metal - desk, it's hard to retrieve stuff there. I was looking for a picture and see it's only $1.99 today! http://www.harborfreight.com/househo...ool-94870.html
Use Silk Organza for a press cloth. It's see-through and can tolerate high heat, also if you pink the edges it won't fray. I ordered a yard from eBay because I didn't see any at Jo-Ann's search.
I use shelf liner under my machine and under my foot pedal.
I use a mouse pad beside my machine to rest my purple thang, nippers, etc. so they don't slide away. I use another one on the table next to it for a coaster, very absorbent and doesn't slide. I used to get thick black ones at Wal-Mart cheap, and have had them for years.
I have a flexible light that has a magnet at the base, I put it in a magnetic bowl, then I can move it around to where I need it (ironing board, sewing machine, cutting table) and can also throw pins in the bowl. It's a heavy stainless bowl bought from Harbor Freight.
I also bought 36 In. Pickup And Reach Tool From Harbor Freight, works great for picking up stuff that fell under my sewing counter or behind my - way to heavy to move, metal - desk, it's hard to retrieve stuff there. I was looking for a picture and see it's only $1.99 today! http://www.harborfreight.com/househo...ool-94870.html
07-02-2014, 02:24 PM
#89
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 1,216
I use drawer silverware organizers for my sewing desk organization, hanging round shoe storage holders for holding stabilizers (the inside area for Fat quarters) 2 1/2 Gallon size clear bags from Walmart for storing projects or blocks to be done, Clean Pizza Boxes for blocks also, orange cuticle stick for holding fabrics when sewing seams, paper towel holder holding binding and appliqué bias strips, plastic from Bacon used to aid In Paper piecing instead of card stock, cut plastic tubing for keeping thread on bobbins, also use the mini hair bands for holding threads on bobbins and also around Pantographs for quilting, different size plates for circles and rounded corners on placemats and table runners, bathtub handle for sticking to rulers to aid in cutting from Lowe's 8.00.
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