Bobbin Organization...

I love thrift stores, yard sales and consignment shops! You can find so many different things that you can't find in stores today. When I see something that's out of the ordinary and cheap, I pick it up and see what I can do with it beyond it's intend use.

A perfect example of that…vintage mini aluminum ring molds.

Aren't they cute? I think they may have been for Jell-O.

Any one know or have these?

I'll use 4 of them for Jell-O, but one is definitely holding my bobbins!!

Perfect size and shape.

I usually keep matching bobbin with the spool of thread, so these little pans are great for the bobbins that don't have matching spools any more.

They are also great for separating machine thread, hand sewing thread, quilting thread verses ordinary thread.

Ok, now that I'm looking at this last picture while I'm typing, the center of the pan is crying for a pincushion!!

Now I'm on a mission…

Next time you're out thrifting, look in the kitchen section. There are so many wonderful things that can be used for something else!!

Thanks for stopping by,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Key Ring Bobbin Organizer

Welcome to another addition of Tool Time Tuesday...where we take an ordinary item and think outside the box with different ways to use it!

Today's item...a key ring, not used for keys, but for BOBBINS!!

Come on in to see a few more tips for your bobbins and jewelry too!

Tool Time Tuesday...Hot Dog Bobbin Rack

I know...Hot Dog???

I found this hot dog rack for cooking on the barbecue grill. It holds a number of dogs in one place for ease of cooking. The hot dogs won't fall through the grate, easy to turn and easy to lift the whole rack off the grill at once.

I found this one in Benny's, but I'm sure you can find it in the summer/outdoor sections of most stores. It's made from aluminum and you get 2 in a package for 99 cents, but mine was on sale for 75 cents!!

Come on in and see why I won't be cooking hot dogs on this rack!

Tool Time Tuesday...Sewing Organizers

Happy Tool Time everyone!!  Today's post will use one item from the hardware store, but used in 3 different ways.

This is one way...a bobbin tray.

Here is the item...a corner guard or wall corner protector. It's clear, so the picture is kind of pointless, but still wanted to show you. Looks like a long stick.

Tool Time Tuesday...Bobbin Covers

I love Tool Time Tuesdays! What do I love more?...when my readers send me their Tool Time ideas to share. Tool Time makes everyone look at things differently in stores.

Well, that's what my blogging friend Beth, from the blog Bzyqltr, said she did when she was roaming the aisles of Lowe's during her son's soccer practice...thinking outside the box. Click HERE to visit her great blog. Lots of quilting!!

Beth uses an ice cube tray to hold her bobbins (genius) and wanted something to keep the thread under control. She used the hair elastic idea and the plastic rings that slip over the bobbin, but you can't see the color of the thread. Her "light bulb" moment was in the plumbing aisle. She bought plastic tubing and cut little rings to cover each bobbin to keep the thread from unraveling.

Here is Beth's picture of her ice cube tray. Thanks Beth for letting me share this picture and for this fabulous idea!! I love it.

It is so great, I had to try it for myself.

Found this tubing in my father's workbench...so even better. It's free.

Snip a piece the width of your bobbin.

I think my tubing is a bit thicker than Beth's...my cut is a little rough LOL

Then squeeze the ring and snip a little piece off.

This snip forms the "C" shape in the ring.

Then it wraps around and keeps the thread from unraveling. Awesome!

This was so easy and such a wonderful idea. You really need to pop over to Beth's blog and give her a big hug for sharing this!!

Thanks again Beth!
~Karen~

Thread Organizing Linking Party...Share Your Ideas

Usually on Sew, Sew Saturday, I share something I've sewn during the week, a fun pattern or tutorial. However, I mentioned last week that I wanted to have a linking party for thread organizing ideas. Today and for the rest of the week, I will have the linking party open so you can share how you organize your sewing thread!!

Thread. We all have it, love it and keep buying it.

Why do we LOVE thread so much? Is it the colors, the textures or just the mere fact of collecting it!!

Ahh...the art of collecting. It's like an addiction. We just want ALL the colors.

My little collection is minor compared to some I've seen, but here are a few of the ways I have stored thread...antique soda crates. Click here

Old tool box...

Each thread in the tool box has a golf tee with a flower glued on top and a mini hair elastic around the bobbin..

The hair elastic can match the thread, but it really keeps it from unraveling. Click here

Golf tees with pretty flowers on top...click here

Here are 2 ways to store your bobbins...great for travel or sewing classes. Click here

or my latest post for small storage...click here

I found this idea on Pinterest and it is fabulous...I must make one of these. The copyright statement from The Creative Homemaker blog allowed me to post the pictures with a link...definitely click here for their blog!!

The bobbin is right there with the spool...so cute!!

Ok...now it's your turn!! Let's see how you store, organize or carry your thread. Show us anything to do with THREAD...

THREAD, THREAD AND MORE THREAD!!!

Linking parties are easy...here are steps to join in on the fun...

• just click the blue "click here to enter" button below all the other links and follow the easy steps
• link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of "that" post. Copy and paste the address that's at the top of your computer into the linky steps.
• link an old or new post pertaining to THREAD ONLY
• visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
• linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in

Thanks in advance for sharing,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Magnetic Bobbins

Happy Tuesday!! If you missed yesterday's post, the last section was about thread storage. We all want to know or see the best ideas on how to tame those little rolls of never ending string.

Well, I thought it would be a great idea to have a linking party so every one can share their photos of how you store, display or organize your spools of sewing thread.

The linking party (like Find a Friend Friday or Sew Darn Crafty) will be on Saturday, July 21st...so snap those pictures and get those posts ready to link up on the 21st. Your post can be old or new, as long as it show cases how you store your thread!!

Now onto Tool Time

Speaking of thread...bobbins are another nightmare.

Here is today's Tool Time idea using magnets.

**(Edit...so many great comments below caution using magnets next to computerized sewing machines, so I just wanted to update this post!!)

You can buy magnets in any store...craft stores, big box stores and even hardware stores. This package of 50 was about $5-$6 at Michael's...I think.

They do sell heavy duty magnets, but just the regular craft ones will work here.

I am think most bobbins from machines are metal, but not sure...so just double check before you buy the magnets.

The magnet just pops on the bobbin...

Here's one way to store them...

Remember the post for the Magnetic Board in my sewing room to store small crafting items?

CLICK HERE for the post on how to make the board.

CLICK HERE for the post on how to make the storage cups

Solo cups with magnets glued on the back...they stick to the metal sheet.

If you take the same sheet metal and make smaller frames, say 5x7 or 8x10, you can use this idea by your sewing machine.

The magnet sticks to the sheet metal in the frame and the bobbin sticks to the magnet!

Easy storage...very visible,

Because they are sticking there, they're not rolling around, unraveling and getting all knotted up!!

Here's another version...any metal container.

Magnets go on the container and the bobbin goes on the magnets.

Fill it with a plant...

for a funky planter!!!

or fill it with spools of thread to match the bobbins on the outside!!

Isn't this cute, cute, cute. I swear I love to make things FOR sewing rather than sewing itself!

Here are a few more of my posts from the past on bobbins...

CLICK HERE...

CLICK HERE...

or CLICK HERE...

Have fun with your bobbins! I'll keep reminding you on the sewing thread party too.

Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~