I was able to spend several hours sewing today, on different projects. (YAY!) I have a nice sewing table DH made for my with my machine level with the table. I try to keep my seam ripper, small scissors, magnetic pin holder, etc on the right of the machine. There's only about 4 inches of table there. But I guess I need to organize it better, or find a small holder. I keep finding more I need to keep handy. :-o

What do you keep very handy - within reach?

small scissors, snips, seam ripper, small ruler, pins, pencil...I have a can, with doo dads in it. I am a bit of a tool freak, lol. I also have two buckets, within reach, one is for snippets, and the other is for scraps.
There is an ice cream bucket with a plastic bag right by my leg...I sit it on an open drawer, so it is just the right height, to drop all my snipped threads into. I put them in pillows and such. Keeps them off the floor.
I have my machine accessories and my book real close too.
Aren't you glad you asked? :wink:

I am lucky to have a table that includes storage. Everything I might need is within reach. I recently was given a pin cushion. It had velcro on the bottom to attach to the sewing maching or table. I did attach it to the front of my machine and I have found it to be very handy.

Oh, I also keep a chopstick and 6" ruler & extra thread and I do have one of those scrap bags that hangs from the table. I'm thinking I need to move that since I don't use the pin cushion portion of it.

My pressing station is behind me with storage. That's where the DSM manual is and a binder with tip sheets in it.

I keep all my sewing notions right off to the right of the machine - snippers, ripper, pins, etc. But I also have my MP3 player and speakers there to keep me company.

I use lots of little things while sewing and like to keep them handy. I found a flatware caddy at Target awhile back and turned it into a Sew Tote! It works well for me. I put some foamular in the bottoms of some of the areas to elevate them, and then some crafter's foam rubber to protect the tips of the scissors.

I've got multiple scissors, rotary cutters, and even two spray bottles in there, and MOST important, the Seam Rippers! I also made the little pin cushion which buttons onto the end.

I have all my things in a little plastic tray (for desk drawer organizing?). I actually have 3 of them, and have a little stair type stand for them to sit on, but only use the one since I got the different table. I have pencils, ripper, little rulers, etc in it. My little snips are right in front of me, as I'm sewing, and usually my rotary cutter & bigger ruler. lol!! I also have my tv remote, and glass of Pepsi, right on my right side too. :wink: And since I now have half a ping pong table as my sewing table ( :D :D ), my tv sits right on it, kitty corner across from me! :D

AtHomeSewing, I love your caddy idea!!!! :D

Coffee. Chocolate. :-) A tray table to the right, and one to the left. One to hold the items to be sewn, the other to receive the "done" items. Pegboard on the wall behind the machine, to hold scissors, snips, and of course a rainbow of thread.

A bottle of Vodka only kidding I sew everything by hand so this leaves me out for comment. But I wanted to add my 2 cents in someway.

Well, for starts I have a TV tray sitting there to hold all my paraphernalia. On that sits a little two sided plastic container with my "stuff".

1. seam ripper
2 .pack of needles (for when I run over them pesky pins)
3. regular foot for when I have to do HST and stuff you cant do with a 1/4 "
foot
4. my "Purple Thang"
5. brush for cleaning out the machine (try to do every time I change bobbins)
6. cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea
7. usually have scissors hangin' around my neck
8. my little screw driver to take off the cover to clean my machine
9. an extra wound bobbin

If I left anything out, can't think of right off hand.