I glued a narrow magnetic strip across the top front of my sewing machine. Then when I am sewing something that has the straight pins and as they approach the needle, I pull them out and stick them onto the magnetic strip. Nothing falling onto the floor or worse into the lap.

oooh, I like this one!

I was sewing and my machine kept stalling, I was constantly turning the hand wheel to get it to sew. I had the great idea of going right then and buy a new machine. Best idea I had while sewing. LOL.

My machine light went out one evening so I use a book light held in place with a pony tail band around the machine and the light. It worked great.

We use coffee creamer from the dairy case. (Plastic jug type)I saved one, washed it out and took off the label. Now i keep it filled with water and set it next to my iron. No more trips to the sink to fill it up!

I use a full 1" x 1.5" Post-it-Note pad flush up against the presser foot, held down with a fat rubber band or a strip of tape, to keep my 1/4" seams exact. I can sew two strips together in about 10 seconds using this! All my seams are straight, equal, and easy.

Jan in VA

I keep a sport water bottle next to my iron. It's right there when my iron needs a *fill-up*!

1st: Finding this board. =)
2nd: I use those mole strips that you buy that are sticky on the underside for my 1/4" seam. I just cut a strip and stick it down. Works great!
3rd: I cut my blocks while watching t.v. with dh and safety pin together so when I am ready to sew I just take a stack and lay them all out and sew. This way I can have several ready to go and just sew them up all at once.
4th: I have extra bobbins all ready to go when I get ready to sew. This keeps you going for quite a while without having to stop, wind the bobbin and rethread.
5th: I have a box under my table that I use to cut my fabric and all of my itty bitty scraps go in there when done so there's not a huge clean up needed. The larger pieces go into another container on the table for scrappy stuff. (clean up as you go and there's more time for sewing)

I am still very green so these may be so little to others but they have helped me. With very little time to sew these are big time savers for me.

I could never get the scant thing right. My needle is not adjustable and measuring and marking the point did not work. The sticky note thing didn't work either because that point for my machine is way under the presser foot.

I then realized that the last track(?) on the feet dog acts as a perfect scant guide and I've been making my blocks the perfect size every since.

Man, so many good ideas! Keep them coming . . . I'm learning ALL kinds of stuff!!! LOL

Nothing to give, just taking copious notes, ta everyone.