Tartan, I'll have to remember to put a bit of oil in mine. They are about ready to be cleaned out again. So no, Oldquilter, you are not the only messy quilter out there. I actually have a problem remembering to keep my threads etc. tidy at a retreat or class. Right now, I also have several pins (dropped the dang pin bowl) and a lot of paper from a paper piece block on my floor. It will be tidied up tonight--or maybe tomorrow. Depends how energetic I feel after today's activities.