tiny treasures

Like kids collecting rocks (or my daughter who collected rubber bands when she was five), I have my own precious treasures.  I keep them in my sewing room and somehow they make me happy just sitting there.

They are little items that intrigue me…

Like thimbles…none of them valuable…except to me.  Especially that beautiful wooden one. My dad made it.

It’s always fun to come across a cute tape measure and, of course, I especially love the yellow ones!

Over the years I kept every wooden spool that came my way

…and clear glass buttons

…and shell buttons. 

Very pretty.

This past week I spent my days helping my parents move. They tossed out this Lazy-Susan.  I watched them do it, thinking nothing of it.  Later I walked by the box full of stuff and the “yellow” caught my eye.

Hmmm…

…so I brought it home and gave it new life in my sewing room….a perfect place for some of my treasures.

Oh, I forgot to say I also have a growing pile of little scissors

… you know, just too sweet to resist. 

 

This morning I started reading The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers.  Five pages into it and so far so good!

I’ll be linking with Judy’s “Whatcha Reading” over here.

My Sewing Space

Thelma, Nicole, and Carrie all posted about what they keep around their sewing work spaces.  I thought that was fun so here’s mine too: 

First off, the side of my machine.  I love my small yellow colander for trimmings and threads.

One of the 3-M hooks attached to the side of my machine keeps this very old and well used tool handy.

The work table / ironing table right next to the sewing machine space.

My daughter gave me this ceramic bowl which is perfect for trimmings and scraps at my work table.

And then I got on the homemade pedestal dish trend and made this to keep my current supplies where I can find them.  I used to always have to hunt through my project looking for the tool I set down a minute ago and now can’t find.  Now I automatically plunk them here and that problem is solved.

I am very fortunate to have drawers under my sewing machine cabinet (an old desk) to keep most of my notions.  (Oh man!  what am I going to do for collages when Picnik shuts down?)

 

On the other side of the machine I keep scraps for leaders and enders in this pretty little cup.

The buttons for the lamp and the iron are right handy and at arms reach from my machine.  When I’m almost done sewing I just hit the button and the irons hot and ready to start pressing away.  I love it!

 

And speaking of my lamp, I have a magnet on the base that keeps needles safe until I have time to store them away….looks like its time.

If there is any thread left on the needle after hand sewing, I stick it here out of the way at the end of the work table.  When I need to sew a quick button or repair, I often find I have the right color needle all ready threaded.

Last, but not least, I have another yellow colander on my cutting table to keep my cutters together.  I seem to like cute little yellow colanders and if I’m not careful I could become a collector.

It sits below my ruler holder…really an office paper sorter..which has been ideal, I think I couldn’t live with out it.  I blogged about it here.

My room is just a little one (about 10 x 10) but then most everything is within close reach. Its been a fun challenge getting things to work in here.

And just when Mr. Sunshine says nothing more will fit in this room….I find a way to do it.

My friend the magnet

We’ve all seen this awesome idea to add magnets to the underside of a pin dish…well, it works great for me too. 

 

I also use magnets in other ways for sewing... I put a couple of them in the lid of my take-along Klosje project tin.  They keep my thread bobbin, needles and scissors nice and neat. 

 

 

There’s a little magnet under this yellow pocket of fabric that I stitched to the inside wall of my applique bag.  I never have to fumble around for my scissors and risk getting poked because I know right where they are.  And its so easy to put them back into place.

 

 

Another tin with a magnet for my applique bag.  Where it’s metal, I don’t even have to glue it down. 

 

This yellow plastic flower sticks to the lamp post by my work table thanks to a magnet I glued on the back.  I use it as a handy place to rest spare needles. 

 

And I’m thinking a button would work too…how cute would these be!

An awesome AHA moment!

My sewing room is a small space…less than 10’ square…so I have to be very creative in getting the most use out of it.  Mr. Sunshine is always trying to explain to me how I can not get one more piece of furniture in there…and then I amaze him by finding a way to do it anyway. 

I’m doing great on storage ideas but my biggest problem has been table space.  Then the other day I read this post over at Bloom and she led me to this post at La Vie en Rosie and a giant AHA! moment hit me. 

Early the next morning I was out shopping for foam core boards and inexpensive batting and before noon my quilt boards were all assembled. 

And now…look what I can do!

And I love being able to carry them right to my sewing machine.  I can sew away without having to keep jumping up to get block pieces from the design wall.  Wonderful!

I am now using them to finish the last row on my “The Road Less Traveled” quilt. 

But the first thing I used them for was to finish my Nine Patch Challenge blocks

  

A beautiful pile of yellow and blue (with a touch of green).

And I finally have a plan for how to put them all together.

That was close!

I nearly lost the top of my little pinkie today!  While zipping through the fabric with my rotary cutter, I suddenly realized I’d made a careless mistake.  But whew!…it just got the nail and the tiniest sliver of finger….no blood…no pain…and one very lucky me! 

There are safer ways to trim ones nails so I will slow down and be more careful now. 

And speaking of rulers…

Take a simple, inexpensive see-thru plastic wall file from Staples

Add a collection of quilting rulers

And get instant organization!  Neat and tidy.

I’m surprised at how well they all fit and how easy it is to see and retrieve the rulers while I’m working.  I love it!!

Oh, and do you like my new thread cabinet?  It’s my very early birthday gift from Mr. Sunshine.  I got this awesome idea from Elizabeth at Oh Franson.  You know how sometimes things just jump out and click with you…this was one of those times. And another problem solved.  Thanks Elizabeth.

Quilter’s Rule!

I’ve had this ruler for years and years and still, when I glance at this, I have to smile.