PHD sharing party will be Aug. 27 at 2:30pm in the shop. Bring what you have – finished, still in progress, and what you haven’t sent away as presents. Snacks and prizes will be in abundance.
This week’s topic is TOOLS. 
What tools do you keep in your sewing room/studio near your machine or worktable? What tools do you keep in your travel/retreat/class bag/tool box?
Sometimes you may need multiples of things because you have multiple work surfaces in your sewing area. I also have many duplicates of these tools in a travel bag. This keeps me from robbing my sewing area for tools. I don’t have to pack and unpack all the time when going to teach or sewing with friends. For example, I have small, sharp scissors at my sewing machine, at my worktable, and in my travel bag. When paper piecing, I have a seam roller, rotary cutter, and mat at the machine and on my worktable.
My list –
At my machine: 
Snips – because the automatic cutter doesn’t always work.
Neutral colored thread – several colors, light, medium, dark
Small, sharp scissors – Kai, Karen Kay Buckley, Allory, Scarlet Today
Seam ripper – SHARP ones. These need to be replaced just like needles and rotary blades, just not as often. If you can’t get through the threads easily, time for a new one.
Machine needles in several sizes - 70 to 90. They are changed for different kinds of sewing and at the end of every big project.
Cleaning wands – you need to clean around the feed dogs and bobbin housing after every project or more. Lots of dust, fuzz, threads get packed in there and need to come out.
Quilting Gloves
Stiletto or Purple Thang - to help push fabric through flat
Magnetic pin holder
Pins – flower head or glass head(this way if you miss one and iron over it, the head won't melt onto your fabric or iron surface.
Thread Cutter – especially if you chain piece
My ironing board is right next to my sewing machine so I can share some of these tools:
Wool pressing mat
Snips or small, sharp scissors
Mister bottles – one with water, one with Flatter or Best Press
Of course an iron. I like to use steam in my iron. This a personal choice when pressing.
My work station:
Large cutting surface/mat at least 18x24 or larger
Spinning mat
Rulers (we will talk about these in another newsletter)
Rotary cutter – personal choice for size and style. I like the KAI pressure cutter. I have 28mm and 45mm blades. Staff also use 18mm and 60mm cutters.
Rotary blades – KAI and Olfa Endurance seem to last the longest for me. Remember to change these more often than you think.
Sharp scissors – a good pair of KAI or Gingher 8” shears are worth the investment. Plus, you can resharpen them. A pair of 5 ½”-6” serrated scissors should also be on hand. A small pair of embroidery scissors and a pair of paper scissors.
Seam rippers
Marking pens for light and dark fabric. I have General’s chalk pencils in light, medium, and dark gray. I also have a Bohin white marker. You just have to wait a few seconds for the white to show up. I also have Sewline pencils and Chaco markers.
Wonder Clips
Safety pins
Magnetic pin holder (second one). This lets me pin at my large work surface, remove the pins when sewing to the other magnetic pin holder, and then switch when the one at the machine is full and the other one is low. Also, my cats leave the pins alone on the magnetic holders. The Clover Magnetic Pin Caddy also has a top. I can put the top on and take the pins with me for a class or retreat.
Painter’s or Washi tape – to mark sewing lines, cutting lines on mats(built up layers for a “wall” for fabric to nest up to). Also use this at your sewing machine to mark your ¼” seam allowance, angles, or other distances for quilting. If you need to hang your project on a wall, tape around the edges should work.
Hand sewing/quilting needles – size that you like
Thread
Needle threader
Hera marker
Make sure you have a way to organize these tools. Holders, drawers that are marked, commercial holders like Nests (these also have a rest for your electronics so you can listen to music or watch how-to videos). Large coffee cups, baskets, trays from the Dollar Tree work well too. Since I have three separate spaces, I have duplicates of many of these tools. If you have a smaller layout, you don’t need as many duplicates.
What do you take to classes or retreats? How do you transport your tools?
Many people use tackle and toolboxes. I use a tote bag and a Sew Together Bag (Class coming soon). Most of these items live in the Sew Together bag all the time. You should have a rolling bag for your sewing machine. It’s a safer way to transport the machine. Many of the rolling bags have lots of pockets to hold all of your tools. Or you can rest your tote or tool box on top of the bag when transporting your machine.
My travel list –
Rotary cutter with a sharp blade
Pins and magnetic holder
Hand sewing needles
Needle threader
Pens, markers, notebook
Sewing Machine needles in 70-90 sizes
Thread in several neutral colors
Scissors – small and medium
Perfect Adjustable ruler – 6”x24” – comes apart and has its own felt holder
Extension cord
Little bag for sewing scraps
Wonder Clips
Small travel iron with insulated case, base, or ironing surface (small wool mat, Steady Betty, Omnigrid cut and iron board)
Painter’s Tape
Stiletto or Purple thang
Extra bobbins
Sewing Machine Manual
Sewing Machine – I have a smaller, lighter machine just for classes or retreats
Remember, in the big picture of quilting and sewing; needles, seam rippers, and rotary blades are small costs compared to the cost of sewing machines, rulers, and fabric. Replace them before they damage your expensive items. Bring or have extras on hand for replacing.
What's your favorite tool? What have we missed on the list? What do you seem to collect in your toolbox the most. For me it's rulers. Email us at info@quiltingadventures.com so we can add to the list next week!
Happy sewing everyone,
Phyllis and the QA staff
