In "Household items turned quilting notions?", someone was using a dish drainrack for storing their cutting rulers. I went to Fred Meyers and bought a nice dark chromed $10 dish drainrack to store mine in. Oh my! What a wonderful idea. I can place several rulers in each slot for a dish and I store all of my little ones in the silverware tray.

Also, I have been using the plastic see thru containers that packs of Crystal Lite come in. I have one set up for my portable embroidery with the necessry threads, small scissor snips, needle and my needle threader (which I seem to need now a days. I have another one for my eraseable marker pens, tweezers, seam ripper, etc. Very handy. The snap on lid stays on quite nicely.

Oh yeah, the grip on handle on the ruler in the photo is from Harbor Freight. Really a lot less expensive than in Joanne's or Quilting shops.

I use the tops from hair spray cans, many colors and just the right size. The price is right also, and if I put a circle of rubber shelf liner on the bottom, it sits right on my sewing machine.

For my handwork at home, I use a clean tuna fish can. No lid - but then I'm not transporting it anywhere.

For my card making, quilting, cross stitching, I use the plastic baby wipes containers. They are great for holding pencils/pens, stamps, pins, markers, scissors, etc.

I save the cans from General Foods International Coffees and use them for all kinds of things.....buttons separated by colors, safety pins by size and shape, little bits of odds and ends, and they would make great little "trash cans" for thread. Thanks for that idea...

I like the plastic Gerber baby food containers that have the snap on lid I find so many uses for those in my sewing room plus they are handy to take pins, bobbins etc with you to class. Will have to really take good care of the ones I have as I have to wait to have great grandbabies my kids are done having little ones.

What a great idea-need to go and pick up some gum, I guess.

Snippit containers are sew handy. I have a fabric one I made that sits on the arm of my chair.

I use medicine bottles (washed and labels removed) for my bent and broken needles and pins. I keep one at the sewing machine, one in the basket by my chair, one in my needlework bag, and one in my quilting tote.

The Restasis containers are great too - keep my quilting safety pins in one, and use them for other sewing supplies such as elastic, rickrack, etc - the white tops make it easy to label.

Believe it or not I save those vials that urine tests are done in. The kits include specimen bottle and two vials with rubber stoppers. We throw out the vials (unused of course), soooo I save them to put used needles (sewing needles is there any other kind?) in them. RECYCLE, don't you just love it!

Okay maybe I am the only crazy one who uses empty Swiffer Sweeper containers, I use them for everything!

Good ideas, I never know how to dispose of used needles, machine or hand. Thanks for sharing tips.

I use empty prescription meds bottles, with the adult screw tops to throw away my old needles & bent pins, anything sharp like that...

When you have full containers your doctor's office will usually put with thee needles to dispose of them

Ort is the word often found in crossword puzzles and it means table scraps (according to the puzzle makers.)

Instead of disposing of blunted sewing machine needles, I have used them for years, as picture hangers. So I save them in my train-case-tool-box, pinning them into the lining. Then when I have a picture to hang, I hammer the needle into the wall at a 45% angle. They're very strong, and are easily removed, leaving only a tiny hole.

I will have to remember that too, probably read it on this site recently, since joining, & had already forgot! Thanks for mentioning the needle picture hangers again, lol...

Please tell me about homemade starch, its uses and how to make it. I'm a relatively new quilter, never used starch.
Thanks so much for your time.
angela

I use a small Frapachino cup with the dome lid with the hole in it. Holds all my little snippits and can be emptied easily.

I use the Altoids cans for used rotary blades. My hubby is diabetic, and I use his meter strip containers for used machine needles and bent pins.

What is your starch recipe?

I keep an empty cashew can on my sewing table for a mini trash can. The lid snaps onto the bottom when it's open, so it doesn't get lost. It could be covered with contact paper or scrapbook paper to make it more decorative. :)

great tutorial! Only one question: how does the bag stand up? do you use the crystal light can?? Sorry i'm a little fuzzy on that.

thanks

I save the containers from lunch meat like ham or turkey come in. They can be used for many small things for storage or sorting. They stack up nicely too. I save my test strip containers also. You can store needles, bobbins, etc in them and put a label on it.

I discovered that gum Orbit Bubblemint at our local gas/convienience store~Sheetz..it's yummy..on my last batch they had the breast cancer symbol on mine..
Good idea for trash can !

I haven't seen the containers but will be looking.

I use the plastic Hard trays you get some meats in they have sides on them to put differant things in in my drawers. I use a spam can cleaned of course by my sewing machine to put pens and pencils in covered it with fabric. Ice cream buckets to put rolled up strips in. I use those cans you get at this time of year with popcorn in for scraps,selveges till they get full then go thru and clean out the differernt sizes.

I have a 'Maxine' coffee cup, that received as a gift, that sits in the window beside my sewing machine that I use for 'snippets'. Works for me. Keeps all those little threads and snips off the floor!

I also use the lunch meat trays. They're shallow so they can be easily stacked, and they're transparent enough that you can see through them without opening them up.
I think Sara Lee luncheon meats are packed in them. They're great.
Blessings,
Angela

Good ideas all!! Thanks and keep them coming. I love to recycle.

The Crystal Light can is only used as a frame for sewing the fabric, but then after it's sewn together the twisting open and close make the bag stand up. It's almost like magic I think.

When my DH bought nails at the hardware, they came in a rectangular plastic box with a flip up lid. It's sturdy and can be used for many things. I use mine for transporting my spools and bobbins of thread for the next sewing project when we go to our other house. Breath mint containers will make nice little sewing kits.

I almost keep all containers and boxes, as they will come in handy down the road. DH has learned to never throw anything, before he asks me firs. One always has an idea what it could be used for.

II read this post yesterday. I'm not a gum chewer and I'm not a neat person. When I'm out, I just throw my snippets into my bag and go on my way. Today at the grocery I just happened to look down and found your tiny trash cans. They'd be good for a lot of sewing stuff. Almost got the Dentyne Ice "trash can"

AH, a gal after my own heat. At 68, I still love to chew bubble gum. But, it always loses its flavor on the bed post over night. Do you remember this song?

"Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bed-post overnight. If your mother says don't chew it, do you swallow it in spite? Can you catch it on your tonsils and heave it left and right? Does your chewing gum............."

I used to sing it to my kids to remind them to toss their gum in the wastebasket!

Mizcott--Thanks for the hint about using needles for picture hangers. I am forever rearranging my pictures, wall hangings, etc using finishing nails. I also have a tub of hole filler on hand to fill the holes as I go. I use a myriad of tins and containers from various products. Mom saved everything 'either for the sake of the good it has done or will do.'So I learned well to re-purpose, the fashionable word before recycle.