The REAL Studio Tour starts today!!
Vicki of Field Trips in Fiber is hosting this Tour for three weeks. This first week is about our favourite non-traditional sewing tool ( two more weeks to go). Mine is a very simple effort, way back in 1989 a very dear aunt of mine passed away and many of her personal possessions came to me. She had been a great dressmaker and mender of clothes so she had a good sewing box at her disposal - that came to me. It was like an Aladdins Cave in there - old wooden Sylko bobbins, small and large safety pins from way back when, bias tapes and elastic which had perished from being in there so long, needles - well you get the picture.
In the midst of all this was a small box holding huge needles, the largest of all was black with age and rusty and had a super duper point on it, now at that time I has having issues with hand joints (still) and finding it difficult holding two small pieces of fabric in place whilst leading up to the machine needle I thought if I held onto the needle and stuck the point on the fabrics I could feed them through without much trouble, for a time that's just what I did (cleaned the needle of course) my husband then had the idea of just shoving a wine bottle cork on top to make it easier for me - voila - perfect for me to hold between forefinger and second finger - I have used it ever since.
You can see in the above shot that I don't have to try and grasp a large handle, just a sort of light pinching hold
I keep this right by the side of the machine on an antique tile along with a few other necessities!
Next to the pin holder is a neat tape measure in a native wood case with paua shell insert on the top, the husband of a friend of mine makes beautiful sewing accessories using various native woods.
So - a quick post today but I did manage to add a few more batiks to my collection following a visit to the quilt shop - I only went along to collect a GO die!
Now do head along to see what everyone else considers to be their favourite non-traditional sewing tool, thanks to Vicki
I'm just going to link and head over there - see you soon and don't forget that next Friday we are showing our favourite storage solution
Maureen
Have a good weekend
7 comments:
I bet the cork makes it hard to lose the needle too! Wonderful idea and probably better/easier than the corsage pins I've been using...
Nice batiks. But very nice use of that old needle. That is such a good idea. Sometimes the simplest things... ;)
I've used the cork/needle when I've wanted to punch holes in paper but never thought of using it as a pushing tool - wonderful!!
I've seen the suggestion to use tweezers, but I like your solution better. Tweezers seem too fussy and hard to hold. I have an awl that I think I'll try. Great idea!
What a great homemade awl. I need a new awl and I'll see if I can't make one myself.
Great idea and one that has sentimental ties as well.
Should have read this post before sending my wish list out! Love your simple solution.
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