Unconventional quilting tools and where to get them?
02-14-2011, 06:00 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Greeneville, TN
Posts: 796
A friend and I were talking quilting recently and she mentioned having purchased a handle with rubber suction cups on it to hold her quilting rulers steady. She purchased at Harbor Freight and paid very little for it. It is much larger than the ones that you find at quilting stores and a lot less expensive.
One unconventional tool that I use is my Dad's old drafting T-square which is 30 inches long. I have a cutting table made from an old door that is 30" wide. DH set it up on two foldable saw horses and the 30 inch T-squre fits the width perfectly and allows me to cut my fabric all the way across without having to move a ruler. I use a large cutting mat under it.
I can spend hours in my DH's favorite wood working store trying to figure out ways to use the tools that I find there, but they are not inexpensive.
What are the unconventional tools that you have adapted to quilting, what do you use them for, and where do you purchase them? Ann in TN
One unconventional tool that I use is my Dad's old drafting T-square which is 30 inches long. I have a cutting table made from an old door that is 30" wide. DH set it up on two foldable saw horses and the 30 inch T-squre fits the width perfectly and allows me to cut my fabric all the way across without having to move a ruler. I use a large cutting mat under it.
I can spend hours in my DH's favorite wood working store trying to figure out ways to use the tools that I find there, but they are not inexpensive.
What are the unconventional tools that you have adapted to quilting, what do you use them for, and where do you purchase them? Ann in TN
02-14-2011, 06:06 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: S Oregon
Posts: 948
It is not really a 'tool', well sort of anyway!!! I got a hollow core door and covered it with warm & natural and pretty fabric and put it on top of a table and it is now my BIG ironing board!!!
Made life a lot easier AND it is very lite in case I need to move it!!!
Made life a lot easier AND it is very lite in case I need to move it!!!
02-14-2011, 06:13 PM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Mars
Posts: 2,549
Chenille stems from the craft store - I use these to clean out the bobbin area. Wipe a little oil on them and they'll get in anywhere and pick up lint like a magnet.
Blue painter's tape - cut down into the roll every inch or two so that you can peel up a "stack" of tape off of the roll. Best cloth guide I've ever used and it won't damage the paint on any but my most fragile vintage machines.
Bone folder - used for creasing paper - makes a good "iron"
Newsprint drawing paper from the office supply store. 100 sheets for $4 - chop 1/2" off of one side and it's perfect for printing and foundation piecing.
Prescription bottles - I melted a hole in the top with a soldering iron and every machine has one in the drawer for disposing of sharps.
Telescoping magnet - I couldn't ever go barefoot if not for these.
Magnet dishes - I've got these all over the place and one of them is even in use as a parts dish.
Shish-kebab skewers - great point turners & stilettos.
Paper first aid tape - a little piece will hold thread on embroidery cones.
Toddler ponytail holders from Dollar Tree - put on bobbins to keep them from unwinding - they sell these as notions, now.
Blue painter's tape - cut down into the roll every inch or two so that you can peel up a "stack" of tape off of the roll. Best cloth guide I've ever used and it won't damage the paint on any but my most fragile vintage machines.
Bone folder - used for creasing paper - makes a good "iron"
Newsprint drawing paper from the office supply store. 100 sheets for $4 - chop 1/2" off of one side and it's perfect for printing and foundation piecing.
Prescription bottles - I melted a hole in the top with a soldering iron and every machine has one in the drawer for disposing of sharps.
Telescoping magnet - I couldn't ever go barefoot if not for these.
Magnet dishes - I've got these all over the place and one of them is even in use as a parts dish.
Shish-kebab skewers - great point turners & stilettos.
Paper first aid tape - a little piece will hold thread on embroidery cones.
Toddler ponytail holders from Dollar Tree - put on bobbins to keep them from unwinding - they sell these as notions, now.
02-14-2011, 06:20 PM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Metro Atlanta
Posts: 1,606
Originally Posted by thepolyparrot
Chenille stems from the craft store - I use these to clean out the bobbin area. Wipe a little oil on them and they'll get in anywhere and pick up lint like a magnet.
Blue painter's tape - cut down into the roll every inch or two so that you can peel up a "stack" of tape off of the roll. Best cloth guide I've ever used and it won't damage the paint on any but my most fragile vintage machines.
Bone folder - used for creasing paper - makes a good "iron"
Newsprint drawing paper from the office supply store. 100 sheets for $4 - chop 1/2" off of one side and it's perfect for printing and foundation piecing.
Prescription bottles - I melted a hole in the top with a soldering iron and every machine has one in the drawer for disposing of sharps.
Telescoping magnet - I couldn't ever go barefoot if not for these.
Magnet dishes - I've got these all over the place and one of them is even in use as a parts dish.
Shish-kebab skewers - great point turners & stilettos.
Paper first aid tape - a little piece will hold thread on embroidery cones.
Toddler ponytail holders from Dollar Tree - put on bobbins to keep them from unwinding - they sell these as notions, now.
Blue painter's tape - cut down into the roll every inch or two so that you can peel up a "stack" of tape off of the roll. Best cloth guide I've ever used and it won't damage the paint on any but my most fragile vintage machines.
Bone folder - used for creasing paper - makes a good "iron"
Newsprint drawing paper from the office supply store. 100 sheets for $4 - chop 1/2" off of one side and it's perfect for printing and foundation piecing.
Prescription bottles - I melted a hole in the top with a soldering iron and every machine has one in the drawer for disposing of sharps.
Telescoping magnet - I couldn't ever go barefoot if not for these.
Magnet dishes - I've got these all over the place and one of them is even in use as a parts dish.
Shish-kebab skewers - great point turners & stilettos.
Paper first aid tape - a little piece will hold thread on embroidery cones.
Toddler ponytail holders from Dollar Tree - put on bobbins to keep them from unwinding - they sell these as notions, now.
02-14-2011, 06:22 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Greeneville, TN
Posts: 796
I have posted a picture of the saw horses that I used. The nice thing is that the shelf under each one allowed me to turn them parallel to one another and insert a smaller hollow core door that we had removed for remodeling. This way I have a 6' long shelf under the cutting table and room beneath that to put things on the floor. I keep bolts of fabric and batting under the cutting table so it is out of my way. There are similar ones made by different companies. These were purchased from a yard sale.
Saw Horses
[ATTACH=CONFIG]126371[/ATTACH]
02-14-2011, 06:32 PM
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
I haven't used them, but laser level squares from the hardware store seem ideal for squaring up quilts for trimming and blocking. Here is a tutorial on how to use them:
http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/q...hort-tutorial/
Oh, and I just remembered the spring clamps I bought at Menards over the weekend, for clamping layers when I spray baste. These open 3 inches wide and have a ratcheting mechanism with a trigger; very easy to both open and close.
http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/q...hort-tutorial/
Oh, and I just remembered the spring clamps I bought at Menards over the weekend, for clamping layers when I spray baste. These open 3 inches wide and have a ratcheting mechanism with a trigger; very easy to both open and close.
02-14-2011, 06:34 PM
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Misssissippi
Posts: 3,196
I have grasping problems with my hands. I use a pair of spring handled needle nosed pliers to pull the needle through when I hand quilt. I bought them at Harbor Freight. They come with rubberized handles and are in a mini size. Just $1.99.
I use painters tape to mark a grid on my quilt for quilting, instead of using a stencil. I get it in different widths to vary the design.
I have templates for squaring quilt blocks cut custom at the hardware store. They cut them out of plexiglass for free, just buy the plexiglass. I mark the top with a label to know what size they are. Very cheap and sometimes free if they have scraps.
I use painters tape to mark a grid on my quilt for quilting, instead of using a stencil. I get it in different widths to vary the design.
I have templates for squaring quilt blocks cut custom at the hardware store. They cut them out of plexiglass for free, just buy the plexiglass. I mark the top with a label to know what size they are. Very cheap and sometimes free if they have scraps.
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