I use chocolate boxs and cookie tins :D it it so funny to watch DH face as he pulls one off the shelf and open it only to find fabric scraps and not yummies :lol: :lol: :lol: and he dosent even realize that there ARE cookies and chocolate hidden! he just gives up to soon! 8-)

DonnaB: Your Avatar is beautiful! ;-)

thanks for all the usable ideas.
jean

:thumbup: Yeah I store my buttons in a cookie Jar that I can see though... Store my thread on a home made thread holder.. Found at a yard sale for free... :thumbup: :roll: 8-)

I'm going to have to dig in my kitchen garbage for the feta cheese container. It was a #5 so I can't recycle it but now that I think about it, it would probably be great for storing some small sewing things. I also need to get the lettuce container out of the recycling. Thanks a lot, ladies!

I save and use all of the plastic vegetable and fruit containers. I pull all of the paper labels off and then clean the glue off with WD40.
I make good sized lables out of colored paper and the big wide magic markers and just put them inside the container looking out. This way I can see what is in each container instead of having to go right up to it to read it.

Here's what I do with my binding when sewing it onto a quilt. It's out of the way and works wonderfully. :thumbup:

Great tip--thanks.

:thumbup: Also a old tupperware containers work for storing pins, needles..

I use cosemetic bags to store my ipod, phone and other cords, cameras, gps, scarfs, hankie collections. I get the Bioteen samples from my DDS that come in a clear zippered pouch. Great for knitting markers, etc. Would be great for small appliques although I use the ziplock bags.
I have small drawers from Walmart stacked in the closet to hold rullers, zippers, single patterns, etc. Larger drawers are stacked for my stash. One large bin is for scraps and I have large fabric yardages on hangers, in order of how they will be used.
Now I should "Get Busy"!

I bought a large pill container--one of those with the days marked--at Harbor Freight. Machine needles are now sorted and the size written on the tops with marker. My life is easier now. LOL

Ok have a question. We get cow boluses (big calcium + mineral pills) in a sturdy cylindrical container 1 1/4" diameter and 6 1/2" long. Has a snap on lid. What do I do with these containers? Would store crochet hooks beautifully, but that would take care of just one. Buttons, maybe. I could roll up a mini quilt and use it as a mailing package.

bobbins? needles disposal? beads? Taking small number of pins in a portable project?

I use a lot of airborne & save those tubes for beads. hmmm, mine could work for needle disposal, too.

a traveling sewing kit, pre cut pieces for hand sewing, embroidery supplies, etc. :-D

PS: non sewing: my DH stores dried seeds he saves from cantaloupe and watermelons that we eat for next year's supply!

I use the LARGE plactic zip bags from the dollar store
15 x 15 and 18 x 22

Come to think of it .. I have a box that I use for my patterns that I have had for 54 years. It has the date stamped on it from the Post Office when it was mailed to me. Ha Ha some of the patterns are about that old too. I worked at a 5 and dime store in the fabric department and when they had a close out on the patterns, I grabbed a few. Some I have never used at all.
Syl

I use the large plastic buckets that cat litter comes in (I get it at Sams)..I had labels on each of them, with colors and I put all my 4" squares in them.......when one gets full, I know I have enough to do a quilt, in whatever color it holds. (these are the left overs, cut to square size)> I also use the cookie plastic tubs from Sams, to put the smaller cut scrap squares in.........they have lids too, so labels for 2", 3",etc.........and they stack, with the lids on.I have my small scissors tied to a long ribbon, and that is tied to the drawer pull on the sewing machine (always dropping it, now I can pull it back easily).I use one of those litter buckets beside the machine, to catch all the scrap pieces in, and then I go back later and cut them to usable sizes. I also have a bucket for "strings" size pieces.

Thank you TonnieLoree, it is a miniature, fun to do....DonnaB

I cannot walk past any kind of bag or containeer without trying to think how they can be used in the sewing room.
Empty metal 750g coffee tins are great for threads, little pieces of paper or even crumbs and if they stand on their plastic lids, they tend to stay put and make no marks on the floor. An eraser makes a great protector for the sharp point of the seam ripper, but the silicon ear goodies that children wear when they swim, work even better. I re-use 2l icecream tubs for scraps so the bright light can't bleach them and have a vast array of biscuit and chocolate tins for notions. A great favourite is the boxes of mother boards, they are slightly smaller than pizza boxes but a bit higher and great for WIP. The computer stores collect them for me. The flat cardboard boxes that brings your large calendars from suppliers make excellent storage for block and WIPs and easily take a 12" block. I staple large ziplock bags inside the back covers of magazines to store the pull-out pattern sheet and templates I've made.

I love love love these things! (Love the CL tea, too!) I have a bunch of them that I use for various things. One way I use them, in addition to storing quilting stuff, is in the fridge. I keep the extra packs of taco sauce, catsup, jelly, etc. from fast food places in them. My DH thinks I'm nuts hanging onto all of them, but what does he know? LOL

I just thought of something ... I have probably 12 or so of the little clear jars that pimentos come in. Now what can we use them for? Needles maybe? Buttons? I'll have to get mine out of the cabinet and think about this! :)

Glass spaghetti jars for storing lil things.. Bobbins, buttons....
I filled one with the water absorbing crystals I use for the neck cooler wraps
Square empty kleenex boxes for scraps and snip-its, when filled just toss the whole thing
Shoe box/basket next to cutting table to keep most used notions handy and close..
Pen/pencil caddy holds marking pencils, turners, chop sticks and other thin items
table top cd rack holds rulers and templates upright and visible
thick sturdy paper rolls from the food saver bag refills are perfect for wrapping binding,
If you wrap your block rolls on the paper rolls you can keep them organized and labeled

I love plastic containers, empty boxes, paper bags with handles and zip lock baggies. I don't know anyone can run a home without them. LOL

You give me such a nice information. I use to keep many storage stuffs in different kind of storage systems. I used generally square plastic type storage bin in which I can keep vinyl,stationary items and my some cushion covers etc. I also use Velcro based paper bags which is more useful to keep my clothes as it is.

Coffee cans work great for notions and also in the kitchen to store beans,rice and spices

I use the Crystal Light container for my pens and markers. I use altoid containers for my straight pins. I use an antique tobacco (Prince ALbert) container for my large safety pins. I like unusal containers.

My mother had a beautiful milkglass lidded bowl on the stove for-wait for it- bacon grease (if you've never had eggs fried in bacon grease, you don't know what you've missed!) it now sits on my cutting table holding packets of pins, needles, hand quilting thread and thimbles. It is the perfrct shape and size, and a wonderful reminder of Mom.