Anyone else use equipment/tools long after they should have been replaced?
 

As reluctant as many of us are to replace some of these items, sometimes it IS worth the money to do so.

Cutting mats: When they are grooved, warped, or broken, - it takes a lot more effort to cut on them. Besides, the cuts get "off" when the mats are bad. One can smooth them down for a while - but after a while - they REALLY ARE worn out.

Rulers: I've had some that still looked "fine" to me - but I was wondering why the fabric wasn't "on the line" when I moved the ruler for the next cut. I finally realized that I had "eroded" part of the edge so the ruler had a shallow curve in it. (This may or may not bother you - but it did bother me). I put them in the trash rather than pass them on to anyone else. That was hard for me to do.

Seam rippers: Anyone else fight with a 30 year old dull ripper because they were too cheap to go out and buy a new one?

Rotary cutter blades: Why do I think that a blade that is duller than my table knives will cut efficiently? Especially if one has physical issues with cutting, a new blade takes so much less effort - and will usually cut through the fabric with one pass - instead of three or four.

Scissors - I worked at a place once where the scissor had been dropped and about half an inch was broken off the tip of one blade - the office manager wouldn't replace it "because it was still new"
If one has to get them sharpened, try to find a reputable place to do it. Dull scissors can also contribute to inaccuracy - and hand fatigue!

Irons - is it scorching? spitting? leaking? hazardous?

Ironing board cover? What does your look like? I like to get washable ones.

These are some items that are relatively inexpensive to replace - and after I have replaced them - it feels so good to have "smoother sailing" again.

(Then I wonder what took me so long to replace the items???)

You're speaking to me. :)

A couple more .....

Needles .... they do get dull in our machines. Change them regularly!

Lighting .... Even though the old light bulb(s) have not died, it's well worth it to change old bulbs to "daylight" bulbs, for such a minimal cost and effort. Use the old bulb, somewhere else.

You are so right about needles! I do change mine - but probably not as often as I should. I can easily discard one that is broken, bent, or has a snagger on it - but it's the ones I've "used only a little bit" that I hang on to.

I probably wait a little too long with the blades. Just replaced iron (but I think I want it back).

Bear- so true on all of that :) LOL and it is not like I don't have a stockpile of blades or needles ( buy them on sale) - maybe we think if we can make it work just a bit longer that will leave more money for fabric ? Which if I was honest I have enough fabric for 2 lifetimes :shock: LOL

You're preaching to the choir. My 8.5"x24" ruler (my favorite one) has a worn edge, so much that it is not straight anymore. I bought a new one. But I still use both. Why? I think it's because I'm stubborn, but I have no idea what I'm being stubborn about. I hate to change the rotary cutter blade unless I'm just starting a project, so the old one stays in there way too long. I don't change needles unless one breaks (and there I haven't seen any ill effects, at least yet, so I'm almost ready to defend that practice). However I don't use old seam rippers, mainly because I either break or lose them and so not many get to be old. Do I get points for that?

On rulers --- If you are of the type that just can't let go of an old 6x12" that is now shaved into a slight curve, how about using it as the bottom in a quilted bag. Reinforce it with some cardboard or stiff batting (Pellon?), cover it, and place it in the bottom.

Jan in VA

I hear you loud and clear - now to carry through with replacements!!!

Yup, yup and yup. I'm a cheapo. I admit it. I have an 8x24 ruler that the one side is quite eroded, I did go so far as to make a large mark on it with a magic marker so I knew that was the old one. Then I bought a new one. Now I use them both for squaring up a quilt - just put them at right angles to each other and it gives me a good square for marking.
I have a triangle ruler that has the one tip broken off.
I don't think I've ever thrown out a seam ripper - I just get a new one and the old one disappears into the nether world of my sewing room.
I have a pill bottle full of broken and dull needles. I've been known to pull out one of the sewing machine needles if I'm working on some really heavy fabric, or paper, or with plastic. Wouldn't want to waste a good needle on that :P
I have spools of thread that have been chewed by the dog, or are 15 years old, and just can't seem to toss them.
And the list goes on....