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What do you keep handy?


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We have lots of newbies now and I know this has been gone over before--but what do you keep within easy reach when you quilt?

I have a table behind be with a tray holding my "necessaries". Within easy reach I find I must have:

 

Scissors. One curved-tip embroidery scissors on my top spindle and a pair of Fiskars for cutting batting and trimming the finished quilt, in the tray.

Metal tape measure.

Magnetic pin bowl with yellow glass-head pins.

Machine needles and oil. Sewer's Aid in the pin bowl and at the back corner of the frame table.

Tiny screwdriver for needle replacement and a large Phillips for machine screws and the needle plate.

Coffee filter taped to the side of the machine to catch thread tails.

Purple marker, blue marker, Bohin white mechanical pencil, cheap school chalk--in the tray. Plus a water-dispensing tool to remove marks.

Tiny crochet hook and several used machine needles for grooming the back.

Scapel-like frogging tool. I seldom use a seam ripper any more. And a fat block eraser for coaxing snipped threads from a frogged area.

A long acrylic rotary cutter ruler and a small 1" by 6" ruler used for measuring.

Also within reach but not getting continual use--various acrylic rulers/templates in several stands, an acrylic rectangle with half-inch grooves for marking crosshatching and parallel lines, my Simflex expanding tool for marking odd but consistent marks along a border or sashing, and Darlene Zimmermans easy scallop marker. Both of the last items available from Nancy's Notions.

Pigma pens. The longarmers secret weapon. Great for coloring batting pokies and those runs in the fabric caused by over-dyed and stiff fabrics. Evident when the high-speed needle displaces a thread and you end up with dots of under-side color going out from the hole.

Air compressor. 

All thread stored within view.

 

If that's all I really need, why is my table/studio so full?!  :D

 

What else is close by? Band-aids, emery file (for a ragged nail), toothbrush for balky chalk removal, tweezers, hemostat.

What else is around and occasionally used? Big magnifier with light, small LED flashlight, vacuum cleaner (I said "occasionally", didn't I!), sand paper, a baggie of parts and pieces (pigtails, bobbin assembly, tensioner spring, machine screws), dressmaker curves, alcohol, Grandma's Secret Spot Remover, and various useless things I thought would be helpful but weren't!

 

What's your must-have-can't-live-without?  :)

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Whoa!  Have you been to my studio because you described most of everything I have handy, too!  Except I actually inherited a tool box from DH and it is directly behind me with all those goodies you speak of.  All I have to do is twist my body around and there is "convenience."  I'm guilty of just a walk through path between my machine and the necessities.  To add to your list, Linda Rech's book is open to my favorite page laying on the top of my plastic tub of batting pieces next to the tool box, within a quick glance's reach. :D

 

I have to add one more item I won't do without, but it is not within reach, and it is my timer.  I purposefully put it at the opposite end of the room so that when it goes off that I have to walk across the room to turn it back on.  Gotta get some exercise in some how!

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Linda!  Your list describes exactly what is literally WITHIN 3-5 feet of me at all times. There is a long table directly behind me as I stand at the front of the machine. Under this table are 5-7 see through plastic storage drawers where all of my thread is kept. Within hands reach. On top of the table is is a spot for my corsage pins that live in a big magnetic dish. Also on top of that table is a spot for all of my rulers. And, I have tool box where all of my big pair scissors, wrenches, screwdrivers and other things (retractable measuring tape, sand paper, etc) live. And, of course, my bobbin winder is right there with bobbins. Next to that I have a coffee mug with my dental tool pics to unsew when needed. Post-it note pad and pen are right there for listing my client's quilt info if I need to make notes. And, you have to have a pair of small scissors, machine oil bottle and Sewer's Aide bottle and of course.. Fray Check... and.can't forget the big roll of paper towels and windex. Plus, on top of that table next to the tool box, I have two smaller see-through plastic drawers where my misc. goodies live, such as spare parts, bobbins, pig tails, machine needles, marking chalk, pens, band aides, hemostat, flashlights, head lamp, etc....... All sorts of stuff. At one end of the table lives my air compressor. The other end is adorned by my little vacuum. And there I stand, facing my machine with my back to the table. And all I have to do is turn 180 degrees and everything I could ever need is at hands reach. Works fabulous!

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One of my latest must have and I got the idea from someone on this forum is the silicone spatula for removing threads it works wonderful. The best organizing solution for all my stencils was a triangle 5 foot hanging rack. I can go right over and pick out a stencil right away because they are all organized by size. Other things was painters tape for Circle Lord boards and 4 of the extra long tape measures because no matter how many times I try to remember to hang them back up I lay them where they don't belong. Thread picker to pull all stubborn knots thru. Linda I think you have about everything essential listed for all the newbies. Oh yes I forgot chocolate and a drink.

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I think Linda's about got it covered. I also keep a small fridge where we store sodas and water, and the iron and ironing board. I have to admit though, this is not because of the quilting, but rather because it's the only place in the house I have to put those items! :D

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My cutting mat is directly behind my machine so whatever I need for the current quilt gets placed on it.

Most of what Linda's mentioned are in plastic drawers on rolling carts under the front of my machine.  My grandson loves to take these walking to serve morning tea!

 

My stopwatch, prewound bobbins, Towa, WD-40 and small squares of my husbands old singlets for cleaning, long lengths of offcuts from wide backs and safety pins to extend short backs are also in the drawer.

My carpenters tape measure and my shoulders heat pad hang on the end of my frame. 

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One of my latest must have and I got the idea from someone on this forum is the silicone spatula for removing threads it works wonderful. The best organizing solution for all my stencils was a triangle 5 foot hanging rack. I can go right over and pick out a stencil right away because they are all organized by size. Other things was painters tape for Circle Lord boards and 4 of the extra long tape measures because no matter how many times I try to remember to hang them back up I lay them where they don't belong. Thread picker to pull all stubborn knots thru. Linda I think you have about everything essential listed for all the newbies. Oh yes I forgot chocolate and a drink.

that painter's tape is also good to stop the bleeding immediately :D

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I use electrical tape for bleeding. It works real fast. My thread is kept in carts under the back of the machine, so I have to move once in a while. Spray bottle of water to spritz the air erase market away, or to take the wrinkles out of backing . I don't Ron them anymore. Load and roll to the back and spritz whirl rolling to the front. Takes all the folds and wrinkles out. Plus all the above and a TV as well as a speaker for my IPod for my audio books.

Shirley

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I too have most of the stuff mentioned above. I will add a needle nose plier for pulling needle through fabric when burying thread and along with that, I use a  leather round stickum for my finger when using the needle. I also keep a clear rectangle of plexiglass and markers close by to audition designs over quilt. K

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Great thread!  I have lots of those things, but I also like to have cherry jelly candies.  No chocolate on my fingers, just sweet snacking. Also, if I take a drink in my sewing room, I use one with a screw on lid and straw. I use these a lot because wherever I sit, my cats come over to see me, and knock over my glass.  Problem solved!

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Linda, you are the most thoughtful person. How like you to think of the all the newbies and in the process I think we all have learned something. I just didn't realize we had to have chocolate as part of our "must haves" in our quilting areas.  I think the only thing I didn't see listed was a toothbrush with hard bristles I use to get rid of needle holes when I frog,especially on black and batics.

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