Welcome back to my sewing room, for a tour of some items that I love using. The strange looking item in the photo above is not a sculpture. It is a standing thread holder, given to me some years back by a friend. It isn't possible to fit the larger more economical thread spools onto a standard sewing machine, and this upright thread holder makes it possible to use those larger spools. It has two upright spokes for holding thread or spare bobbins, and a loop at the top that feeds the thread efficiently over to the sewing machine. The little round decoration in the middle of the flower is a magnet Eva stuck on there. I rather like it!
I love making little fabric baskets I can use in various ways in my sewing room. The larger one is a thread catcher, and I keep it right next to my machine for corralling all those pesky threads and snippings that get all over the place. I have several of the smaller ones, and use them for holding binding clips, Alphabitties, extra machine feet, etc.
Where would I be without my Ott Light? I got this one at Joann's when they were having a coupon sale. It has a magnifier on top, which believe it or not I use frequently, particularly when I have to pick out little stitches when "un-sewing". The light is good, and I switch it back and forth on the table, depending on which sewing machine I am using. And look, there is another of my little fabric baskets just behind it.
I shared this with you all recently, and have to say that my new ironing station is one of the greatest additions to my sewing room ever! Metal shelving from Lowe's cut down to size by my husband, with a heavy plywood board on top for my pressing. I used two layers of batting and made a fabric cover for it. It is sturdy and hard and very flat. Greatest pressing ever.
Irons. Lots of irons. I go through one a year for sure, and have given up on buying really expensive ones. Whatever I pay, it only lasts a year. This is my latest, my second TFal, and I really like the blasts of steam this one puts out.
I hope you can see this well enough from my photo. It is a small table rescued from the basement that has my Steady Betty pressing board on top of it, plus a pressing mat and another iron. This is my small ironing station that sits just to the right of my big Bernina 740. It is so handy to be able to press small units without hopping up to the larger ironing station every couple of minutes.
If you don't have a Steady Betty pressing board, you should look into getting one. They are very portable and make pressing small units or appliqué pieces a breeze. I covered mine with some extra fabric I had laying around, so it will look different from the ones on their website if you look there. You can keep it on your sewing table or pick up a small table at a thrift store to set right next to where you sew.
Lastly, behind my ironing stations, you see two design walls I have for laying out quilt blocks. These are so essential for accurate laying out of blocks and previewing your work as you sew. No more laying blocks out on the bed in the guest room, or breaking my back trying to use the floor. These design walls are made of foam board from Lowes, cut to size. The larger one is 72" square, and the smaller one was actually made from leftover scraps. You can easily cut foam board with a box cutter, and then cover it with felt, batting or flannel. Mine are screwed into the walls.
Hope you enjoyed my posts on my favorite sewing notions and accoutrements this week! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or if you would like to share some of your favorites.
21 responses to “Favorite Notions Part Three”
Thank you for the great wealth of information Nicole. I got a lot from this for sure.
Mary
Thank you for the great wealth of information Nicole. I got a lot from this for sure.
Mary
Thank you for the great wealth of information Nicole. I got a lot from this for sure.
Mary
I’ve enjoyed your posts on favorite notions. I also use many of the ones you listed. I will make note of the iron. Like you I don’t want to spend $$$ on an iron when cheaper ones will press just as well. Right now using a Hamilton Beach and don’t care for it. Will check out the T-Fal irons next go round.
I’ve enjoyed your posts on favorite notions. I also use many of the ones you listed. I will make note of the iron. Like you I don’t want to spend $$$ on an iron when cheaper ones will press just as well. Right now using a Hamilton Beach and don’t care for it. Will check out the T-Fal irons next go round.
I’ve enjoyed your posts on favorite notions. I also use many of the ones you listed. I will make note of the iron. Like you I don’t want to spend $$$ on an iron when cheaper ones will press just as well. Right now using a Hamilton Beach and don’t care for it. Will check out the T-Fal irons next go round.
I have one of those thread holders, and now I want a quilt block magnet for the center. That is a cute touch!
In my sewing room, there is an Ott-lite by each sewing machine, one over the cutting table, one by my stitching chair, and I am contemplating putting one by my ironing board. 🙂
Love your ironing stations!
I have one of those thread holders, and now I want a quilt block magnet for the center. That is a cute touch!
In my sewing room, there is an Ott-lite by each sewing machine, one over the cutting table, one by my stitching chair, and I am contemplating putting one by my ironing board. 🙂
Love your ironing stations!
I have one of those thread holders, and now I want a quilt block magnet for the center. That is a cute touch!
In my sewing room, there is an Ott-lite by each sewing machine, one over the cutting table, one by my stitching chair, and I am contemplating putting one by my ironing board. 🙂
Love your ironing stations!
Always informative seeing how other quilters are set up. I’ve recently thought that I need to look into a light w/magnifying glass, as it is getting difficult to rip out those little stitches. Your flower with the extra spool holder looks quite handy, as well as attractive. Mine has only the one. Sure saves on thread expense.
Thanks for sharing your “stuff.”
Always informative seeing how other quilters are set up. I’ve recently thought that I need to look into a light w/magnifying glass, as it is getting difficult to rip out those little stitches. Your flower with the extra spool holder looks quite handy, as well as attractive. Mine has only the one. Sure saves on thread expense.
Thanks for sharing your “stuff.”
Always informative seeing how other quilters are set up. I’ve recently thought that I need to look into a light w/magnifying glass, as it is getting difficult to rip out those little stitches. Your flower with the extra spool holder looks quite handy, as well as attractive. Mine has only the one. Sure saves on thread expense.
Thanks for sharing your “stuff.”
Love your notions posts. I always plan to make some cute little handy baskets for myself and I always ending up giving them away. Perhaps I need to make some with Bonnie & Camille fabrics I rarely give things away I make with them because I love them so much.
Love your notions posts. I always plan to make some cute little handy baskets for myself and I always ending up giving them away. Perhaps I need to make some with Bonnie & Camille fabrics I rarely give things away I make with them because I love them so much.
Love your notions posts. I always plan to make some cute little handy baskets for myself and I always ending up giving them away. Perhaps I need to make some with Bonnie & Camille fabrics I rarely give things away I make with them because I love them so much.
Thanks for showing such a variety of notions & tools this week! One can never have too many Ott lights…unless it’s a Daylight which is also a good brand. Eva’s center for your flower is a sweet touch! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for showing such a variety of notions & tools this week! One can never have too many Ott lights…unless it’s a Daylight which is also a good brand. Eva’s center for your flower is a sweet touch! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for showing such a variety of notions & tools this week! One can never have too many Ott lights…unless it’s a Daylight which is also a good brand. Eva’s center for your flower is a sweet touch! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing your favorites – I saw several of mine in your list!
Thanks for sharing your favorites – I saw several of mine in your list!
Thanks for sharing your favorites – I saw several of mine in your list!