Thread: Quilting Aids From Funny Sources

The thread about freezer paper made me think of this.

As a senior, and one whose body has run out of the warranty, I have medications that come in large plastic containers. The ones that are about four inches tall are wonderful for so many things in your quilting area. For example, I have a gazillion little rulers that I've collected over the last fifty or so years. They all fit nicely in these containers and can be seen easily and stored in a small area. The chubby shorter containers make great places to store small buttons. I have a machine that I use to test my blood and the strips that are used come in a four inch high plastic container with a tight fitting lid. So I take some decorated "duck" tape and wrap the container, then it is used to store needles. Not rocket science by any means, but instead of ending up in a land fill those plastic containers help me keep some semblance of order in my sewing room.

Those test strip containers fit bobbins perfectly! I use one for my "to go" bag, which has handwork I can take to doctor appointments, soccer games, scout meetings, etc.

I use a large pill bottle to store used rotary blades and needles. It keeps them safe from small hands and can be thrown away safely if I ever fill it up! I hadn't thought of using a chopstick for my bobbins (good idea!) but I did use one when I had my cast recently. For scratching. Really not a recommended use, though!

I use a 1 pound plastic coffee can as my thread / fabric snippet catcher. ...it's only about 4" in diameter so sits nicely next to my machine.
Use the plastic containers with lids that lunch meat comes in to hold threads and bobbins i am currently using for a project.
For a long time i stored my threads on large wooden kabob skewers stuck into a block of styrofoam in a basket