I found my smallest crochet hook works great for closing and opening safety pins when I was quilting.

I also have a tweezers handy when sewing. Use it to pull up thread from the bobbin, pick off any stray threads, pull out pins from under the pressure foot (but not yet under the needle), etc. I use the back to poke out corners as it has a rounded point.

What non-sewing items do you use?

Sandpaper. :-D I cut out a piece of cardboard and wrapped a piece of 200 grit around it and duck taped it down. Wonderful to sign siggie blocks with or to draw lines on blocks cornor to cornor. I have used a large T-square for cutting out my borders. Its 48" long and the T part hooks onto the edge of the table and good to go. Works great.

Macking tape for picking up threads,

Rubber cement for backs of rulers to keep them from sliding. Works like a charm. Thanks to original contributor.

Little wallpaper roller to press seams at table when small pieces being sewn.

Mustache trimmer as seam ripper.

I have used hemostats as tweezers....also used a little wallpaper roller to press seams. I have made a sandpaper board to put behind fabric when making markings in pencil. I am sure there are others...just can't think of any this morning.

What is the benefit for doing this? Y'all come up with some really good ideas and tips.
Priscilla

The sandpaper keeps the fabric from scooting around when writing on it.
I use the plastic salad containers to keep my projects in.
I also use the kitty-litter containers (cut in half)to keep my patterns and magazines in.

I use a gizmo from Loews to store my worn out rotary cutting blades. It's called a Contain-it. It's a round (perfect size for the 45 mm blades), plastic container about 4 inches high with a soft plastic lid with a slit across the top. I just pop the blades thru the slit until I have enough to take in for recycling.

Tweezers, masking tape, sectioned utensil holder, bathroom plastic suction-on grab bar to hold ruler when cutting w/ rotary cutter, exacto knife, box cutter, hanging shoe bag, Harbor Freight blades.
probably more, but that all that comes to mind right now. :)

LOVE this board - more FANTASTIC IDEAS. Thank you AGAIN quilters!

I like the trimmer, its also for cutting off any of the long threads,that get on the front of the quilt

Freezer paper! I use it to print my labels on the fabric from my printer. Found the tutorial here - http://craftygemini.blogspot.com/201...-for-free.html

A knitting needle is great for turning straps for totes.

LOL..great question..I use a really cool dart as a stiletto..to guide fabric..ripped off Hubby's T-square..lint roller for threads..The biggy thing is..flat hair clips for various things..they are great for binding!! I have a housefull of Grandkids today..but later when I'm sane..I'm sure I'll think of more !!

Elmer's Washable School glue. I can tame any block, border or anything else using dots of it.

http://sandyquilts.blogspot.com/2008...nd-quilts.html

I use a metal yard stick some times when I want a long cut and a long arm lamp that I can move and streach for more ligh when I need it

Cookie cutters for templates. Medicine bottles for used needles and pins.

I also use medicine bottles for used needles. I use tins for holding pins. I use make-up bags for holding my binding kits (made several so I can work on different projects and take them with). I use the covered pony tail holders around bobbins (saw as a suggestion elsewhere).

I have the Harbor Freight blades as well.

An African Porcupine quill as a stilleto
or bbq skewers for the same purpose

A HAMMER......to flatten those multi part seams....
you know like the center of a 6 point star.....a good wake of the hammer makes them so much easier to quilt....

I use a short double pointed knitting needles as a silletto on the machine, pushes a wine cork on the opposite end....so I can always find it....

Chopsticks to turn anything inside out.....

painters tape, off-set screwdriver, pipe cleaners, Q-tips, soft make-up brush, extendable magnet from automotive store and shelf liner. (to keep foot pedal and sewing machine from walking all over the place.)

I love to use a clothes drying rack when I'm working with a lot of fabric strips. It helps me keep them in order and easy to get what I need. It also helps to let me see what colors I have a lot of or which ones I'm running low on. Here's a picture of the one that I'm using right now. Ignore the mess behind the rack, please. :-)

Chopsticks, stamp tongs (they've got a small flat tip that turns ANYTHING inside out), baby hair clips - the small metal ones for holding binding

plastic gum containers (wrigleys) for used needles and storing thimbles, BF made a hanging rack from black metal yard edging, screwed into a wood strip and it hangs sideways on the wall for strips

I use an old pill bottle with a hole drilled in the lid to drop in old or broken needles and pins. And a cheap small pint bruse to dust my machine for lint. Baby wipe box to store scissors and rotary cutters up high from little fingers.

Curious. What is duck tape? Quack Quack. I think you meant duct tape. (The multi-purpose sticky stuff that will remove warts but does not mend broken hearts)

Thought of a few more I use -
Chop stick for getting nice points
Hospital forceps to grab & turn narrow applique strip
Small hair scrunchies to cover bobbins so thread won't unwind - use scrunchie approx color of bobbin thread
Narrow dough roller to flatten seam or to 'finger-press'
Breath mint tins for pins, needles
Masking tape to pick up loose threads
Empty Crystal Light plastic tubes for small scissors, tweezers, extra filled bobbins, etc
Empty toilet paper cardboard roll to slide over folded electric cords
Flat hair clips on binding - avoids my being poked by pins
Empty container from roll of adhesive tape - wind measuring tape around it & snap shut
Clean, unused pizza boxes to stack 12 1/2" squares or 9 1/2" squares of block of the month projects
Freezer paper for paper-piecing
Adding machine roll paper - small applique copying, paper-piecing, etc
Gardening gloves instead of quilting gloves (less expensive & works for me)
Plastic zippered blanket bags for large WIPs

OK, probably more yet, but that's it for now :)
Thanks, I'm learning from all of you!

one of the sticky lint rollers works wonder for pulling out threads when you've had to rip a seam.

And of course, it's great to pick up loose threads and lint while piecing, too.

I use tiny electrical pliers to remove some of the PPing paper when I can't get a good hold on it.

Also use Chinese chop sticks for getting the corners out when turning right side out...works great.

This is a brillliant idea, but not all ink jets are colour fast. Does anyone know if Epson ink is suitable for this method?

great tips so far!!!

I have a vintage (non-electronic) sewing machine made from cast aluminum so I defaced it with a piece of stick on magnet strip on the front of the machine to hold pins

I use a huge old metal goblet (quit laughing - I can find it) with a bingo maker magnet inside to hold pins

I found a domino holder thingy works to line up bobbins in the drawer

I use a tall tin to hold trash thread and fabric bits

a drawer handle on the side of the machine holds scissors

Same thing - different thing!!!!! I use a needle-nose pliers! Edie

I use all the things the others posted but I also have a Black & Decker crosshair laser level that works perfect to square up a quilt. 2 sides at a time, laser comes out the top and side to make a perfect corner. Maybe you should get your husband one for Father's Day! ha

Someone started a thread on this a few weeks ago. She was going to make a list and post it somewhere along the way. Try doing a search of topics and see if you can find it. There were some great ideas listed, among them mine using chop sticks for tube turners, stilletos, etc.

I use a "She Who Dies With the Most Fabric Wins" coffee cup as a thread holder

I use a desktop file organizer to hold my rulers at the end of my table.........keeps them off the cutting surface but handy and I won't be stepping on any more and breaking them.

I use the ziplock baggies from Walgreen's that my medication comes in put the thread from ripped out stitches in, template peices, buttons, bobbins, just about anything.