March 26, 2025 • 18 mins
In this episode, I explore unconventional and budget-friendly quilting tools that can be found at your local hardware store. As part of Season 5's focus on building a creative business, this episode offers practical tips for quilters looking to save money while enhancing their craft.
Hardware Store Quilting Tools:
Tools Section:
- Magnetic Bowls - Deeper than typical pin dishes, perfect for holding pins, especially heavy-duty long arm pins
- Magnetic Bars - Used to secure quilt tops when floating them on a long arm machine
- Telescoping Magnetic Handles - Great for retrieving dropped pins or reaching into tight spaces
- Scissor Sharpeners - For extending the life of all-purpose scissors (not recommended for high-quality sewing shears)
- Small Inspection Mirrors - Helpful for checking the bobbin area or viewing the back of a quilt without flipping it
Paint Department:
6. Painter's Tape - Susan's "all-time winner" for marking boundaries, creating guides, securing loose seams, and making cutting jigs
7. Rubber Mallet - Perfect for flattening bulky seams that won't fit under machine feet, also useful for snaps and grommets
Measuring Section:
8. Yardstick - Longer than typical quilting rulers, useful for holding side clamp straps at the long arm machine
Storage & Organization:
9. S-Hooks - Great for hanging rulers on pegboards or temporarily displaying quilts
10. Wire Shelving with Wheels - Space-saving storage that can be rolled when needed
11. Snap-Together Storage Bins - Perfect for organizing small supplies like seam rippers and marking tools
12. Mesh Drawer Organizers - Good for visible storage of color-organized scraps
13. Closet Organization Hardware - For storing batting rolls using closet rails and PVC pipe
Lighting:
14. LED Stick-On Lights - For additional task lighting under machines - Tip: Use a floor lamp with adjustable neck for "quilting by shadow" on dark or busy prints
Building Materials:
15. Plexiglass Sheets - For auditioning quilting designs
Want to try free motion quilting but don't know where to start? Here's 3 simple steps to get going.
------------------------
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Welcome to Measure Twice.
Cut once we're in season five,and this whole season is an
exploration into behind thescenes of not just quilting, but
building a creative businessthat truly lights you up.
As someone who's navigated theexciting and sometimes bumpy
world of turning a passion intoa profession, I'm excited to
pull back the curtain and sharemy own experiences.
(00:26):
Some episodes are just me divinginto my personal journey.
While other episodes willfeature guests who are also
navigating the world of creativeentrepreneurship, we'll explore
the nitty gritty of building acreative business, the lessons
learned and the unexpectedchallenges that come with
transforming your craft into athriving enterprise.
And don't worry, I'm not leavingstorytelling behind.
(00:48):
Instead, I'll be weavingstories.
Into the conversations aboutwhat it takes to grow a business
while staying true to yourcreative spirit.
So whether you're dreaming ofstarting your own business, or
you just love hearing aboutcreative entrepreneurship, this
season is for you.
And today I wanna talk aboutsomething a little bit.
Different than we've had in thelast few episodes.
(01:10):
So many of us that are buildingan entrepreneurial business are
doing it on a shoestring andbudgets really, really matter.
So I wanna talk to you aboutsome surprising quilting tools
that you can find.
Drum roll in the hardware store.
They're extremely inexpensive,they're readily available, and
crazy helpful in your quiltingstudio.
(01:31):
So we'll approach this as kindof a walkthrough following
different sections of thehardware store.
Let's start in the toolssection.
Number one.
Some simple tools that I reallylove are magnetic bowls.
They're often near thescrewdrivers because people who
are working with tools havethese little bowls for their
nails or their screws orwhatever they're working with.
(01:51):
We quilters love them for pins,and I particularly like them for
the heavy duty style of pinsthat I use at the long arm
because they're longer andlarger.
So these dishes from thehardware store tend to be deeper
than the pinned dishes that youwould often find in a sewing
shop.
And they have strong magnets inthe base of them, which is
fantastic.
You can be pulling pins out ofyour quilt and sort of throw
(02:13):
them in the general direction ofthe bowl and they'll catch and
stick to it.
And of course, the bowl willstick to your long arm rails if
indeed you have magnetic longarm rails, which I do.
In the magnetic theme, I love touse magnetic bars.
These are tool number two, and Iuse them on the front rail of my
quilting machine, when my quiltis loaded on the long arm, so I
(02:34):
do have magnetic rails and Ilike to float my quilt tops,
which means they're attached,they're stitched in the area
where I'm quilting on that toplevel surface, and then the
quilt top floats over the railand hangs down in front of my
quilting machine.
Nevertheless, I still need thatquilt top to be secured and held
in place so it can't shift.
(02:56):
And I do that by putting thesemagnetic bars on that front
rail, nose to tail along thefront.
Now these bars in a hardwarestore, will typically be used
either for hanging tools in yourgarage or shop, or perhaps you
might use them for hangingknives in your kitchen.
And they're long.
They vary, but 12, 18 inches inlength and about an inch wide.
(03:19):
So long and slim, a super strongmagnet throughout.
A couple of words of warning.
Don't let two of them sticktogether from end to end.
It will be very difficult to getthem apart.
And two.
Be careful that you don't getyour fingers caught between
them.
They do clip together very hard,so be cautious when you're
working with them.
And I like to store mine on thefloor literally at the base of a
(03:40):
wall.
So the junction of the wall andfloor in that corner is where I
put my magnetic bars just end toend.
It keeps them out of the way soI don't stub them with my toe,
and it keeps them from gettingcaught together in pairs, and
that's really important.
Number three, still magnetic.
You can get smaller magnets thatare on a telescoping handle.
(04:02):
This can be very helpful forpicking up things that you've
dropped on the floor, like pinsor needles.
You can kind of sweep thatmagnet around if you can't see
the thing that you've dropped orif you have difficulty bending
over to pick up things.
These long handled magnets canbe very helpful.
Or if something metallic hasfallen into a crevice that you
can't easily reach into, thelong telescoping magnet is very
(04:26):
handy.
Okay.
Number four, you can alsoacquire at a hardware store a
heavy duty scissor sharpener.
Now, I will say I do not use aDIY type sharpener on my high
quality sewing shears, but I douse them on my all purpose
scissors throughout my studio,things that I have perhaps for
cutting batting or cutting paperand odd things so it can really
(04:49):
extend the life of thosescissors.
Number five, a small inspectionmirror, especially if you can
find one that's on a longhandle.
But if not, you can often findsmall handheld inspection
mirrors with mechanics tools fora quilter.
This can be useful to check thebobbin area if your quilting
machine.
If a quilt is loaded and it'sdifficult to see in under there,
(05:13):
a mirror can expand ways thatyou can view.
And examine that.
And also you can view the backof the quilt without having to
roll it up or flip it.
And I will add, you probablywant to do this in conjunction
with either a flashlight, whichyou could also get at the
hardware store or the flashlightapp on your smartphone, because
you will need a bright light inaddition to that mirror to be
(05:35):
able to see the stitches on thewrong side of the quilt.
You know how I'm always ravingabout bamboo batting in my
quilts?
Well, I found something thatbrings that same incredible
softness to your entire sleepexperience.
Cozy Earth's Bamboo Sheet Set.
As a quilter, I'm pretty pickyabout the feel of fabric, and
these are honestly the mostluxurious sheets I've ever slept
(05:57):
on.
They're breathable, silkysmooth, and they feel amazing
against your skin.
And they get softer and softerwith every wash.
Great days, after all, startwith better nights.
And better nights start withCozy Earth Sleep Essentials.
Not sure if you'll love them?
Take a hundred nights to decidewith a sleep trial and a 10 year
warranty.
(06:17):
Visit CozyEarth.
com and use my exclusive codeMEASURE.
That's M E A S U R E for 40percent off your entire order.
Prioritize your sleep.
Prioritize you.
Your creativity will thank youtomorrow.
All right.
Let's move on to the paintdepartment for some surprising
finds.
I bet you guys that know memight be able to guess what's
(06:39):
coming.
Number six is painter's tape.
It is my all time winner interms of quilting tools that I
love for so many reasons.
In my quilting and sewingstudio, it is certainly less
expensive than buying actualquilt marking tape.
It has a low level ofstickiness, so it removes easily
and cleanly without leaving anykind of residue.
(07:00):
And of course, you can tear it.
To any size that you need, allyou have to do is watch my live
and unscripted episodes onYouTube and you'll see me using
it for various things,particularly for marking.
So sometimes I'll use it for,um, marking a boundary or a
straight line, like how far Ican quilt forward at that front
rail.
(07:20):
Or I'll use it to just.
Organize my wavy line or sometype of design that I want to
quilt in casual rows.
It keeps them from veering up ordown.
Sometimes I'll use it if a seamhas come open a little and I
need to hold it closed while Iquilt over it.
Sometimes I'll use it to makemarking jigs on my cutting
(07:42):
rulers if I'm cutting the samething over and over again.
It helps me not have to countout those inches every time I
just drop a little piece of tapein place.
And don't forget trimming aminky type backing without
creating a crazy mess in yourcutting studio.
It is so, so helpful.
I.
Another tool, number seventhat's often near paint tools is
(08:05):
a rubber mallet.
Now, this is not a thing that Iuse often, but when I do need it
is super valuable.
I use a rubber mallet forflattening bulky seams.
It's a bit softer than a metalhammer, so it won't damage your
fabric.
But there are times when youhave really bulky seams.
Think maybe flannel seams ordenim or t-shirt seams that are
(08:26):
really thick.
Sometimes a quarter inch ormore, and they won't fit under
the hopper foot of your sewingmachine or your long arm
quilting machine.
So you need to take that quiltto something that is secure to
pound on, like a floor or apiece of wood, a two by four or
something like that.
And you can literally pound it alittle with the rubber mallet
and that bulky seam intersectionwill flatten out and smooth out
(08:51):
and be much easier to quiltover.
And of course, if you make bagsor other projects that perhaps
use snaps or grommets, therubber mallet is super helpful
for those as well.
Number eight, in the measuringand leveling section, how about
a yardstick?
This is much longer than typicalquilting rulers, so for
measuring perhaps backings orthings that have longer
(09:12):
distances to measure, but I useit the most at my long arm to
hold my side clamp straps up, soI will literally put a yardstick
extending from the front rail.
To the back rail on top of bothof them and hoist up that side
clamp, whether it's attached toa cord or a Velcro tape or
whatever the string is.
(09:33):
Literally hoist that up just alittle bit so that my long arm
nose is not bumping againstthose side clamps.
So a yardstick is super helpfulfor that.
A few storage or organizationaltools that you could find in a
hardware store.
So number nine is S hooks.
They are perfect for hangingrulers, for example, from a PEG
(09:54):
board, and they can be linkedtogether in multiples, of
course, if you need a longerdrop.
And obviously they're veryeasily repositioned.
I use them from time to time tohang quilts, particularly if
it's a temporary hang, like fortaking photographs.
So I'll use an office.
Uh, pinch clip or several ofthem along the top edge of my
quilt, and then literally hookthose clips over s hooks.
(10:17):
And that's a great and easy andquick way to hang up a quilt.
Number 10, wire shelving withwheels.
These I use in what I call myugly room.
I have an organizational roomwhere I have some cutting tables
and these racks that storeincoming quilts, client
projects, batting, things likethat, that are all in my not
(10:38):
pretty area.
However, one of the advantagesof the wire shelving is.
It can roll easily.
And so,'cause they're usually oncasters and so they're space
saving because you can literallystack two of them, one right in
front of the other and just rollthem when you need to get access
to them.
So a great thing to use them forthat I do is for incoming
(11:00):
quilts.
I keep baskets on this wireshelving, fairly large baskets
and everything for one projectgoes into one basket so that
it's all organized and I can putmy client name.
With painter's tape on the frontof that basket and keep easy,
visible track of what's to come,what's in the pipeline.
Snap together storage bins.
(11:22):
Number 11.
These are often used for smallerthings, at least in my studio.
So it might be things like mysupply of new seam rippers, or
perhaps new marking pens orchalks or small tools like
rotary cutters or packets ofrotary blades or alcohol swabs,
all kinds of things that.
Typically are kept in shallowdrawers, but rather than having
(11:43):
a jumble of them having thesesmall organizational plastic
bins, kind of similar to asilverware organizer or perhaps
a bathroom drawer organizer, butin hardware stores, these are
available too, and they worksuper well in shallow drawers to
keep your bits stored, separate,organized, and easy to see.
Likewise.
(12:03):
Mesh type drawer organizers workwell, you can get the ones that
fit inside a drawer and also youcan get the type that hook on
the bottom of a shelf.
And I love those for things thatI want to keep visible because
you can see through the wire.
So it might be scraps organizedby color, for example, and you
can easily find labels that youcan put on the front of those to
(12:25):
keep them, uh, to keep clearwhat's in them as well.
Number 13, and I don't know thatI've remembered to say all these
numbers, but here we go.
Number 13, closet organization.
I purchase quilt batting by theroll, and I usually have several
different types, thereforeseveral different huge roles on
(12:46):
hand.
And the way I've chosen to storeit is with.
A closet hanging rail.
So at a hardware store, you canliterally purchase those end
pieces of hardware.
They're like a triangular shapedbracket that needs to be screwed
to a stud, a secure surface, andthey've got a built-in curved
hook at the front.
On which a closet rail can rest.
(13:09):
Now I've chosen to use PVC pipefor my rail, and then I've
drilled a hole right throughboth ends of it that corresponds
with the hole that's alreadydrilled in those closet hangers.
Thank you hardware store forthinking of that one already.
And now then I can hang mybatting on that rail.
Put a big old D clamp rightthrough the BVC pipe and through
(13:31):
the hook, and that rail willstay in place.
My batting is not at risk offalling, and I can spool it off
freely.
It works super well.
You also, of course, could usethe closet hanger for actual
incoming quilts, and for thatyou would want some heavy duty
hangers, which you may or maynot be able to find at the
hardware store.
(13:51):
And then you can hang the.
Backing or the batting or the,actual quilt top over that heavy
duty hanger and keep themorganized in that way.
I will typically keep a bag withit and tuck any little bits that
go with it, like perhaps thethread color we've chosen, or
maybe if I'm attaching bindingfor that client, there will
have, there'll be extra piecesand they can all tuck in that
(14:13):
bag, hang over the hanger, andit all stays organized on that
closet rack.
Number 14, lighting fines.
Again, there's so many optionshere, but I'll just highlight a
couple.
LED.
Stick on lights are superconvenient.
Number one, they don't ever needthe bulbs replacing because
they're LED and they're very lowpower usage, so that's lovely.
(14:35):
But you can tack them whereveryou need additional lighting.
Think the underside of yourdomestic swing machine or the
underside of your long armmachine, and they'll cast light.
On your task wherever you needthem to be.
Another thing that I've usedlighting for is I have a
freestanding floor lamp withkind of a gooseneck adjustable
top, and here's what I use itfor.
(14:57):
Occasionally when I'm quiltingat the long arm, I'll be working
on a print that is either verydark or very busy, a fine print,
and it's super difficult to seewhere I'm stitching or what I've
already done or where to gonext.
So what's really beneficial inthis case is to turn off all the
lights in the room, all thelights on the machine, and have
(15:17):
this strong side light shiningfrom one side.
So the movable floor lamp.
With the gooseneck is ideal forthat, and I call it quilting by
shadow.
It casts a shadow across my workand I can see now where I've
been and where I need to gonext.
Okay, number 15, one last one.
This is another favorite in thebuilding materials section.
(15:39):
You can find plexiglass sheetsin a hardware store, and I've
always been able to find thempre-cut to several different
sizes.
My personal favorite size is oneeighth of an inch thick.
And 18 inches by 24.
I love that size because it'sbig enough to do my quilting
audition work on, and it's smalland light enough that I can set
(16:01):
it right on top of my quilt asit's loaded on the long arm.
So what I use these for isauditioning my quilting design.
How big, how small do I want it,or even what design am I going
to quilt?
Or do I want feathers or linesor what's it gonna look like?
And to audition these designs, Iuse a dry erase marker in one
(16:23):
hand and a piece of scrapbatting for an eraser in the
other hand.
And let me tell you, it's mucheasier to audition a design that
way than with actual stitchesthat you have to undo.
So you can lay it right on topof your, the top of your quilt,
whether it's loaded on your longarm or whether you're working at
a table in advance.
Either way, you can load itright on top and in real size.
(16:46):
You can audition these differentquilting designs on it.
So helpful.
One top tip for that though, themarkers do leave a little bit of
residue on the plexi, and so youwant to always have an upside so
that the clean side is always onthe quilt, and you also never
want to be at risk of drawingoff the edge of the plexiglass
(17:08):
sheet onto the quilt.
That dry erase marker ispermanent on fabric.
So the way to solve both thoseproblems is to create a frame
with duct tape or somethingsimilar around the edge, the
outer perimeter of that wholeplexiglass sheet on one side
only.
Then you always know that's theupside, and the other one is the
clean side that you put down onthe quilt.
(17:30):
So there's my top 15 ideas forgreat things that you can find
inexpensively at the hardwarestore.
Let me know which ones come as asurprise to you and what you're
going to try out next.
Email me atsupport@stitchedbysusan.com.
Scroll way down to the bottom toleave a review.
If you've enjoyed this podcastor share it with a friend, I
(17:52):
would love to hear from you.
Well, until next time, may yoursorrows be patched and your joys
be quilted.
Welcome to Measure Twice.
Cut once we're in season five,and this whole season is an
exploration into behind thescenes of not just quilting, but
building a creative businessthat truly lights you up.
As someone who's navigated theexciting and sometimes bumpy
world of turning a passion intoa profession, I'm excited to
pull back the curtain and sharemy own experiences.
(00:26):
Some episodes are just me divinginto my personal journey.
While other episodes willfeature guests who are also
navigating the world of creativeentrepreneurship, we'll explore
the nitty gritty of building acreative business, the lessons
learned and the unexpectedchallenges that come with
transforming your craft into athriving enterprise.
And don't worry, I'm not leavingstorytelling behind.
(00:48):
Instead, I'll be weavingstories.
Into the conversations aboutwhat it takes to grow a business
while staying true to yourcreative spirit.
So whether you're dreaming ofstarting your own business, or
you just love hearing aboutcreative entrepreneurship, this
season is for you.
And today I wanna talk aboutsomething a little bit.
Different than we've had in thelast few episodes.
(01:10):
So many of us that are buildingan entrepreneurial business are
doing it on a shoestring andbudgets really, really matter.
So I wanna talk to you aboutsome surprising quilting tools
that you can find.
Drum roll in the hardware store.
They're extremely inexpensive,they're readily available, and
crazy helpful in your quiltingstudio.
(01:31):
So we'll approach this as kindof a walkthrough following
different sections of thehardware store.
Let's start in the toolssection.
Number one.
Some simple tools that I reallylove are magnetic bowls.
They're often near thescrewdrivers because people who
are working with tools havethese little bowls for their
nails or their screws orwhatever they're working with.
(01:51):
We quilters love them for pins,and I particularly like them for
the heavy duty style of pinsthat I use at the long arm
because they're longer andlarger.
So these dishes from thehardware store tend to be deeper
than the pinned dishes that youwould often find in a sewing
shop.
And they have strong magnets inthe base of them, which is
fantastic.
You can be pulling pins out ofyour quilt and sort of throw
(02:13):
them in the general direction ofthe bowl and they'll catch and
stick to it.
And of course, the bowl willstick to your long arm rails if
indeed you have magnetic longarm rails, which I do.
In the magnetic theme, I love touse magnetic bars.
These are tool number two, and Iuse them on the front rail of my
quilting machine, when my quiltis loaded on the long arm, so I
(02:34):
do have magnetic rails and Ilike to float my quilt tops,
which means they're attached,they're stitched in the area
where I'm quilting on that toplevel surface, and then the
quilt top floats over the railand hangs down in front of my
quilting machine.
Nevertheless, I still need thatquilt top to be secured and held
in place so it can't shift.
(02:56):
And I do that by putting thesemagnetic bars on that front
rail, nose to tail along thefront.
Now these bars in a hardwarestore, will typically be used
either for hanging tools in yourgarage or shop, or perhaps you
might use them for hangingknives in your kitchen.
And they're long.
They vary, but 12, 18 inches inlength and about an inch wide.
(03:19):
So long and slim, a super strongmagnet throughout.
A couple of words of warning.
Don't let two of them sticktogether from end to end.
It will be very difficult to getthem apart.
And two.
Be careful that you don't getyour fingers caught between
them.
They do clip together very hard,so be cautious when you're
working with them.
And I like to store mine on thefloor literally at the base of a
(03:40):
wall.
So the junction of the wall andfloor in that corner is where I
put my magnetic bars just end toend.
It keeps them out of the way soI don't stub them with my toe,
and it keeps them from gettingcaught together in pairs, and
that's really important.
Number three, still magnetic.
You can get smaller magnets thatare on a telescoping handle.
(04:02):
This can be very helpful forpicking up things that you've
dropped on the floor, like pinsor needles.
You can kind of sweep thatmagnet around if you can't see
the thing that you've dropped orif you have difficulty bending
over to pick up things.
These long handled magnets canbe very helpful.
Or if something metallic hasfallen into a crevice that you
can't easily reach into, thelong telescoping magnet is very
(04:26):
handy.
Okay.
Number four, you can alsoacquire at a hardware store a
heavy duty scissor sharpener.
Now, I will say I do not use aDIY type sharpener on my high
quality sewing shears, but I douse them on my all purpose
scissors throughout my studio,things that I have perhaps for
cutting batting or cutting paperand odd things so it can really
(04:49):
extend the life of thosescissors.
Number five, a small inspectionmirror, especially if you can
find one that's on a longhandle.
But if not, you can often findsmall handheld inspection
mirrors with mechanics tools fora quilter.
This can be useful to check thebobbin area if your quilting
machine.
If a quilt is loaded and it'sdifficult to see in under there,
(05:13):
a mirror can expand ways thatyou can view.
And examine that.
And also you can view the backof the quilt without having to
roll it up or flip it.
And I will add, you probablywant to do this in conjunction
with either a flashlight, whichyou could also get at the
hardware store or the flashlightapp on your smartphone, because
you will need a bright light inaddition to that mirror to be
(05:35):
able to see the stitches on thewrong side of the quilt.
You know how I'm always ravingabout bamboo batting in my
quilts?
Well, I found something thatbrings that same incredible
softness to your entire sleepexperience.
Cozy Earth's Bamboo Sheet Set.
As a quilter, I'm pretty pickyabout the feel of fabric, and
these are honestly the mostluxurious sheets I've ever slept
(05:57):
on.
They're breathable, silkysmooth, and they feel amazing
against your skin.
And they get softer and softerwith every wash.
Great days, after all, startwith better nights.
And better nights start withCozy Earth Sleep Essentials.
Not sure if you'll love them?
Take a hundred nights to decidewith a sleep trial and a 10 year
warranty.
(06:17):
Visit CozyEarth.
com and use my exclusive codeMEASURE.
That's M E A S U R E for 40percent off your entire order.
Prioritize your sleep.
Prioritize you.
Your creativity will thank youtomorrow.
All right.
Let's move on to the paintdepartment for some surprising
finds.
I bet you guys that know memight be able to guess what's
(06:39):
coming.
Number six is painter's tape.
It is my all time winner interms of quilting tools that I
love for so many reasons.
In my quilting and sewingstudio, it is certainly less
expensive than buying actualquilt marking tape.
It has a low level ofstickiness, so it removes easily
and cleanly without leaving anykind of residue.
(07:00):
And of course, you can tear it.
To any size that you need, allyou have to do is watch my live
and unscripted episodes onYouTube and you'll see me using
it for various things,particularly for marking.
So sometimes I'll use it for,um, marking a boundary or a
straight line, like how far Ican quilt forward at that front
rail.
(07:20):
Or I'll use it to just.
Organize my wavy line or sometype of design that I want to
quilt in casual rows.
It keeps them from veering up ordown.
Sometimes I'll use it if a seamhas come open a little and I
need to hold it closed while Iquilt over it.
Sometimes I'll use it to makemarking jigs on my cutting
(07:42):
rulers if I'm cutting the samething over and over again.
It helps me not have to countout those inches every time I
just drop a little piece of tapein place.
And don't forget trimming aminky type backing without
creating a crazy mess in yourcutting studio.
It is so, so helpful.
I.
Another tool, number seventhat's often near paint tools is
(08:05):
a rubber mallet.
Now, this is not a thing that Iuse often, but when I do need it
is super valuable.
I use a rubber mallet forflattening bulky seams.
It's a bit softer than a metalhammer, so it won't damage your
fabric.
But there are times when youhave really bulky seams.
Think maybe flannel seams ordenim or t-shirt seams that are
(08:26):
really thick.
Sometimes a quarter inch ormore, and they won't fit under
the hopper foot of your sewingmachine or your long arm
quilting machine.
So you need to take that quiltto something that is secure to
pound on, like a floor or apiece of wood, a two by four or
something like that.
And you can literally pound it alittle with the rubber mallet
and that bulky seam intersectionwill flatten out and smooth out
(08:51):
and be much easier to quiltover.
And of course, if you make bagsor other projects that perhaps
use snaps or grommets, therubber mallet is super helpful
for those as well.
Number eight, in the measuringand leveling section, how about
a yardstick?
This is much longer than typicalquilting rulers, so for
measuring perhaps backings orthings that have longer
(09:12):
distances to measure, but I useit the most at my long arm to
hold my side clamp straps up, soI will literally put a yardstick
extending from the front rail.
To the back rail on top of bothof them and hoist up that side
clamp, whether it's attached toa cord or a Velcro tape or
whatever the string is.
(09:33):
Literally hoist that up just alittle bit so that my long arm
nose is not bumping againstthose side clamps.
So a yardstick is super helpfulfor that.
A few storage or organizationaltools that you could find in a
hardware store.
So number nine is S hooks.
They are perfect for hangingrulers, for example, from a PEG
(09:54):
board, and they can be linkedtogether in multiples, of
course, if you need a longerdrop.
And obviously they're veryeasily repositioned.
I use them from time to time tohang quilts, particularly if
it's a temporary hang, like fortaking photographs.
So I'll use an office.
Uh, pinch clip or several ofthem along the top edge of my
quilt, and then literally hookthose clips over s hooks.
(10:17):
And that's a great and easy andquick way to hang up a quilt.
Number 10, wire shelving withwheels.
These I use in what I call myugly room.
I have an organizational roomwhere I have some cutting tables
and these racks that storeincoming quilts, client
projects, batting, things likethat, that are all in my not
(10:38):
pretty area.
However, one of the advantagesof the wire shelving is.
It can roll easily.
And so,'cause they're usually oncasters and so they're space
saving because you can literallystack two of them, one right in
front of the other and just rollthem when you need to get access
to them.
So a great thing to use them forthat I do is for incoming
(11:00):
quilts.
I keep baskets on this wireshelving, fairly large baskets
and everything for one projectgoes into one basket so that
it's all organized and I can putmy client name.
With painter's tape on the frontof that basket and keep easy,
visible track of what's to come,what's in the pipeline.
Snap together storage bins.
(11:22):
Number 11.
These are often used for smallerthings, at least in my studio.
So it might be things like mysupply of new seam rippers, or
perhaps new marking pens orchalks or small tools like
rotary cutters or packets ofrotary blades or alcohol swabs,
all kinds of things that.
Typically are kept in shallowdrawers, but rather than having
(11:43):
a jumble of them having thesesmall organizational plastic
bins, kind of similar to asilverware organizer or perhaps
a bathroom drawer organizer, butin hardware stores, these are
available too, and they worksuper well in shallow drawers to
keep your bits stored, separate,organized, and easy to see.
Likewise.
(12:03):
Mesh type drawer organizers workwell, you can get the ones that
fit inside a drawer and also youcan get the type that hook on
the bottom of a shelf.
And I love those for things thatI want to keep visible because
you can see through the wire.
So it might be scraps organizedby color, for example, and you
can easily find labels that youcan put on the front of those to
(12:25):
keep them, uh, to keep clearwhat's in them as well.
Number 13, and I don't know thatI've remembered to say all these
numbers, but here we go.
Number 13, closet organization.
I purchase quilt batting by theroll, and I usually have several
different types, thereforeseveral different huge roles on
(12:46):
hand.
And the way I've chosen to storeit is with.
A closet hanging rail.
So at a hardware store, you canliterally purchase those end
pieces of hardware.
They're like a triangular shapedbracket that needs to be screwed
to a stud, a secure surface, andthey've got a built-in curved
hook at the front.
On which a closet rail can rest.
(13:09):
Now I've chosen to use PVC pipefor my rail, and then I've
drilled a hole right throughboth ends of it that corresponds
with the hole that's alreadydrilled in those closet hangers.
Thank you hardware store forthinking of that one already.
And now then I can hang mybatting on that rail.
Put a big old D clamp rightthrough the BVC pipe and through
(13:31):
the hook, and that rail willstay in place.
My batting is not at risk offalling, and I can spool it off
freely.
It works super well.
You also, of course, could usethe closet hanger for actual
incoming quilts, and for thatyou would want some heavy duty
hangers, which you may or maynot be able to find at the
hardware store.
(13:51):
And then you can hang the.
Backing or the batting or the,actual quilt top over that heavy
duty hanger and keep themorganized in that way.
I will typically keep a bag withit and tuck any little bits that
go with it, like perhaps thethread color we've chosen, or
maybe if I'm attaching bindingfor that client, there will
have, there'll be extra piecesand they can all tuck in that
(14:13):
bag, hang over the hanger, andit all stays organized on that
closet rack.
Number 14, lighting fines.
Again, there's so many optionshere, but I'll just highlight a
couple.
LED.
Stick on lights are superconvenient.
Number one, they don't ever needthe bulbs replacing because
they're LED and they're very lowpower usage, so that's lovely.
(14:35):
But you can tack them whereveryou need additional lighting.
Think the underside of yourdomestic swing machine or the
underside of your long armmachine, and they'll cast light.
On your task wherever you needthem to be.
Another thing that I've usedlighting for is I have a
freestanding floor lamp withkind of a gooseneck adjustable
top, and here's what I use itfor.
(14:57):
Occasionally when I'm quiltingat the long arm, I'll be working
on a print that is either verydark or very busy, a fine print,
and it's super difficult to seewhere I'm stitching or what I've
already done or where to gonext.
So what's really beneficial inthis case is to turn off all the
lights in the room, all thelights on the machine, and have
(15:17):
this strong side light shiningfrom one side.
So the movable floor lamp.
With the gooseneck is ideal forthat, and I call it quilting by
shadow.
It casts a shadow across my workand I can see now where I've
been and where I need to gonext.
Okay, number 15, one last one.
This is another favorite in thebuilding materials section.
(15:39):
You can find plexiglass sheetsin a hardware store, and I've
always been able to find thempre-cut to several different
sizes.
My personal favorite size is oneeighth of an inch thick.
And 18 inches by 24.
I love that size because it'sbig enough to do my quilting
audition work on, and it's smalland light enough that I can set
(16:01):
it right on top of my quilt asit's loaded on the long arm.
So what I use these for isauditioning my quilting design.
How big, how small do I want it,or even what design am I going
to quilt?
Or do I want feathers or linesor what's it gonna look like?
And to audition these designs, Iuse a dry erase marker in one
(16:23):
hand and a piece of scrapbatting for an eraser in the
other hand.
And let me tell you, it's mucheasier to audition a design that
way than with actual stitchesthat you have to undo.
So you can lay it right on topof your, the top of your quilt,
whether it's loaded on your longarm or whether you're working at
a table in advance.
Either way, you can load itright on top and in real size.
(16:46):
You can audition these differentquilting designs on it.
So helpful.
One top tip for that though, themarkers do leave a little bit of
residue on the plexi, and so youwant to always have an upside so
that the clean side is always onthe quilt, and you also never
want to be at risk of drawingoff the edge of the plexiglass
(17:08):
sheet onto the quilt.
That dry erase marker ispermanent on fabric.
So the way to solve both thoseproblems is to create a frame
with duct tape or somethingsimilar around the edge, the
outer perimeter of that wholeplexiglass sheet on one side
only.
Then you always know that's theupside, and the other one is the
clean side that you put down onthe quilt.
(17:30):
So there's my top 15 ideas forgreat things that you can find
inexpensively at the hardwarestore.
Let me know which ones come as asurprise to you and what you're
going to try out next.
Email me atsupport@stitchedbysusan.com.
Scroll way down to the bottom toleave a review.
If you've enjoyed this podcastor share it with a friend, I
(17:52):
would love to hear from you.
Well, until next time, may yoursorrows be patched and your joys
be quilted.
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