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2 sets of bed risers under the legs of my quilting machine table raised it up to a comfortable height. I have used painters' masking paper to print my paper-piecing patterns. The suction cup gripper intended for use in bathrooms makes a great handle for rotary cutting rulers. A rolling plastic container with drawers holds my threads to keep them from getting dusty. Flexible plastic cutting mats from the $$ store can be used for creating templates. The $$ store has containers of various sizes/shapes useful as containers. I have made several thread catchers using 1/4 inch airline tubing in the rim to keep it open. A magnetic knife rack will hold a variety of scissors and other metal tools to keep them up off your working surface.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latrinka (Post 7199634)

chap stick for conditioning thread for hand sewing, couldn't find "Thread Heaven" at Joanns

what a great idea! I have only found Thread Heaven at lqs but will try your substitute too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchaicArcane (Post 7200704)

LOL! I know that scene! I just had the wind (one of the first times I've been able to open the window this year!) make it start swaying. Good thing I have all those blocks in the way to amuse the wind before it gets to the sharp stabby things.

I find raising the humidity helps a lot with misbehaving threads. It dropped to 19% this winter and I had no end of trouble. I raised it (It took 2 humidifiers and a water fountain running!) to 40% and my problems went away. I suspect the low humidity sucks moisture from the thread and makes it brittle. I got a clue to that in an old Elna owner's manual. It said something to the effect of if your thread is breaking, put it in an open window over night and it will regain its strength overnight. I wasn't about to start leaving the window open but humidity is the main thing that would affect the thread. I don't own a bottle of thread conditioner of any kind, and I'm in the arid prairies.

try putting your thread in the fridge over night or more

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimiknoxtaylor (Post 7204964)

try putting your thread in the fridge over night or more

Definitely something I will try. That said, I do find that raising the humidity makes humans feel better in the room too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rilene (Post 7201323)

I use the cutlery holder from an old dishwasher that broke down. In it are my rotary cutter, scissors, little rulers, chalk pencils, etc.
The bigger plastic salad containers are used to contain my batik scraps, sorted by color.

Thanks rilene, I just went to kitchen & grabbed mine...finally my broken dishwasher (for 3yrs now) has served a purpose :thumbup:

One person this month said to use a floss container for a thread cutter on the airline. It has that little cutter in.
If I am in the kitchen sewing (at times) I use the little ironing board over the double sink, fits good, and the iron plugs in to the right. Also, for those making a portable ironing surface, use a wooden snack tray and staple layers of
flannel on it. Use spray starch when clipping curves on the applique pieces to hold the seam allowance under, using a paint brush to brush the spray starch on, of which you sprayed in a little cup. Good luck, everyone!

I use a cookbook holder to hold the pattern book so I can see at a glance when I am making complicated blocks .
I also keep a rubber mallet handy to pound on intersecting corners that feel "hard" or "lumpy", from multiple pieces meeting in the same spot. Usually from paper piecing intricate patterns, and this helps smooth out the bump for machine quilting.