I suggested this a year or so ago and got royally flamed for it. Lol. Poster said I needed to support the quilting industry. I'll support them when they charge reasonable prices. $300 for a rolling case for my machine is not reasonable.

I do support my LQS. My machine case that I traval with was 250$ at JoAnns. I would rather buy one from HF.This way I can buy more fabric.

Seems like no matter what it is, if they attach "quilting" to it in any way, they charge an outrageous prices for it. Pretty sad when people take advantage like that, but its everywhere and quilting has grown in leaps and bounds, so its another opportunity for someone to make money off the little guys. Some/most people are on a limited budget, they can not afford all the bells and whistles out there to do what they love. I'll support whoever has the best price for what I need at the moment. I know I'm not alone. so I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry someone felt the need to make you feel bad for not filling the wallets of the greedy ones.

I love all the suggestions for items at HF. I can't wait to go there and find these and maybe other items!

A tool bag with wheels- perfect for my Singer portable machine. Has pockets inside and out!
$ 19.99 less 20% discount +free flashlight!
Evelyn in NJ

Thanks for that. I didn't feel bad, I just rolled my eyes and ate a jelly belly. Just because I don't want to spend $300 on a rolling cart doesn't mean I won't spend that same $300 on fabric, batting, and thread, which - surprise! - still supports the quilting industry. Ha.

If you do any sewing that requires turning tubes inside out, they have a 12" long gizmo (Item # 65709) that lets you grip and lock for much easier turning than the "feed a safety pin" method. Item # 69375 spring clamps for use to hold binding; Item # 621 center punch makes a great stilleto, too.

How about the tweezers with the crook at the end -- great of digging out all kinds of things. I like screwdrivers that have the magnetized tip to hold the screw when you remove it so it doesn't drop somewhere inaccessible. They are good for picking up pins that drop on the floor too. I got a set (of regular screwdrivers) on sale -- love them. The free flashlights (coupon in magazines, especially VA mags) are great. Most of my tools came from there. Have to watch the hubby -- he tries to sneak in and use them when he doesn't want to go to the cold garage for his own!

Also, this isn't for quilting but for the quilter -- I got a set of 3 solar lights, a hummingbird, a butterfly and a dragon fly each on a long stick. They change color -- so relaxing to watch at the end of the day.

I have the $5 12 inch magnets that hold my scissors and seam ripper and more. Also they have a wrist nail holder, works with pins!

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!
Wanda K

I have shopped at our local HF. Each time I look for rotary blades and always end up asking for help. They don't know what I'm talking about!!! Can anyone post an item number or some sort of identification that I can show the store representative? It's just soooo frustrating!!!

Debbie C. The is Item# 97642 They are called "Replacement Carpet Cutter Blades"
Hope this helps.

This has been such an interesting thread. I went to the HF website & noticed there's a tab you can click on to "shop by interest." Quilting wasn't listed but it sounds like it should be! I think that rolling cart will be rolling into my house soon.

Harbor freight
 

Great thread!, learned a lot. and I say amen to the "buy what and where you can afford. ". I realize a lot of the small quilt shops have a struggle like any small shop but you can only do what you can afford to.

Wish we had a harbor freight in Maine. But I do order the blades, even with postage it's a deal.

I have a small brush that, I think, came with my serger. It also came with a 6 inch long, narrow tweezers with a little bend on the ends. The tweezers is a help when threading the loopers, which I almost never do because I tie on new looper threads and they just go right through. Both the brush and the tweezers live in the serger's "basement" compartment, which is never very far from my other sewing machine.

What is between the magnetic tray and the brushes. Is it the screwdriver? Is it magnetic? Do you know the item number?

Last time I was there, I found a dental pick set for $3.00 that I was about to order from a quilting catalog for much much more.

I used to be so bored when Hubby shopped their (HF) - but now he said he needs to put a leash on me because I am scouting for ideal "objects" all over the store - this site has really opened my eyes to the possibilities. And don't forget the "value" of your local Dollar Store - like small flashlights for $1, bendable lights you can use on your machine or whatever, the rubber shelf mats that can stop slippage, dull noise, lots of uses. Also found a package of 50 big safety pins for $1, clothespins to hold stuff together to sew. I love improvising, can you tell?

Marysewfun

i got a large orange triangle with 90 degr. and 45 degr. on it from my DH. i think he got it there. the tools and toolboxes are much less expensive there than at quilt stores!!

Another good thing to use is chenille stems...they don't come apart like a q-tip will. You can cut one into thirds and make 3 out of 1....maybe even fourths. They work very well and don't leave residue behind. It was recommended by our machine technician.

This thread came at a good time! I had a doctor's appt. not far from HF. I have gone in there with DH a few times and found good stuff there. But it did not occur to me I could use one of the tool case tote bags until I read this thread today. I found a very nice one with an extra bag inside, perfect for notions, etc. The price was right...only $24.00 between the sale and 20% off coupon....very reasonable compared to fabric stores and LQS.

We don't have anything like Harbor Freight nearby, though 4 quilt shops within a 1/2 hour's drive in any direction. But end of this month we go to the huge model railroad show at the Big E in Springfield MA. There is always a huge vendor booth with tools like those of HF. Since I am bored stiff most of the day, I always go through it carefully, looking for crossover tools that modeler hubby and I can both use. This year I'll look for the magnet trays and that L-shaped torque screwdriver. Would love one for sewing machine.

Didn't see the scissors on the HF ad, but I did browse and found a 25X pocket microscope for $8.99. Can't see those inscribed needle sizes anymore. This might be just what I need!

I bought a small dolly. I use it to carry all my stuff in when I got on sewing weekends. It saves me trips to my car and I don't have to carry all my stuff in.

Item #1028 what do you think?

and they had flashlight for free w/coupon.

the only time my dh goes to harbor frieght is with me:). Sometimes if I am busy, then he goes and gets what i NEED!

Peckish--the lint brushes were $1.49--pretty cheap

My favorite purchase there are the retractable tape measurers. I bought two--both 25 feet. One is one inch and the other is 1/2 inch. The little one just goes in my "tool" box and I love it for a quick measure of a quilt.

Is "Harbor Frieght" something like "Princess Auto" here in Canada? I know we can sometimes find some neat things in "Princess Auto". I think I'll go & check them out again.

I'm considering using foam earplugs as pinmoors. Has anyone experimented with those?

Ha. That IS pretty cheap. If I'd known that, I might not have spent the time I took to wash my old mascara brush, lol. But then again, it would have required me actually hauling myself out of my house down to HF... lol