Notions and Tips

As one who enjoys gadgets and nifty tricks for using them, I frequently use my store coupons to try new ones. But when I picked out the three I use most, I found that they came from other sources.

My orange wood stick, yes, Mom did show me how to use it on my cuticles, came from the drug store. It's the best stiletto ever! I like the ones that have a pointy end and a beveled end so they work for poking fabric under the machine and for making small creases on a turned under edge. I've also used it to 'select' on the touch screen of my computerized machine. Since it's wood, it's a little safer if it gets itself too close to the needle. And since it's cheap, if it rolls under the machine table and hides until it gets found (or not found) by the vacuum, it's no biggie.

The tweezers with the bent tip would have been worth buying on their own. I use them for grabbing the thread emerging from the needle when I thread (self-threading, my patootie), as well as grabbing all kinds of small pieces. But they actually came with a presser foot sold for sewing curved seams. There was also a roller thing that came in the packaged deal, sold at a show. It will be mentioned in a later post. But the tweezers are perfect for so many things that I use them every time I sew.

Also purchased at a show, was the presser foot that looks like an ant-sized tractor. It snaps on to the machine, or to an adaptor, and works a lot like a walking foot since the little tractor treads just roll over a variety of surfaces. It came with some attachments which I have not needed as much. Although pricey, it was less expensive than the Bernina walking foot. My Viking doesn't have a walking foot yet as I have used this foot for quilting and sewing layers, if I am not doing free motion. It came from Ray's and it was well worth the money I paid for it, and made it worth the gamble of other "show" impulse buys.

Part of what I enjoy about watching the sewing/quilting shows on TV is seeing new products and getting ideas for using them. Fons & Porter have a "Tips" segment and sometimes I will re watch those, even if I've seen the show before. Sometimes they bear repeating. One viewer suggested putting snacks in bowls and using a spoon so as not to get "Cheetos" orange on your quilts. Since sewing is about the only activity that takes my mind off food, I found this humorous. Another viewer had used rubbing alcohol to clean surfaces of scissors, rulers, etc. and was surprised how dirty they had gotten. If rubbing alcohol works, wouldn't vodka? I know it's more expensive, but it could be dual purpose. I've heard a glass of wine can relax one for free motion work, why not a 'nip'. Maybe I should stop watching so much Chelsea Handler.