Thread Organization...

Hi everyone! I've done lots of thread organizing posts in the past, but I've changed mine around again. I  have purchased one of those wooden spool holders you find in craft stores, but I have also been given some as gifts and found others in thrift stores. My collection of the racks has grown to 7-8. I have given some to my daughters to use for jewelry, but the rest I use in my sewing room.

Here is the new way I am storing my thread now…

Easy to put together, use on any door to save wall or shelf space and you don't have to use nails in the wall to hang all the racks!

Come on in and see...

Spool of Thread Key Chain...

Hi everyone. I was going through some of my mom's sewing supplies the other day looking for thread. I found an old wooden spool that still had the 15 cent label on it. I thought it was so cute, I had to make something with it. I remembered a post I did 5 years ago with a spool of thread and an eye bolt. I made a necklace to hold your spool of thread while hand sewing.

This time I just wanted to use the spool for a decorative key chain…nice memory of my mom.

Come in to see how and other ideas too!

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~

Thread Organizer...Soda Crates

Thread...we all have it and we all try to organize it. I know I've had "sew" many different ways of storing it, it's ridiculous.

Well, here's one more way...old soda crates.

I found these soda or bottle crates years ago in a flea market. I've used them in so many ways over the years...

• stacked them up on the front porch and filled with flowers or evergreens for the holidays
• saved empty water bottles and then used the crates for a ring toss game for a carnival party we had
• stacked them up and had them next to a chair as an end table. Cute with a lamp and books on them
• you can also plant wheat grass in them for an Easter center piece with eggs in the grass
• use the crates for wall decorations to display little collections

Here is one way I had the crates set up. The tower of crates works great for small spaces. If you lack wall or floor space, always go up...vertically.

Warning...This way is fine for me...no small children around. You can also SECURE it to the wall if needed

I used zip ties or straps to secure each crate to the other.

Just had hooks to the back if you need to attached the crates to your wall.

Each little compartment holds a spool of thread and the matching bobbin.

This is how I finally have it...four of them inside the wall unit. I have a sad thread collection :(  but it works for me!!

I do love the tower too...hmmm...might go back to that. Maybe I'll find more crates, so I can have both ways!!

Look around your house or yard sales and flea markets to see what you can use for a thread organizer!

Happy Sewing,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Sewing Necklace With Nuts and Bolts

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I'm nuts and you'd better bolt to the hardware store for these!!

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These little beauties are called eye bolts. They range in price from 83 cents to $1.49...or free if you steal them from your husband or boyfriend!! Did I say steal, I mean borrow. If you do borrow theirs, wash them first! These are steel, zinc plated. That little fact is not important, it's just there were some chrome ones that were more money, don't buy those.

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The eye bolts come in different lengths and different widths. For example, the first one on the left is 1/4" x 4" the middle is 3/16" x 2 1/2" and the one on the right is 1/4" x 2". They all come with one nut (no, not me) on the bottom.

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Here is a picture with the nut removed.
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This little doodad is called a fastener...I think. Bring this picture with you to the hardware store and tell them you want this thingamabob.


The loop slides off the metal stick with a spring like tension...nothing to unscrew. Why do you need all these things, well......

Tah dah! They all hold thread. Big deal you say, well look a little further.

They can hold three to four different colored bobbins if you're appliqueing different fabrics in one project.

or they can hold one little one too.

one long spool....

one long spool plus a bobbin.

But the cute part comes when you add an old sterling silver necklace!!! You are going to be the talk of the town. No seriously, the town will talk about you if they see you wearing this in public. This is for home use or at your guild. If you are a daring trend setter, well have at it.

Sorry for the dreaded self portrait in the mirror, but everyone was in school so I had to take the picture myself.

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Isn't cute. You can sew til your heart's content without searching down the couch cushion for your thread or have it rolling across the floor as it falls off your lap when you stand up.

You won't find it in the Tiffany's catalog, but if we all band together, maybe one day we can go out in public wearing one of these.

If you tie one end of a ribbon to the eye bolt and the other end of the ribbon to your favorite little scissors, you have another great necklace.

I had to remove the ribbon from my shirt it was fighting for attention with the necklace ribbon. Don't forget to match the ribbon to your outfit!

So, ladies there you have the second edition of Tool Time Tuesdays. Go forth and conquer your fear of the hardware store. Walk in there with your heads high and say..."I would like a 4" eye bolt to make a necklace for my thread" If you say it with confidence, they won't give it a second thought. If your voice waivers even a little, they'll call security!!! Just to be on the safe side, take a copy of this last picture with you and blame this crazy idea on me!

Here are a couple tips:

• bring your bobbin and spool of thread with you to make sure it fits over the bolt.
• every once in a while as you're sewing, tighten the nut on the bottom of the bolt.
• or even better, have the thread come off the spool in the same direction as the nut is being tightened so it won't unscrew.

Have a great Tuesday and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

~Karen~