I also use a magnet on my machine. The thin ones from an advertisement for your frig. I have a computerized newer bernina 440 and I emailed them to ask if this was going to interfere with the electronics and they said " NO " it would not.

I bought a precut piece of glass at the hardware store. Bound the edges with duct tape. I put this over a block or section of my quilt and use dry erase markers to try out a quilt pattern. I suppose you could use a piece of heavy plastic.
Okay so I didn't bind it until after trying it out first.

Use the large AM & PM pill storage boxes purchased at Dollar Tree. Scrub off the days of the week and use it for my "feet" and label them. Nice because you can just throw it around and not have to search for the right foot.

Very neat idea!!

What good idea have you had that would benefit others? How about passing them on just in time for weekend quilting? :-D

Sashing-Sarah709[/quote]

Here is a way to make your own really sturdy pattern paper. Take two sheets of the inexpensive white tissue paper, the kind you get at the dollar tree and a white plastic trash bag. cut open the trash sack to get one layer sheet. sandwich tissue, plastic,tissue and iron with a hot iron. Be careful to trim bag to tissue size or the iron will melt the plastic and you will have to do a clean up. The resulting tissue is very strong, it can be cut or torn but is not fragile. It is translucent and you can easily trace through it. It is great for transferring multi size patterns as you can trace off the size you need and save the original. Also if you want you can use an existing tissue pattern as one of the layers and thus make it stronger for extended use.
Other uses of this idea that I have come up with is to have the top layer be fabric. When I was book binding having the glue leak through was a real problem. Book cloth is expensive and rather boring. By doing this I can have any kind of book cloth I want. I think if you were covering boxes this would be handy too. Also if you are crafting with fragile or making items that need a sturdier paper this is a great solution. Once I sandwiched the tissue with maps to make lampshades. The are still going strong. I also have sandwiched that shiny iridescent tissue with white tissue to make a sturdy paper to cover journals. Works great. I haven't tried it but I am thinking to use two lightweight fabrics with the plastic and seeing if I can make a moisture resistant fabric for lunch bags and such. Easier to sew than oilcloth and cheaper than vinyl coated cloth.

Let me see: small paint brush to clean bobbin and needle throat area, rubber shelf liner under my machine and foot pedal to keep from "walking" away, scrap fleece to clean up threads on floor and cutting mat, any containers that are suitable for storing. I have clear containers for; 6 1/2" sqs, 2 1/2" sqs, 2 1/2" strips, 4 patch blocks and probably others. These are now ready to use in a quilt anytime. I usually donate a quilt each summer for auction to the theater my son performs at and these precuts are what I go to for a fast quilt.
Skinny batik strips from trimming I use to fill clear glass ornaments. Batik is two sided and they look so pretty inside the balls. Gave these as gifts to quilty friends and family. Short appetizer sticks as stilletos. I know there's more, just can't think of them.

I use these to keep my bobbins in. The large one holds 3/4 bobbins in each day and I can see through it. I try to keep same colors together.

If you go to Quiltville.com, you'll see all kinds of quilts made from "leaders and enders". Bonnie K Hunter is AWESOME!!!

Great Idea! I have to try this!

KIM

I have one of those round magnetic pin holders - it fits into a RubberMaid contanier. I think it's a #1 round contanier, great for dropping pins in while sewing. Learned this from Louise Cutter, a wonderful sewing lady.

Keep them coming, some very nice tips. I have been writing them down. Thank you so much

I can't think of anything to add but want to say thanks for all the great tips.

I use a chef's apron to keep threads off my clothes when I have just a few minutes to sew before leaving the house. That way I don't look like I was rollling in the fabric.

Very smart!

Pizza place in my speed dial..........home delivery.

Be careful with magnets if your machine is computerized. Magnets will screw it up.

Sashing-Sarah709[/quote]

Here is a way to make your own really sturdy pattern paper. Take two sheets of the inexpensive white tissue paper, the kind you get at the dollar tree and a white plastic trash bag. cut open the trash sack to get one layer sheet. sandwich tissue, plastic,tissue and iron with a hot iron. Be careful to trim bag to tissue size or the iron will melt the plastic and you will have to do a clean up. The resulting tissue is very strong, it can be cut or torn but is not fragile. It is translucent and you can easily trace through it. It is great for transferring multi size patterns as you can trace off the size you need and save the original. Also if you want you can use an existing tissue pattern as one of the layers and thus make it stronger for extended use.
Other uses of this idea that I have come up with is to have the top layer be fabric. When I was book binding having the glue leak through was a real problem. Book cloth is expensive and rather boring. By doing this I can have any kind of book cloth I want. I think if you were covering boxes this would be handy too. Also if you are crafting with fragile or making items that need a sturdier paper this is a great solution. Once I sandwiched the tissue with maps to make lampshades. The are still going strong. I also have sandwiched that shiny iridescent tissue with white tissue to make a sturdy paper to cover journals. Works great. I haven't tried it but I am thinking to use two lightweight fabrics with the plastic and seeing if I can make a moisture resistant fabric for lunch bags and such. Easier to sew than oilcloth and cheaper than vinyl coated cloth.[/quote]

Very interesting. Are there any fumes that come off the plastic when you do this?

I love this idea! It is like an altered bulb. I do altered books and always look for odd ways of using things that other people throw away.

WOW! K9 Dancer, what a great idea.

I put a small "Command" hook on the end of my machine to hang a small pair of scissors. Works great and can be removed with no residue. Just be careful not to put it over a vent.

I use a large coffee can for my scraps and threads. I covered it with a wide wall paper border. Helps a lot
in keeping sewing table clean.

I use an old drying rack when I'm working on a quilt that has a lot of strips to cut and stitch. I'll stack the same color and size strips on one spot and another color and/or size strips on another spot. It's so easy to grab just the right color and/or size. I used to pile them in a box and it would get all messy..... this is so much better

I don't have a fancy sewing table.... just a flat table for my machines, etc. I found a plastic storage unit that has shelves and rollers to put next to my table and machine. Then on top of the unit, I put an old silverware drawer. I put the most often used items in it and sewing is so much quicker..... I don't have to stop, get up, walk to where ever stuff is stored.

[Very interesting. Are there any fumes that come off the plastic when you do this?[/quote]

A little but not enough to cause discomfort. I am chemically sensitive and cannot even stand the smell of any thing but unscented, but this does not bother me or trigger any of my alergies. I do sometimes use a pressing sheet made from an old pillowcase, but that is more to protect my iron and ironing board.

Love this idea.

The trays containing meat purchased at gorcery make a good small tray on which I lay my scissors, bobbins, seam ripper and needle package next to my machine when I'm piecing.

I take a picture of my blocks when laid out before sewing together with my digital camera. There are often times when I find a block either turned the wrong way or too much of one color in the same area. For some reason a picture lets you see something different than looking at it with only your eyes.

I use a daily pill box (Sun, Mon, and so on) to store my machine needles. I put a different size or type in each section, and label with a Sharpie.

I save my salvage edges for use as plant ties in the garden.

When I was making a lot of scrub tops for my daughter I would iron the iron on interfacing to the paper pattern and that way my pattern would last and I still had all the markings on my pattern and my pattern is still in good shape after many many many uses. :)

Excellent! I also heard a clay pot or a large coffee mug would do the same thing.

No, the plastic bag was Sashing Sarah's idea.

I fill my iron with water from an empty detergent squirt bottle. My best sewing box is a $.50 Kaboodle I got at a yard sale.

I cut up leftover warm and natural batting in 3 x 5 sizes, and keep by my machine and ironing board to collect loose thread, then throw away when full.

I wrap filled bobbins with the baby pony tail bands. I fill at least 4 bobbins before I begin piecing.

i did almost the same thing, except i had dh cut a pc of mdf (medium density fiberboard) had to ask what it stood for, duh...

anyway, had him cut a pc of that for the top of the cheapo walmart storage unit, and put the silverware tray in the top drawer, so i can cut @ my machine.. the ironing board is right behind me, so i can get a lot done with out having to get up

double duh... should have mentioned that i got a cutting mat that fit on top of the mdf....

It's not my idea (simply quilt guest, from 10 - 12 years ago); BUT,

rubberband two sharpened pencils together and use for tracing applique or other patterns. You will be drawing the cutting line, And the 1/4" seam allowance. Pretty cool...

Here are some of my better ideas, IMHO. I used scrap 2 x 4 lumber, glue, and a drill to make the gadget holder; the cone thread sits on a piece of 1/4 inch dowel with a fill piece that came with my serger, and the thread feeds across a tiny hook. The pin cushion & thread catcher for class stays in place with hook and loop tape, and comes off easily to stay with my travel kit. After I took these pix I added a sharps bottle to my gadget holder; it's a pill bottle with a hole in the lid and is recessed into the wood base.

Sure - I'd like the scraps! I do something similar to what you do - keep flying geese paper piecing patterns by my sewing machine, and when i do some sewing, i add on some "geese" from my current project or other scraps. In time, I have a miniature flying geese wallhanging that is sort of like a memory quilt.