Since I’m stuck in the house like I’m sure you all are, I was looking around my studio to see if I can share some inspiration for using everyday items creatively in the sewing room. We quilters and sewers are really creative people! As they say: “necessity is the mother of invention”. Also, I like to re-purpose things because I do not like to throw out things I can not recycle. So here’s a few things I do with everyday items.
#1
Are you forever piling up scraps as you snip and cut while stitching? I used to and would often end up knocking it on the floor and scattering it. My sewing area is not too big so I do not have room for a garbage pail on the floor by my sewing table. I found this little tip to be handy. An empty, small square tissue box!
I fill it up and then I can dump it in the garbage pail when I am done sewing for the day.
#2
I wanted to keep a small amount of pins handy near my sewing machine for piecing so I did not have to keep my large pincushion out taking up space. How to keep them in place? I took a rectangular refrigerator magnet that can be found almost anywhere and secured it to my table right by my machine using double-sided tape.
This keeps the pins close at hand so I can easily grab them to assemble pieces for stitching. And since it’s only secured with double-sided tape, it’s easy to remove.
#3
I came up with a great way to keep some of my smaller items that I use a lot easy to grab while stitching. I use this plastic soap holder that can be found at most stores in the bathroom aisles. I secured it to the edge of my sewing table using Command strips so I can easily remove it if I need to.
I thought the suction cups that came with the soap holder would work to hold it in place, but the counter top I used for my sewing table is a surface that does not cooperate with those. After it fell off a few times, I took the hint!
#4
If you have lost the small cleaning brush that came with your sewing machine, use a small, clean makeup brush to dislodge the lint from the bobbin area and the area under the throat plate of your sewing machine. Yes…. those areas do need to be cleaned!
I clean it and oil my machine (following manufacturer’s guidelines) every time I fill a new bobbin. This lint build up can cause problems with your stitching and can eventually cause your machine not to function properly. Someone had to help me clean this afternoon…..
#5
You know those plastic sign holders you can find at any office supply store? You can use those to hold your pattern by your sewing machine. You can slip the pages inside or clip them to it with a binder clip.
It will also hold magazines and thin pattern books!
Start digging through the everyday items in your house and see how you can re-purpose them for use in the sewing room. It’s fun to see what ideas you can come up with. It’s a plus when you don’t have to throw something out! I’ll be hunting around for other ideas and present them next week. Until then, leave a comment below on the tips I shared or on some everyday items you use in the sewing room. You’ll be entered into a drawing for my latest pattern Twinkle Twinkle:
Drawing for the pattern will be on Monday, April 13th so you will have two blog posts to comment on to increase your chances… this week and next week! **We have a winner! Congrats, Margaret Wertman!**
Happy Quilting!
Deanne
