Found a Way to Organize my Acrylic Templates

I've been collecting acrylic templates for a while, and never had anywhere to store them that was easy to get to when I was quilting on my mid-arm/frame.

I had found this shoe tree at Walmart, and seen an idea to hang fat quarters from it, using paperclips and binder clips. Good idea, but didn't work for me.

So I decided to hang my templates (and some rulers) from the shoe tree and it worked! Using the same bent paper clips and binder clips (you can buy snap clips that work well too) I hung everything, and it looks great! It's sitting on a plastic drawer unit next to my frame, and I think it will work really well -- as long as I put the templates back after using them!!

I love creative solutions!

Mary

Tuesday's Tip - Curtain Rods

For Tuesday's Tip, I wanted to list a a couple of the ways I use curtain rods!

Freezer Paper - Freezer paper has loads of uses, especially with applique and paper piecing.  For machine quilting, you can even iron it down and quilt around it to make your designs.

I put a small curtain rod on the end of my cutting table and put the roll of freezer paper there -- really convenient!

Quilt Frame Tool Holder - it's hard to have a place to keep your tools on a quilt frame that is handy to reach.

I took 2 small curtain rods and hooked them loosely over the rollers on my frame, then duct taped (don't we love duct tape!) a small plastic bin to the curtain rods.  It doesn't get in the way, and I can roll the quilt without dislodging it.

Quilt Hanger - I hung a curtain rod with clip rings, and clipped the quilt on the rod for display.  When I want to change quilts, I just un-clip the current one and clip up the new one. (excuse the bad photo, I was in too much of a hurry)

I've also heard of curtain rods used for:

- Holding rolls of masking or duct tape
- Holding rolls of ribbon
- Holding hooks for rulers or other tools
- Make a quick design wall with a flannel backed tablecloth
- Make a  headboard for a bed with a pretty quilt

Have you heard of other good ideas for curtain rods?  Leave a comment and tell everyone your tips!

Mary

Tuesday's Tip - DIY Thread Storage

For today's tip, I'm going to show how I made a great DIY thread storage drawer.

I have a thread hanger on the wall by my small sewing machine, but I needed something for my mid-arm machine that's on a frame.  It needed to be convenient, hold even large cones, bobbins, and keep the thread clean.

The plastic drawers in the photo were next to the frame, and had an empty drawer.  I saw a picture on Pinterest that showed dowels hot glued to a plastic drawer, and that got me thinking -- I could do this!  So I got out an old thread holder, a scrap piece of wood, bamboo skewer, glue gun, electric drill, and a few other odds and ends and started to work.  I was determined to use materials on hand and do it myself!

After several ideas that didn't quite work, I ended up drilling holes in the piece of wood, breaking the skewers in half, and hot gluing them in place if they were loose.  The skewers needed to be long, so the  bobbins that match the thread could go on top of the thread spool. The whole piece was then spot glued into the drawer.

I did use half of an old wooden letter holder (I think that's what it was) on one side, for my really big cones and to fill the space, but a larger piece of wood would have worked just as well.

This is still a work in progress, I may shorten the skewers a little, and it's not the prettiest thing, but when it's filled with thread and bobbins (someday!) it'll look fine, and it works!!

What do you think? Have you made something like this?  I'd love to see pictures!

Mary