I use wooden chopsticks as point turners (and also tube turners) and always have a couple in my sewing box, which is a tackle box from fishing department--the kind with box on top to store supplies and then a door that drops on front with 3 clear plastic lure boxes on bottom that holds a lot of thread. Similar but not identical to this one:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/produ...FVKFfgodta0ACQ
I've always had old metal tins (like Sucrets) to store straight pins and I have several different kinds (headless, quilter's, etc.). I have a fondness for containers of all kinds so I have parts and pieces stored in everything from cigar boxes to metal tins to wine boxes.
My Boston Terrier receives Beano to cut down on the gas with dinner
, so I use old Beano containers with a flip lid to store used needles and bent pins for disposal.
The hardware store is a great source for tools. I use a drywall square to square up quilts and as a very long edge for the rotary cutter (use with numbers down to lay flat for cutting on table). It is long enough to square off entire width of 44"/45" fabric opened up. It's perfect to cut binding. I use a metal measuring tape for long things, also from hardware store.
I have a magnetic white board on the wall where notes are held by quite a few of these containers:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80102919/ I have two which have quilting curved safety pins for pin basting, binder clips which I use to hang quilts on curtains for photographing, twist ties, paper clips, thumb tacks, etc. They're great. When I pin baste, I just take a container down and use it and I always know where they are. I use blue painter's tape to tape the backing to the floor when I'm basting.
I always have a couple of end rolls of newsprint I get from the local newspaper. They're free and I've used them to make clothing patterns when I have alterations for someone done from a commercial pattern with tracing wheel. I've also used it to back machine applique for quilts. It tears off easily and then I can either compost it or recycle it. Did I mention it's free?