PaperPrincess

a few more ideas :
http://www.quiltingboard.com/links-r...m-t252576.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...e-t209912.html
Acrylic sheets cut at the hardware store for templates and purse bottoms
Clamps to use on table edges when pinning a quilt sandwich
clamps to use for additional tension on quilt frames.

Gramie bj

From harbor freight I have: a small ratchet screwdriver with change able heads, slides under the head of my machines to remove the stich plate. handle has a switch for left or right movement, fits in the palm of my hand. Magnet bowels for holding pins on my LA frame. plastic and wire baskets that hang on my peg board, long handle tweezers, blades for rotary cutter, small folding rolling cart to haul things to retreats, and classes, small heads to fit my home vacuum to clean my machines, a 5 foot metal T square works great for a straight edge and to help square up guilt top. From Mary Kay Cosmetics I have small mascara brushes that get into those hard to reach places, from the dollar store I have Elmer's school glue, zipper pencil bags for transporting my rotary cutter, scissors, thread, and other small needed items to classes and retreats, chalk, folding baskets to hold sorted scraps on shelf above cutting area, I trim and sort as I go, Clear plastic box's with lids to hold my WIP"s I keep all fabric needed. pattern, thread, and project in it so when I want to work on it everything is all in one place. From a yard sale, an old wooden folding tv tray that I have padded and covered to use as a mini ironing station by my machine. it's sister sits by my favorite seat and can easily be moved where I want to sit and do hand work, it has pockets attached to the sides to hold things like thread, scissors, and a built in pin cushion on the top corner, the rest of the top is wood to hold whatever else I may need. from home depot 4 paint sticks, what you use to stir your paint. I use these with my LA I hold one on top and one on the bottom of my quilt back (on the sides) attach the clamps to them then adjust clamp tension, it evens out the tension on the back, painters tape for marking rulers, my machines for guide lines, stich lines on quilts, it works great for labels you may want like my project boxes, empty pill bottles with a piece of batting stuffed in the bottom for transporting sewing needles.

GagaSmith

An old eyeglasses case to hold rotary cutter for transporting.
Chenille stems (pipe cleaners) and small pony tail holders to keep spools of thread and matching bobbins together (I put half a pipe cleaner through the holes on the spool of thread then put the bobbin through the pipe cleaner too. Use pony tail holder around bobbin to keep thread from unwinding.)

Prism99

I use painter's tape as a thread catcher next to my sewing machine. I wrap the tape around my hand a couple of times, sticky side out, then stick it to my cabinet. Whenever I have a loose thread, I touch it to the tape and it sticks there until I throw the whole wad away.

Pennyhal

Kitchen skewers to help control fabric going under the foot, very fine sand paper to hold fabric still when I writing on the fabric, 1/4in. masking tape as a quilting guide.

Treasureit

I cut a mat up that is for standing to relieve fatique or kids lock together mats to play on (same thing) to put under my machine to keep the vibration and sound down.

Lovequilting22

That's a GREAT idea. Why didn't I think of that? Thanks for the tip!

Lovequilting22

Another fabulous idea! Thanks!

Bree123

Crayola Ultra Clean fine-tip markers (come out with water and a bit of laundry detergent) and Crayola Ultra Clean fat-tip crayons (come out with spritz of water)

I also love those little sticks Joanne & HL sell in their cake decorating section (to make cookie bouquets). They are great for puffing out yo-yos & I recently used one together with the top of a prescription bottle to make a spindle to hold my extra bobbins. They are exactly the perfect size to slide the bobbins on.
I have also used them as individual spindles for storing my thread on a CD case.
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I also used empty Whitman's chocolate boxes for a sewing machine surround (since don't have a sink-in table yet). Such a hardship to eat all those chocolates so I could do my quilting.

And, of course, the basics: masking tape, freezer paper, tweezers, pens/pencils for pattern making & such; plus, I always keep a Sharpie handy for labeling dates on my Aurifil thread. I store small notions for my hand work in cosmetic bags.

Prism99

Speaking of freezer paper, you can iron it to your ironing board to protect the cover from scorches, etc. This is particularly helpful when fusing, in case you make a mistake. When done, just peel the freezer paper off and toss it. A very inexpensive protective cover!