What great ideas everyone has! Some of them I have been doing, some I certainly will start doing, some I will try out ASAP.
I have 2 that I have not seen posted. I purchased a small (8 1/2" x 11") magnetic dry erase board and some heavy duty magnets to put on it since the magnetic surface was not strong enough for what I wanted it to do. I use these magnets to hold small scissors, threaded needles, pins and thimble in a small metal candy box, stitch ripper, magnetic needle nest, 6" metal ruler, etc. I can take this with me when I know I will have a lengthy wait time in the car or elsewhere so I can continue my hand quilting away from home. I can't stand to sit and do nothing. Have even taken it when visiting with friends who understand that I can talk and quilt at the same time.
The second thing I purchased was a tilt-top, height-adjustable computer stand (top is approximately 14" x 19") that rolls and has small ledges on each long side to keep the computer from sliding off. I put a larger magnetic dry erase board on this tilted top and positioned it at its lowest level to hold the same quilting supplies I just mentioned when I sit at my Z-type quilting frame. The frame is 10' long and approximately 3' deep. That way the small rolling tilted table can be rolled along the length with me, keeping everything close at hand. When I have to stop quilting, the table rolls under the quilt top that is on the frame to be out of sight and out of the way so that the narrow space between the frame and the desk can be used. I need a much bigger sewing space since all my supplies are scattered all over the house. I cut in the garage, sew in the kitchen, quilt in the living room. My material is stored in bins on shelves in the living room, in bins in the laundry room and storeroom, and batting rolls are in the closets. I have laughing told my children I'm going to build myself a new house that has only 1 room other than the bathroom so that all my quilt supplies will be in the same room on wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling shelving. The kitchen can hug the walls and be out of the way of my quilting!!
My mind has to be slipping because I have actually begun trying to graph out such a house. I'm convinced I do not need a sofa and other living room furniture. Comfortable rolling chairs at the quilting frame and the sewing table would suffice for visitors if I build in window seating. Now if I could just decide how to keep the clutter under control I might try just that. Can you tell my mind wanders freely when I'm sitting in the car waiting to pick my grandchild up from school? This hobby I started in order to relax and have fun in my last years has become an obsession. But I LOVE it!!!! This board is my therapy and gives me much encouragement. I still consider myself to be a newby. Wish I knew how to take pictures and post to this site but that technology may be beyond me. I'll have to talk to my 8-year old granddaughter. She would come closer to being able to do that than I would.
OOPS! There I go--being way to 'chatty' again. Sorry!