I have round dowels that I use to press open seams like for pillow cases.
If it is something longer, like a turned quilt, I use a good tube that fabrics have been wrapped around. JoAnn's will let you pick whatever you want.

No, my tools have purple and pink flowers on them and they keep turning up on hubbys workbench. He says mine were easier to find. Duh!! If you put things away after you use them they are easier to find. My hammer has red nail polish around the handle, (and is missing) and my tool box is purple. I still can't locate my screw drivers, but he knows nothing.

Miss mona, get yourself a dirty old box (only has to look dirty) set your toolbox inside it. Do you think that might work?

Some tool boxes come with locks.
D in TX

My hunny bought me a piece of plexiglass at the Auto parts store and used a utility knife to cut it into templates for me. I now have any size I can think of. To get my measurements I have used clear packing tape and taped on an inexpensive cloth tape measurer that I purchased at the dollar store. They work nicely, on a few I have added lines with a black permenant marker.

You will need to lightly sand the rough edges with a very light grain sand paper.

The hardware store is a great place for tools but I prefer to shop at my hubby's tool box. It's much more conveniently located for me and the price is just right! :twisted:

My hunny bought me a piece of plexiglass at the Auto parts store and used a utility knife to cut it into templates for me.
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With some care, you can cut OUT the shapes needed for
Fussy Cuts, and still be able to see the surrounding area.
Dremel tools are good for this.

I'm busy copying and pasting this onto another letter to
send to my daughter and sewing friends. I'll also print it out
for computer illiterate friends and family. These are marvelous
ideas, and thank you all for them. This forum is filled with such
talented folks!!

Our hardware store has an oven liner that is identical to what the quilt shops have as a pressing sheet for fusible applique. Its about $5 where the quilt shop version is $17. Hardware stores, storage unit shops, scrap booking shops, upholstery shops (they sometimes give sample books away or for a small cost) farm stores, lots of small items that can be used, lumber yards (door peep holes, door stops etc) It goes on and on.

I just set a huge box of home dec & uph fabric down at the end of my driveway. I just wrote "free fabric scraps" on it.
It was gone right away. I'm almost ready to put another one out.
I don't have garage sales. Anything that is useable we always take it to the end of the driveway which is 1/8 mi.
Someone always picks it up which makes me feel good.