Stuff you Use for Quilting, that isn't originally for Quilting!!!
#372
Power Poster
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,827
#373
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,614
I keep a small 1 inch paintbrush to help baste my quilts. I take the Elmers Washable glue, pour it into a small plastic bowl, add just a little water and mix, and the paintbrush works great to very lightly apply the glue solution to each layer, smoothing as I go....
#374
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Hudsonville, MI
Posts: 110
Wow, this thread has been inspiring.
As a retired nurse, I use hemostats for everything from pulling up a bobbin thread, to holding the needle while inserting it, to pulling a needle through, to pushing out corners or reaching inside to grab a corner to pull it out on tiny things like doll clothes.
For organization, I have a bunch of the scrapbooker's organizer cubes - about 14" WxHxDeep. They come in all kinds of configurations and snap together. The one with 4 drawers fits FQ's perfectly.
White rice for filling pin cushions.
Pill bottles for used pins/needles.
Dull sewing machine needles to hang up pictures - they leave a teeny tiny hole in the drywall and stick out better than a lot of nails - they hold a decent weight for their size.
Computer armoire - now that the computer is a laptop, the armoire is my stash/patterns/scrap/everything else that I can hide behind a door storage.
My stapler - to add a tag with a number or letter to identify blocks - also to tag the upper right corner so I get them all in the right direction before sewing.
And the best one is a steel slotted spoon - to reach and scratch that spot on your back where you can't reach!
As a retired nurse, I use hemostats for everything from pulling up a bobbin thread, to holding the needle while inserting it, to pulling a needle through, to pushing out corners or reaching inside to grab a corner to pull it out on tiny things like doll clothes.
For organization, I have a bunch of the scrapbooker's organizer cubes - about 14" WxHxDeep. They come in all kinds of configurations and snap together. The one with 4 drawers fits FQ's perfectly.
White rice for filling pin cushions.
Pill bottles for used pins/needles.
Dull sewing machine needles to hang up pictures - they leave a teeny tiny hole in the drywall and stick out better than a lot of nails - they hold a decent weight for their size.
Computer armoire - now that the computer is a laptop, the armoire is my stash/patterns/scrap/everything else that I can hide behind a door storage.
My stapler - to add a tag with a number or letter to identify blocks - also to tag the upper right corner so I get them all in the right direction before sewing.
And the best one is a steel slotted spoon - to reach and scratch that spot on your back where you can't reach!
#376
I have so many that I use! My father is always repurposing in his garage, so I think I got it from him.
Mini tackle boxes to hold small notions in my knitting and quilting bags, larger ones for holding buttons that are sorted by size, and wall mounted tool drawers for holding notions like safety pins, bias tapes, sewing machine needles, extra empty bobbins, etc.
Round gum boxes to hold used blades and cubed, standing gum boxes to hold used needles
A discarded laptop display center from DH's rent to own store is my new sewing table with plenty of storage above and below
A discarded coffee station from DH's rent to own store for a cutting table (perfect height and measures 30"x36", just like my cutting mat)
A lazy susan on my sewing table to hold lots of things like oil bottles, pin cushions, etc. I also have a double stacked susan for holding various notions near my cutting mats
Freezer Paper for stabilizing the backs of autograph blocks
Silica Gel packets to keep in drawers of safety pins, etc, to keep them from rusting
Dawn Dish Soap (great for getting oil out of fabric)
Vinegar (great for setting colors in fabrics that might bleed)
Shout Color Catchers (For multi colored quilts and also to be given out with the quilts I make)
File Organizers-Small ones for holding my Embroidery Machine hoops, and large ones for holding patterns of projects on my immediate to-do list.
Carpet Tape, sold in the hardware store, to keep my cutting mats from shifting
Small Dresser to hold fabrics, as well as Sterilite drawer sets.
Tall vases to hold knitting needles and crochet needles
Magnetic bowl from hardware/auto stores to catch small notions like snips, etc.
A standing utensil caddy to hold scissors near my cutting mat
Desk caddies to organize notions by my machine (finger presses, stilettos, awls, rippers, etc in the pen sections, and empty bobbins in the paper clip sections)
Chopsticks for turning out corners
Nonstick shelf liner for cutting slippery fabrics or liners, and nonstick rug liners for holding my machine's pedal in place.
Stackable sweater dryer for holding blocks that need to air dry
Cookbook holder with clear splatter cover to hold patterns, magazines or books open to a page, but also for placing the spatter cover over a battery operated closet light and using it as a light box.
Photo boxes, normally sold in the dollar stores, are the perfect sizes for holding patterns from quilt shops.
Over the door shoe holder holds "extras" like extra fusible rolls, clotheslines, etc.
A Cabbage Crock, or making sauerkraut, holds larger rolls of fusible webbing, vinyl and even wrapping paper and contact papers
Hemostats for turning applique pieces
Grab It tool for this 5'3" quilter
Loads of baskets to hold everything: one for yarn, one for rotary cutters, one for current projects, etc.
Anything in my kitchen that would make a great template for applique: Dinner plates, cookie cutters, ravioli cutters, etc.
Compressed air for "cleaning" around my machine (but not inside) and for hosing down the serger.
Clothespins for holding thicker bindings
Over the door hooks for holding bags I've finished, but haven't found homes for
Rubber Mallet for embossing velvet
A tv tray to keep near my machine so that as I'm sewing, I can set spare pieces aside, but still keep them handy
A changing table with attached bureau. The bureau holds my batting scraps, the shelves beneath hold fabric, the drawer hold lots of garment sewing patterns, the top of the bureau holds my embroidery machine and embroidery machine accessories and the actual top of the changing table holds my racks that hold rulers, a fan and various other necessities
Cheap 4/$1 cereal bowls to hold thread scraps, my binding roll so that as I sew, it comes right out of the bowl, and even small applique pieces or buttons that I need for my current sewing project
Milk crates, on top of my bookshelves, to give me more book space, lol
Document holders, sold in office supply stores, to hold open a pattern to the page I need
Toilet Paper Holder, to hold my small spools of Stitch 'N' Ditch
Plate racks to hold a few, commonly used rulers, near my cutting mat
Pencil cases, to hold tools and rotary cutters on the way to quilting group
Photography brushes, for cleaning big messes like the serger and cutting mats
Metal, college end stands hold my metal magnetic bowl perfectly, so it doesn't slide off, and is small and handy enough to sit by my sewing desk and not be in the way
Tupperware in various sizes: One small rectangular cookie bin holds zippers, one holds stamps, etc
Small magazine bins, sold in college back to school sections, to hold notebooks, graph paper, etc
Small clips for binding (as opposed to the expensive ones now sold) and spring loaded clamps to hold the fabric when I'm sandwiching
Small, metal file cabinet to hold warranties, instructions, etc., while still holding my metal pin catcher and more metal magnetic bowls
A magnifying magnet, used with a magnetic white board is perfect for reading patterns with small print, like the ones for cross stitch or knitting/crochet
Post It Notes to mark 1/4" seams for my DDs
Telescopic magnet, for my daughters' machines that are not computerized
Sandpaper, for bracing fabric as you write on it and for marking quilt lines
Office Supply rings that open and close, for holding my quilting stencils
Thermal, zippered bottle holder works great for taking sharp notions to quilting group
Paper towel holders for holding ribbons and lace as you sew them onto your project
Larger pencil boxes that clasp for holding a multitude of things
A mouse pad as a secondary pin cushion
Toe separators for holding bobbins that you want to keep out of your bobbin saver, for a current project, but don't want to roll away
A small 5-drawer nightstand for holding extra threads, extra notions, sale finds that you'll use "later", etc.
Phew! I think that's all I have, but I'm sure I forgot a few, lol.
Mini tackle boxes to hold small notions in my knitting and quilting bags, larger ones for holding buttons that are sorted by size, and wall mounted tool drawers for holding notions like safety pins, bias tapes, sewing machine needles, extra empty bobbins, etc.
Round gum boxes to hold used blades and cubed, standing gum boxes to hold used needles
A discarded laptop display center from DH's rent to own store is my new sewing table with plenty of storage above and below
A discarded coffee station from DH's rent to own store for a cutting table (perfect height and measures 30"x36", just like my cutting mat)
A lazy susan on my sewing table to hold lots of things like oil bottles, pin cushions, etc. I also have a double stacked susan for holding various notions near my cutting mats
Freezer Paper for stabilizing the backs of autograph blocks
Silica Gel packets to keep in drawers of safety pins, etc, to keep them from rusting
Dawn Dish Soap (great for getting oil out of fabric)
Vinegar (great for setting colors in fabrics that might bleed)
Shout Color Catchers (For multi colored quilts and also to be given out with the quilts I make)
File Organizers-Small ones for holding my Embroidery Machine hoops, and large ones for holding patterns of projects on my immediate to-do list.
Carpet Tape, sold in the hardware store, to keep my cutting mats from shifting
Small Dresser to hold fabrics, as well as Sterilite drawer sets.
Tall vases to hold knitting needles and crochet needles
Magnetic bowl from hardware/auto stores to catch small notions like snips, etc.
A standing utensil caddy to hold scissors near my cutting mat
Desk caddies to organize notions by my machine (finger presses, stilettos, awls, rippers, etc in the pen sections, and empty bobbins in the paper clip sections)
Chopsticks for turning out corners
Nonstick shelf liner for cutting slippery fabrics or liners, and nonstick rug liners for holding my machine's pedal in place.
Stackable sweater dryer for holding blocks that need to air dry
Cookbook holder with clear splatter cover to hold patterns, magazines or books open to a page, but also for placing the spatter cover over a battery operated closet light and using it as a light box.
Photo boxes, normally sold in the dollar stores, are the perfect sizes for holding patterns from quilt shops.
Over the door shoe holder holds "extras" like extra fusible rolls, clotheslines, etc.
A Cabbage Crock, or making sauerkraut, holds larger rolls of fusible webbing, vinyl and even wrapping paper and contact papers
Hemostats for turning applique pieces
Grab It tool for this 5'3" quilter
Loads of baskets to hold everything: one for yarn, one for rotary cutters, one for current projects, etc.
Anything in my kitchen that would make a great template for applique: Dinner plates, cookie cutters, ravioli cutters, etc.
Compressed air for "cleaning" around my machine (but not inside) and for hosing down the serger.
Clothespins for holding thicker bindings
Over the door hooks for holding bags I've finished, but haven't found homes for
Rubber Mallet for embossing velvet
A tv tray to keep near my machine so that as I'm sewing, I can set spare pieces aside, but still keep them handy
A changing table with attached bureau. The bureau holds my batting scraps, the shelves beneath hold fabric, the drawer hold lots of garment sewing patterns, the top of the bureau holds my embroidery machine and embroidery machine accessories and the actual top of the changing table holds my racks that hold rulers, a fan and various other necessities
Cheap 4/$1 cereal bowls to hold thread scraps, my binding roll so that as I sew, it comes right out of the bowl, and even small applique pieces or buttons that I need for my current sewing project
Milk crates, on top of my bookshelves, to give me more book space, lol
Document holders, sold in office supply stores, to hold open a pattern to the page I need
Toilet Paper Holder, to hold my small spools of Stitch 'N' Ditch
Plate racks to hold a few, commonly used rulers, near my cutting mat
Pencil cases, to hold tools and rotary cutters on the way to quilting group
Photography brushes, for cleaning big messes like the serger and cutting mats
Metal, college end stands hold my metal magnetic bowl perfectly, so it doesn't slide off, and is small and handy enough to sit by my sewing desk and not be in the way
Tupperware in various sizes: One small rectangular cookie bin holds zippers, one holds stamps, etc
Small magazine bins, sold in college back to school sections, to hold notebooks, graph paper, etc
Small clips for binding (as opposed to the expensive ones now sold) and spring loaded clamps to hold the fabric when I'm sandwiching
Small, metal file cabinet to hold warranties, instructions, etc., while still holding my metal pin catcher and more metal magnetic bowls
A magnifying magnet, used with a magnetic white board is perfect for reading patterns with small print, like the ones for cross stitch or knitting/crochet
Post It Notes to mark 1/4" seams for my DDs
Telescopic magnet, for my daughters' machines that are not computerized
Sandpaper, for bracing fabric as you write on it and for marking quilt lines
Office Supply rings that open and close, for holding my quilting stencils
Thermal, zippered bottle holder works great for taking sharp notions to quilting group
Paper towel holders for holding ribbons and lace as you sew them onto your project
Larger pencil boxes that clasp for holding a multitude of things
A mouse pad as a secondary pin cushion
Toe separators for holding bobbins that you want to keep out of your bobbin saver, for a current project, but don't want to roll away
A small 5-drawer nightstand for holding extra threads, extra notions, sale finds that you'll use "later", etc.
Phew! I think that's all I have, but I'm sure I forgot a few, lol.
#380
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 6
Command strips and hanging jewelry organizers. No marks on the wall. The organizers can hold thread spools and bobbins or presser feet.
The command strips with a small hinged metal hook can also be used to hang plastic rulers. Most have a hole in them somewhere for hanging.
The command strips with a small hinged metal hook can also be used to hang plastic rulers. Most have a hole in them somewhere for hanging.
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