Up/Re-cycling ordinary items
 

http://www.quiltingboard.com/general...e-t210549.html This topic made me realize there must be a whole load of tips you ladies have for up/recycling ordinary items. I do so many it's hard to know where to start.

An empty vitamin container with a hole drilled in the lid, sealed closed with sellotape makes a safe Needle "coffin"
All of my odd bits of threads very small pieces of fabrics /wadding stuffs pillowcases for Fur-baby beds
Empty Toilet rolls get used to wind binding around to keep tidy
Till receipts to make scrappy foundation pieced piano key borders
Chopsticks as corner pokey outers
Pipe cleaners to clean my machine
Old mugs to put all my everyday used notions, like snips etc. at my side on the table


My mind has gone blank, what are yours Ladies?

Here's a thread that was countless ideas!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...g-t152963.html

Perhaps you'd add yours too!

I recycle a small almond container to collect both used needles and blades. I have also"borrowed" my husband's
T-square. I also re-use plastic take-out containers to take a selection of threads to quilting group and variety of other little things.

I use the fat rubber bands from broccoli bunches to hold down the small sticky note pad I use to mark my accurate 1/4" seam allowance beside the presser foot.

I also use the rectangular plastic containers from our grocery's deli to hold older Dual Duty spools of thread.

I have one of those round dimply mat thingy that opens jars beside my machine to keep my seam ripper, thread scissors, and awl from rolling away.

I use clear shoe boxes to store my fabric strips cut at 1", 1.25", 1.5", 1.75", and 4" squares by color.

Jan in VA

Jan what a great idea,thanks for sharing... I am for sure saving that rubberband.

I keep the templates, small rulers, scissors, scotch tape, glue, notepads, sketches, etc., everything I'm using for each project in a handled wicker basket that travels from cutting table to the table where my sewing machine is. If that project uses it, it's in that basket - never have to wonder where I put something.

Old coffee mugs keep extra seam rippers, small scissors, small rulers, odd implements, right beside my sewing machine so I don't knock them off the table accidently and neither does my dog's tail.

I tape the small paper bag that prescription medicines come in from the pharmacy taped in front of the sewing machine and one on the edge of the ironing board and put all snipped threads, scrap pieces of fabric, etc. in it. When it is full I throw it away and replace with an empty bag. Keeps my floor clean.

Jan, I love the green band/sticky note idea. You are so crafty. Thanks for sharing.

I use an empty cube shaped klenex box next to my machine to drop thread trims and snips of fabric in.

I like the empty kleenex box idea!

I remember the tissue box idea from home ec class. Each sewing machine had its own tissue box for our threads.