no1jan

T Square for marking my quilt before quilting

A lazer light meant for carpentry to make sure the lines are straight when hanging shelves etc. I stole this from my dh as I can use it to mark lines on a large quilt from corner to corner.

Painters tape for marking.

Paint Brushes for cleaning the machine

Wilton brush used to clean the tips of the frosting tips. I use it to clean out small spaces on my machine.

Bent ended letter opener for finger pressing.

Netting for flowers from the florist to keep thread neat. (I actually saw this listed on this board)

Hair ties to keep bobbins from unraveling.

Plyers to use when "froggin'", ripping out. I use it to pick up all the threads from the back.

Shoeboxes, plastic bags, pill bottles, practically any container used to keep things organized.

An old wooden medicine cabinet to keep my cones of thread in. Very decorative and antiqueish.

Magnetic expandable pick-up tools to pick up pins when dropped.

no1jan

I almost forgot my favorite:


A legal size large 5 drawer office file cabinet. CLEAN!
to store my fabric in. After folding I can make 2 rows in each drawer and see all the material I have at a glance, that will fit. I need another. It keeps the fabric from getting dusty.

I also sort by color and pin a small piece of paper with the estimated yardage on the front right hand corner.

Juliebelle

I found some of the pretty wine bottle holders when I cleaned out a cabinet and am using them to hold small rolls of heat and bond and interfacing. They really brighten up the top of the bookcase they are on.

cjomomma

A plastic desk top pencil holder for my rotary cutters and scissors. That is all I can think of right now.

michelehuston

I use a vase to keep my scissors, rotary cutter and a couple of pencils in and sit it beside my cutting mat.

Marion Jean

I use a wooden chopstick for corners after turning projects right-side out.

Use old glass canisters for buttons - they look pretty, too.

Pill containers for small embelishments or needles

Cookie cutters for quilting and applique patterns

Oh, and tongs every time I drop something behind my sewing table - they make great "grabbers"

tangledthread

I use Dr. Scholls foot pads as a fabric guide,(thicker than the Q-Tools) an empty Tums flip top box for all my broken needles, and a clear shower curtain with washable markers to plan out quilt designs over my tops.

Minnesewta-sam

metal 6 hole muffin pan. Screw (loosly) through the hanging hole in the pan to the underside of your work table. You can then swing the pan out and put small things that get lost at your work station in the cups..... great for extra bobbins, buttons, etc. This also works if you have shelves with extra space under them. (Make sure you leave room for them to swing out)

Scrap Happy

3 old jars for tiny pieces of fabric too small for crumb quilts. I keep 1 by the sewing machine and 2 on the cutting table. Long thin unsable strips go in the 3rd jar and I save them for the birds to use in their nests.

2 small CD racks hold quilting needles, thimbles, rotary cutters, etc.

Years ago someone gave me cardboard magazine/book holders and I use them to hold quilt magazines.

Old tide boxes can be used for holding quilt magazines. Cut a hole in the box and turn it on it's side and magazines fit perfectly. If you want to pretty it up you can cover it with paper. Some paint stores have leftover wall paper samples that are large enough to cover the box or contact paper can be used.(some managers will give these away instead of pitching them) The handle makes it easy to carry/move.

Izaquilter

painters tape to mark my rulers on the necessary mark for cutting repeated strips. Comes off easily, no sticky gunk left behind.

masking tape to get the 'whiskers' out of fabric after doing the frog stitch!

A rotary wheel used for pattern tracing to perforate the back of my paper piecing paper for easy removal.