How many of use own a quilting notion which we use all the time and what is it??? Mine is a wooden pin cushion from a furniture shop and a magnetic saucer from my dad who used his for screws when doing woodwork.
Or
That draw full of must buy notions which we use once if it was lucky and are stuck wawy for ever. i have a small wheel which is supposed to draw a 1/4inch seam. still in its wrapper.
Also a battery operated battery winder which doesn't wind the thread tight enough.

I have that same battery operated bobbin winder, that doesn't work right!! :D But it does give my grand daughter something to do, when she comes to visit!! :D After she leaves, I rewind them on my machine.

My favorite sewing item is a very old cloth pin cushion, that a friend of my Mother's made for me. It's tattered & old, but it is special to me!! My next most used item is my seam ripper. My husband gave it to me over 40 years ago & I still have need to use it quite often!! Oh, the memories!!
:D :D :D :D

i am excellent at breaking seam rippers. How clever of you to keep one so long, mine may last 3 weeks.
i must get one of those gran-daughters for mine. Difficult as i am single and 60+

had to have the Simplicity Rotary Strip Cutter. Useless for me. I love the Simplicity Bias Tape maker though. It irons the tape for me and I find that priceless. I love my bobbin winder. Works great for my Brother machine.

I like the "lipped" rulers, they don't slide as much. I have a triangle ruler I rarely use, but I'm always using my 12 1/2 inch square to square up blocks.

I love my spinning mats, I have both sizes. I have a combination pressing mat and cutting mat with handle I don't use at all. A friend ironed on the mat, now it is warped, but usable. Just not useful.

I have a lot of notions that I haven't used yet but they were on sale or given to me.

I have a little square, flip up seam ripper that I love because it doesn't roll. I had a red and white one that was just almost worn out. Due to a "postage mix up" one of the ladies I mailed some fabric to in Canada sent me a "goodie post". In it (among a bunch of other things that I loved) was a brand new yellow and white seam ripper--the square kind just like the one I'd worn out!!! YEA!!
My Ginghers are something I love, along with my rotary cutters, rulers, mats, Oh my spinning mat, love it!

As far as ones I don't like, I don't have too many, some refillable marking pens that pull the fabric, some chalk markers that don't wash out well. That's about it.

I have a Sidewinder that I love but I don't use the batteries, I plug mine in. The batteries just don't have enough pull.
Also if yours isn't winding tightly enough, wrap the thread around the knob 2x and don't use batteries, plug it into the wall.

I bought a Clover mini iron and I think I've tried it twice - it seems too small for me. I prefer to use a travel iron that I can press down hard if I want to.

How about those gingher scissors. I just had to have them. The first pair disappeared while I was at work. Think my ex made off with them for something. So bought another pair.
Afraid the kids would use them for cutting paper and cardboard with them I tucked them away and now can't find them, I know they are here somewhere. ??? Maybe I will find them while I am still interested in using them. Ha ha ha

4:45 am when I'm reading this and remembered what I forgot to buy while out shopping today. . . . . a travel iron!

clover iron thought I needed it but used it once and
was a waste of money
a lip edge ruler that I can't get a handle on
a small apple core template that the rotary cutter won't work with( too small)

what I love! DWR template set I am currently trying to make 3 queen size and have all my arc done!
Industrial embroidery machine bobbin winder- purchased on ebay for like $25- winds all my bobbins quick and really full LOVE IT!

I cannot live without my rotary cutter. My hubby's grandma had a square plexiglass template that she would mark the fabric and then cut out the blocks with a scissors. How tedious. I cannot live without my seam ripper also.

The mini iron, that looks like a regular iron, it is so light that it ends up all over the place, oh well, it was very cheap so I do not feel bad. Not all notions are good ones, I probably have more, just can not think of them.

June Tailor shape cutter rulers. Need 700 2" squares - no problem.

I was also lucky enough to come across a few GREAT USED full size irons - I love them.

I use my mini iron for Celtic applique to get those bias strips in place and for paper piecing mini quilts as those seams are tiny. Then again I don't have a travel iron!

On the other hand, I bought the Martelli ergonomic rotary cutter, used it a couple of times, and haven't touched it since. I like my Olfa much better.

I have a ruler that measures 24" by 6.5 " and has a rotary cutter attached to it. Made by Fiskers. (my dh got me this for Christmas) I have a lipped ruler. I just love these

I have a tabletop needle threader haven't gotten it to work yet.

The best thing I have is my sewing machine, the threader and thread cutter, I have to admit I love. Have considered changing machines, but without these two features I would have to stick with my machine. Saves so much time, especially the threader, oh my gosh....

Wouldn't it be WONDERFUL if some of these manufactures of the newest gadgets let US use them and give them OUR critique?? yeahhhhhhhhhh...........

i agree.Fabric is expensive enough without paying large amounts for notions we don't use. Mother knew best, keep it simple.

I love my sidewinder bobbin winder. my wonderful Pfaff quilting sewing machine that I won on our local shophop, and my rulers.

I don't like my little bitty iron and my 12 1/2" square up ruler that I have no clue how to use.

I love my sewing machines and my rotary cutters. I use my Sidewinder a lot. But I do plug it in. I love my new bigger cutting mat. I have almost nothing I don't use.

Love the flip-top seam ripper, now if I could just figure out where it disappeared to.
Also loved my Fiskars razor edge scissors that I put in 'a good safe place out of kids reach'...

little bitty iron perfect to press itty bitty seams - like well, NY beauty. The 12 1/2 ruler?? Do you ever make that size blocks? Just plog that puppy on top, and you have a perfectly sized block after cutting!

I have to agree with quiltinghere, I love, love, love my June Tailor Shape Cut and rotary cutter. I use the ruler all the time to cut strips and squares. Also has anyone seen Billie Lauder use an eyebrow razor to un-sew? Neat idea, but I just have not been able to locate one to try. Sherry

The new surgical steel seam rippers are the best I have ever used. It's like unzipping a zipper on a seam, fast and no damage. They cost 1/2 what a regular seam ripper sells for. Gingher makes one that is weighted and has a full handle but expensive. I find them for about $3 with small handle and tip protector. I have lots of seam rippers and scissors of every brand. I love the thin sharp glass headed sewing pins. The big yellow head pins can't compare.
With the Clover mini iron, it has to be brought up to temp at least four or five times before it will reach the hottest temp. After that it will heat to the hottest every time. (an electrician told me to that and he was right).
The Sidewinder has a tension setting, different bobbins and thread take different tension setting. It's not labeled, you have to turn the knob. I opened mine and put in a big weight, now it does not tip over when opened. I also made a taller thread spool buy slipping straw over it that had a snug fit. When I find a metal tube the size I need I'll use that.
My favorite new tool is the Go die cut machine. It's cheaper then a new sewing machine and I would buy a used thrift store sewing machine and the Go instead of a new machine and no Go.

I love the Simplicity bias maker machine. I use it weekly. I sew my scrap strips together and make binding. The 2 1/2" straight fold tip is the one I use the most with it. I can make a strip of binding in seconds, a big roll in a few minutes.

They are on the aisle with the tweezer most of the time. They come in a package of three but those aren't as sharp as the package of just one. Don't make a sawing motion with it or you will cut the fabric. I learned that lesson. They are the safest rippers to use around kids.

How do you keep a ripper that long? You must not use it often or your husband also sharpens it for you....

My favorite is the table top cutting mat I bought 100 yrs ago. They don't make them like this anymore...it's not self-healing. I don't care...it's BIG! I also love my scalpel type seam ripper.....I must love it, I use it all the time! I use a portable travel iron, too!!! Just started using it! It's much hotter than my iron....and DecoBond really DOES bond! (won't with my regular iron). I LOVE LOVE LOVE my 1/4" foot for my machine! WOW...I'm sewing almost like a professional!

The least liked is a small iron that someone gave me....looks like a regular iron but is only about 3" long. The cord comes out the left side....took me three attempts before I figured out it was for left-handed people. Also, the cord constantly falls out...!!!!

I have that tabletop needle threader. I discovered I have to hold both sides of the thread (wrap your hand around the machine) at an angle. Hold the thread tight!!! I worked and worked at it and figured it out.....now it threads my needle EVERY time!;-)

BellaBoo...you have to bring it to temp each time you use it or is that a one time thing that after you use it 3 or 4 times it will heat to a higher temp from then on?
I have one....used it once...my coffee was hotter than that thing got and haven't tried it since! :thumbdown:

My favs are my 6x24 fiskar ruler. I use it all the time. I have bought others, but I just love the black and orange markings. I can't live without. I love my Kai scissors. So light and always sharp.

the notion that I hated the most was the martelli binding system. Bought it at the houston quilt show. They did a demo and it was oh so easy. just do this and this and this and then your quilt is binded by machine. Brought it home and never could get the hang of it. Was really disappointed when asked the company for help. They couldn't care less. Sold it on ebay and recouped some of my money.

I remember well what quilting was like back in the olden days, when I would cut templates out of cereal boxes, pencil around the template, cut outside of those pencil lines, and sew by hand on the pencil lines.

I love my sewing machine and my rotary cutter. I still hand piece some of my quilts, but I do all the cutting with rotary tools!

Can't go without old dritz mat and ruler, trusty fiskar cutter, 3-4 rippers, flat flower pins :)
Useless are chanell cutter, JT fringe and fancy fleese templates, they were way on sale so I don't feel too bad.

Some of my favorite items:
1. my Pfaff sewing machine
2. my Pfaff 1/4 inch foot with guide edge
3. my Gingher rotary cutter
4. my Fiskars softouch scissors
5. my Gingher large handle embroidery scissors
6. my Gingher 3 1/2 by 18 ruler
7. my Rowenta travel iron

Some things I have that I don't use:
1. Sidewinder bobbin winder (too slow, too little thread)
2. 17 inch Olfa turntable rotary mat (too stiff in turning)
3. Rotary blade sharpener (just doesn't work worth a darn)

I have a pincushion that looks like a little wide-brimmed hat which I made over 45 years ago. I know it's age because I made it out of the fabric I used to make my bridesmaid's dress for my brother's wedding. It's kind of dirty and scruffy looking but I came up with my own pattern and have used it since. Well along with lots of other pincushions (including the standard tomato with attached sand-filled strawberry).

Least useful: Darice mini-iron (4"x2.5" ). I planned to use it on a heat-resistant ironing cloth on a table that's perpendicular to my sewing machine table. For those quick seam presses, I thought. The problem is that the cord disconnected (built to be removable) whenever I used it. It was an impulse buy I bought when out of town so I couldn't return it. I've decided it's better for me physically and mentally to get up and use my regular iron and ironing board I usually have set up in the next room. It gives me a chance to stretch and it's a whole lot less aggravating.

I have a power strip hung above my table. I plug in the sidewinder, light, iron, etc. When I come down to sew I just flip the switch on the power strip and walah... everything is on. When I'm done, flip switch and all power is off. Don't even have to turn off my iron that way!!

I have that desk top needle threader, and was even able to use it in the car while traveling. I love it. You just have to be sure to get the needle in there with the hole in the right place. Also love my Morgan Hoop for applique. What a Godsend that has been,.

My favorite is the rotary cutter, couldnt sew with out it. Worthless was the sidewinder, it worked ok for my Janome but when i bought my viking it wouldnt cooperate. Also Dritz Tracing paper is useless, it doesnt work at all.

i have a bobbin winder i use a lot and it works well. also like my cutting mat that rotates. had to have a rotary cutter which has a pinking edge - think i have used it once. best non quilting tool in my sewing room is a "tide to go stick". i am always getting a spot on the project i am working on.

Hello.Can I ask for more info on the Simplicity bias maker ?
Does it work alone, or do you need other equipment with it?
I've bought too many "must haves" especially specialty rulers,
so kind of leary of new gadgets. TIA,Pat

I love my Quilt In A Day half square triangles square-up ruler espescially when I have so many of them to make.
I have brought so many thimbles that I can not use for one reason or another.

I have the same opinion as Linda about my rotary blade sharpener. It seems to make the blades worse instead of better.

I've only been quilting for a short while, but have realized the best tools may be the duplicates (scissors, seam rippers) that I keep on my ironing board. I'm constantly searching under scraps and squares for these 2 tools. Keeping an extra set by the iron has saved me a lot of time.