I have an Itsy- Bitsy trash can for my hand piecing. I just keep it in my sewing basket. It is------ the container that you get Orbit gum in. I just pulled off all of the labels & walla..... my very own tiny trash can, might I also say " with a lid". I just love this thing, it is small enough to collect all of my threads snips. I am currently working on several EPP Grandmother's garden quilts & this is so handy for all my scraps.
So, go buy a container of Orbit ( I like the white bubblemint.... I like to chew & blow bubbles as I sew) Happy Sewing....................Donna, The Rustic Quilter

My favorite gum, but I havent seen the containers. I'll be watching for them. Thanks

Blessings,
Ruth

Oh man!! I just threw one of those away two days ago!! I just wanna kick myself in the butt for that.

I save any little containers like that! You just never know what they might come in handy for, & if you get too many, you can always toss a few out later. It's amazing all these containers that stuff come in now days, & you can reuse so many, for so many things. So, think twice before you toss out any empty reusable container!...

Thats like my bottles from my Coffeemate Creamer. I take the label off and clean it and fill with water when I go to class. The lid is tight and pours easily into the iron. Have a qt one on my ironing surface and take the pint one with me..

That is a super great idea, I take my GFG with me to school everyday to pick up my daughter and this would be great for all the little threads! I'll have to tell my gum obsessed husband to buy a container instead of a pack!

OH thats a great idea also. I am always spilling water all over the place when I fill my iron. Although I don't ever leave the house to sew it would still be a great addition to my ironing board at home.

I love the Altoids containers. Great for repurposing.

Wonderful ideas,keep em comming!

I like the clear plastic salad containers for my WIP's, scraps and such. They stack really nice.

Some more great little containers are the little plastic "tubs" that babyfood comes in these days. They are rectangular plastic containers with plastic lids...I keep binding clips in one, bobbins in one, machine needles in one. I had been throwing them away til I realized they make great little containers for "little things".

I keep an empty 'square' kleenex box for snippits and what nots . Toss it all in garbage when done.. Its the season when we use kleenex the most so I will have a new one before my other one gets too filled up..

I use a glass spaghetti sauce jar to mix and keep my home-made starch.. it already has measurements on it.. just pour each till the lines cover and shake and whoala !

i use gum containers too. the one i get has a tab that opens for individual pieces of gum to come out and also has the top that opens.
i have my bobbins in one and some of those ponytail stretchy holders in the other. love them!!

I use the baby food containers too :) Lots of great hints Thanks

I've been saving these and have used them for my safety pins for my quilting & other small items, but I never thought about an I-B trash can! How clever!!

if any one is diabetic, the containers that test strips come in are great for pill bottles, or any other use. They seal really tight by snapping.

I buy Eclipse gum in those little containers. Never thought to save them. I have one in my car almost empty. I'll have to go save it. That would be great on my table where I hand sew, I always leave strings on the arm of the chair. Thanks for the idea. Oh how many things one could store in them.

I use a 1/2 gal plastic milk jug that has a screw on lid for my homemade starch!!

All clever ideas! Thanks! My hubby gave me an idea how to carry water to use in the small iron when going to classes. I use a small drinking water bottle---already has water in it that is okay for the iron and screw on lid so won't spill and make a mess. (osmosis treated---so okay for the iron) And easy to refill from a gallon size distilled water bottle.

Great idea! I am a container junkie myself. I think I have one of these with another brand of gum.

I like the mini M & M tubes - for quarters, when I used to go to the laundromat. Now I just save the quarters - hold just over $10. Lots of uses for those little containers.

Have you ever made an ORT Jar - it's a smaller round fabric tubing that stands up on it's own or you can twist and collapse it. See the website below, it's so much fun to play with and use, that you will want to make more.

http://melinful.blogspot.com/2009/02...-tutorial.html

What's an ORT jar?

This would be great on a trip. Something to hold small things, needles, thimbles, etc. Great idea!

These are great ideas. I use Altoids metal containers to hold quilting needles - I put a magnetic strip (the kind on the back of memo pads) and just line them up on the strip. They do not go anywhere and I can pick out the size I want. Also, those plastic yoghurt containers make great little garbage cans too.

If you look at the website tutorial, it will show you what an ORT Jar is. I just say it's a small collapsible fabric trash or thread holder.

My dog eats Beneful Beef Stew in small plastic containters.
After I get ten together, they go to the quilting class with me. You should see the ladies -- it is like chickens going after corn. I always have an empty bag. Now their husbands and sons are wanting them to keep their nuts and bolts in. I always have a supply.

I save the plastic take home containers (the bigger square ones) that we get when we go out to eat at this one place. They are great for holding pieces as you cut them. The cover snaps shut to keep the dust out. I just stack them up, nice and neat.

I save the Tic Tac containers, they have 2 sizes and I put machine needles in them and write the size on top and line up in the front of my machine drawer. I also use ont for bobbin thread when I am putting on the binding just leave a piece hanging out and close the lid when ready open lid and pull thread to thread needle. I put anything in them that will fit. Don't chew gum but might buy a container of the gum and give it away so Ican have a container to take along for hand projects while on the go. Thanks for the idea

Ort means scrap. The Ort jar is nifty but it took me almost 1/2 day make one.

I use the Altoids tins as mini-sewing kits for my embroidery.

Also, I use the empty plastic Splenda "on-the-go" containers )that dispense the little Splenda tablets) to put my bent hand-quilting needles in. I just turn the dispenser upside down, press the dispensing button, and insert the needle in the dispensing hole. Release button, and viola...the needles are safe till it you dispose of the whole thing when it gets full!

I use the empty plastic containers of 'Beneful' dog food - for thread snips, fabric frays. I also use them to store bobbins, pins, needles, buttons, used rotary cutter blads, etc.

I love the gum containers also. I like to keep all the thread, thimble, scissors, etc. I need for the project I'm working on. Also I have one in my car to keep loose change in. I sit it in my cup holder and nobody knows it has change in it.

Dollar General also has mini trash cans for $1. They're about 6" high and come with a lid.

Great ideas, friends! Am going to try several of them. I'm a container-saver too. But they pile up and I finally toss 'em in frustration. So will be re-purposing more often after readig this thread!

I also save larger perscription bottles for that kind of thing

We save ours too. Great for DH garage stuff and my sewing stuff.

Dental floss square containers are good to hold a bobbin of thread in with hand sewing needle and it has a built in thread cutter/holder. The generic brands have thicker containers for thicker bobbins. I also use and save 18oz plastic peanut butter jars. They are great for holding all kinds of things: buttons. Lace. ribbon. Patches. Coins. Snippets. Safety pins. Tote bag hardware/straps. Nuts. Bolts. Screws. Washers. Cookie mix dry ingredients with recipe label to complete cookies.

Guess we all have a litle bit of "Scrooge" in us. I save medicine bottles for straight pins, safety pins and needles. The smaller one are great for thimbles, also. I save Wash & Wipe boxes for buttons and plastic fruit jars # 5 microwave safe for freezer containers. I buy sliced peaches in those jars. I also save a plastic coffee can to put bit and pieces of veggies in for soup. Since I want my scrap stash out of the way, I have a very long pillow case into which I throw my scraps. Attached to it is a smaller pillow case for trims, thread, etc used in making a quilt.

What I won't do to save some $$$$$.

and they are great for sorting your buttons by color, snaps, pins and they stack evenly!!!!! :)