Keeping strips together.
 

How do you keep your strips from falling on the floor when you are cutting and sewing them together.
Is there some good ideas out there that my husband can make for me?

Are you referring to a strip quilt ? Some use the empty rolls from Paper towels - just wrap them around it as you sew a strip on

Is this it ?

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t157531.html

I have drawers under my sewing table, both sides, I open bottom drawers on both sides, drop my top strip in one and bottom piece in the other rest both in my lap and start to sew, as I need more it will feed out of the drawer to my lap, I line them up and sew!

I use an old wooden drying rack. Folds up out of the way for storage.

are we talking about cutting and organizing before sewing? if so, i have 2 methods, depending on the size of the project. the first I use for long term storage, but some of my friends do them as a project organizer. Pizza Boxes! they stack nicely, are free (safeway's pizzas are heat wrapped in plastic so the box is completely clean inside, and my local pizzeria, Fillipi's, will sell their boxes from the stores...I always make sure to take one or two along to a class, that way someone will see them and order their pizza for lunch) and they hold a surprising amount. The other method i use for a project organizer is a large bath towel. the strips cling nicely and after cutting and placing in the order you're gonna use them, you can roll the entire thing and move to where you're working or just to keep the dust off if it's a few days before you get back to sewing.

or are you talking about keeping off the floor while sewing the sets together? this is a two part solution. I bought the large size mouse pads at the office supply store. this is approx 12 x 18 and gives a nice base for the sewing machine that quiets the sound and is soft enough that i can sew a big coat button thru it, on the bottom side. then, when i am sewing on something long and floppy, i reach under and hook a plastic grocery bag onto the button...everything coming off the machine bed falls into the bag and stays clean and untangled. I use the same thing all the time for my serger, where it catches all trimmings and clippings. (and of course, when you finish the first set of strips, you can just lay them back on the towel again!)

Hi thanks for the tip. my niece works at a place
here in town that sells pizza. i am going to buy
a couple from her. boxes that is.

Thanks deemail - really clever solutions! LIke the mouse pad/button thing.

I love this board! I always find neat hints or tips or tricks. Dee that was a GREAT idea with the mouse pad!!! Thanks!!!!

I usually cut my jelly roll strips in half to make it easier to work with. After starching and
cutting I put them in a big Rubbermaid type tote. Keeps everything neat and tidy and I
can see which project is in which tote.

well, as usual, i bought it for one thing, used it for a few years on my computer and then decided one day to put under my serger as it vibrates all over during marathon serging sessions... it was so good that i bought more and now am thinking about buying 2 more so i can double up under the serger and machine... they really quiet the machines that that's enough reason to have them, but he button/grocery bag thing was an afterthought one messy serging day (serging towels equals a TON of lint!).... and then of course a few months later the quilting strips kept getting messed up in my chair wheels .... otherwise all known as an 'Evolution of a Sewing Tip!'

Great ideas. I'll grab that beach towel we won't be using for a while and put my current strips there.

Awesome hint about the mouse pad idea! One I'm definitely going to use. Thank you for sharing hugssss and smiles.

I like that idea a lot!
I have an odd metal rack which was supposed to hold a set of drawers or shelves, and it is 30 inches high. I use it to line up strips, store them whiles I'm cutting, and drape both quilt and strips over it.
I also use the cardboard spools from gift-wrap ribbons - great for bindings too!

Bad Kitty likes this idea, too!

When I am working on a log cabin or something that uses dark and light strips,I use a music stand like bands use for sheet music. I can put dark on 1 side and light on the other side.I bought 2 at a yard sale for $1.00.

I use an old wooden drying rack too, they can be found in thrift stores for a few $$$.

I vaccuum the ends of a jelly rolls and honey buns to take care of all the fuzz from the tiny pinking. I use a dust buster, works well and keeps lint out of my sewing machine. A friend of mine sprays spray starch on both sides of the rolls after vacuuming and swears by it. I will try that on my next jelly roll project.