lisalovesquilting

Hi all, I have to give a short presentation at a guild meeting about household items that can be used for quilting. I'm hoping that you all will tell me things that you use, especially things that can be used instead of a more expensive quilting gadget or tool. Thanks

Diannia

Hair barretts that "click" open and closed work well for holding binding down when hand sewing...

maryb119

You can see the quilt in my avatar. I used various size of Tupperware lids for the circle appliques. It worked very well.

QltrSue

Grapefruit spoon to close the pins for pin-basting. A saucer or plate to round quilt corners. Cookie cutters for quilting or applique shapes. A brown paper lunch sack taped next to the machine or sewing chair to corral trimmings and thread.

cmrenno

I have a metal magnetic dish that I bought at the auto parts store for my pins. It supposed to be for mechanics to put their screws and small tools in. I have wand that I used to use for magnetic bingo chips that I use to find fallen pins.
And those trays that Crisco sticks come in fit Schmetz Needle packs perfectly. I use that rubberized shelf line under my sewing machine and my sewing machine foot control to keep them from moving around.
I could probably come up with lots more.
Good luck!
Colleen

AliKat

Anything round that I can draw around to get different sizes. Those wooden skewers for stiletto's for sew-ins. Ziploc style bags of various sizes to keep small items together.
My cutting station is a kitchen counter on locking wheels. I cut in the living room but put the station back in the studio when friends who aren't quilters come over.

PenniF

I use the blue painters tape - sliced through on the roll every 1 1/2 inches so that i can peal off thick slices of many tape layers - to use as 1/4" seam guides - 3M removable picture hanging "tapes" also work for this. Neither leave residue on the machine. And of course the Elmers washable school glue for everything from seam matching to quilt layering.

QuiltnNan

my metal cake slicer has one straight edge. i use it to press the 1/4" seams against for my dear jane blocks

Tartan

I can think of a few household things for the sewing room but not in place of sewing things. Lip stick case makes a handy portable spot to store your bobbin in. Painters tape to quilt along. The mechanic mirrors on a telescoping wand to check under your long arm machine. Magnetic telescoping wand for picking up pins off the floor. Telephone book pages for foundation piecing. Adding machine tape for making pieced scrap borders. Bed risers for your table legs to save your back.

patski

I use a cupcake pan with the red solo cups in them to hold pens, scissors and other items to keep on hand. A dish drainer to hole the accuquilt dies, the $5 magnetic bar from Harbor freight to hold my scissors/ I use the smallest plastic containers for pins/small items