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grammyj 07-28-2010 08:55 AM

One thing that is great is the magnetic bowls that you get at Harbor Freight. they are for car parts ( nuts and bolts etc) but they work fine for pins. That's what I use and they come in 4" and 6" I have both sizes, 1 for safety pins and 1 for my big quilt pins.They don't cost very much.

kathome 07-28-2010 09:02 AM


Originally Posted by Miss Mona

Originally Posted by katier825

Originally Posted by walen
Me, too! I guess a trip to the hardware store is in order! I do need a rubber mallet for whacking thick seams, my nice, clean one seemed to disappear about the same time that a dirty one turned up on my husband's bench! Hummmm....

LOL Maybe you should paint the handle pink & flowery! Would that help keep him from taking it?

No, my tools have purple and pink flowers on them and they keep turning up on hubbys workbench. He says mine were easier to find. Duh!! If you put things away after you use them they are easier to find. My hammer has red nail polish around the handle, (and is missing) and my tool box is purple. I still can't locate my screw drivers, but he knows nothing.

Oh, Miss Mona - - are you talking about your DH or mine? I've tried EVERYTHING to keep him away from my tools. HE bought ME my own tool box years ago so that "Now you won't be asking me everytime you need a nail or a screwdriver". Yeah right. Now I have to ask him where MY nails or screwdrivers are!!! Just the other day I texted him the following: WHERE'S MY TAPE MEASURE????? So he phones me and denies all knowledge and tells me to use "something else" to measure. Arrrggg.... like WHAT?

He knows where to find my stuff because I put it away when I'm finished with it. Why oh why can't he do the same? Another arrrgggg.

but I do love the guy.....

sewmuchmore 07-28-2010 10:08 AM

This is awesome, I am so glade that you guys are giving out tips that we all can use.
here is my tip I put a magnet in a jar lid then I place a few pins in the lid if I knot it off I use the magnet to pick up the pins. Fast and easy.

georgiat 07-28-2010 10:26 AM

I cut templates out of plexiglass on our band saw and then sand the edges!

nana2 07-28-2010 10:36 AM

Is this trait in the DNA of the male????? This sounds very familiar. LOL

jbj137 07-28-2010 10:42 AM

I picked up 3 small, plastic fishing
lure boxes at a yard sale for $1.00 each
and they work great for spools of thread.
And they are sorted by color -
you can see the colors well.

kathome 07-28-2010 10:43 AM


Originally Posted by nana2
Is this trait in the DNA of the male????? This sounds very familiar. LOL

Nah - - it's that evil little hormone - - - testosterone.

Joyce 07-28-2010 11:03 AM

I have another magnet bowl tip.
I have some oblong ones about 5X8". I also have some grey steel shelves from when I first started Joyce's Workroom.
So I stick these long ones bottom side to the top shelf edge and keep special needles, tiny shears, thimbles, any thing that I don't want to get lost in the shuffle.
Now I know where my curved needles will be found. It's good for that little screw, nut or washer, that you don't know yet where they came from.

Ilovemydogs 07-28-2010 11:35 AM

Don't you just love curved needles? One of those things were you don't use it a whole lot, but when you do, its a great thing to have! :-)
I love these tips. Keep em coming.

Miss Mona 07-28-2010 11:51 AM


Originally Posted by kathome

Originally Posted by Miss Mona

Originally Posted by katier825

Originally Posted by walen
Me, too! I guess a trip to the hardware store is in order! I do need a rubber mallet for whacking thick seams, my nice, clean one seemed to disappear about the same time that a dirty one turned up on my husband's bench! Hummmm....

LOL Maybe you should paint the handle pink & flowery! Would that help keep him from taking it?

No, my tools have purple and pink flowers on them and they keep turning up on hubbys workbench. He says mine were easier to find. Duh!! If you put things away after you use them they are easier to find. My hammer has red nail polish around the handle, (and is missing) and my tool box is purple. I still can't locate my screw drivers, but he knows nothing.

Oh, Miss Mona - - are you talking about your DH or mine? I've tried EVERYTHING to keep him away from my tools. HE bought ME my own tool box years ago so that "Now you won't be asking me everytime you need a nail or a screwdriver". Yeah right. Now I have to ask him where MY nails or screwdrivers are!!! Just the other day I texted him the following: WHERE'S MY TAPE MEASURE????? So he phones me and denies all knowledge and tells me to use "something else" to measure. Arrrggg.... like WHAT?

He knows where to find my stuff because I put it away when I'm finished with it. Why oh why can't he do the same? Another arrrgggg.

but I do love the guy.....

I've had mine over 40 years and nothing has changed. What I have done is bought an extra 25' tape measurer, and extra needle nose pliers and have hidden them in my things. These are the ones I use the most. My extra hammer and screw drivers are missing. I used them and he saw me and borrowed them right away. Now they are missing. Now when he asks where something is I say in my tool box. Last time, he said it wasn't there. I said "Gee, someone must have used it and not put it back. I haven't touched my tool box for ages. My tool box is so empty you wouldn't know it was a tool box.


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