Checker Newsletter

PBQ Tips – Being Organized when Quilting.

Organizing your studio seems to be a hot topic these days. I think of myself as being very organized although sometimes it doesn’t look like it. I don’t think being organized means being immaculate, but I do think it means finding what you want, when you want it. Big things like books are easy to find, but little things have a million places to hide. Here are some ideas to help you keep your little tools close at hand.

Checker Item # #PSSPOT Scissor Spot Magnet
Coffee Filter show on the left.

The Pin Place Scissors Spot is a magnet that attaches to the side of your machine head. I depend on it to keep my little tools (scissors, seam ripper, needle threader and needle) off of the quilting surface. Sometimes those little tools are hidden by busy printed fabrics and you don’t want to stitch over them. I almost had an accident once involving a seam ripper and a customer quilt, and since then, I have forced myself to develop a habit of returning my tools to the magnet every time I used them. The magnet is also safe to use – the packaging instructions explain that it won’t bother computerized machines.
The coffee filter is fastened to the side of the machine with tape. It is my mini-waste basket which helps me keep stray threads away from the quilt, the batting and the floor. It also saves steps since I don’t have to walk to my big waste basket when I have clipped threads to get rid of.
Caution: Be sure that nothing touches the fly wheel ! It is hard to tell from the picture, but the scissors is not even close to the flywheel.
There are several benefits to keeping your little tools close at hand. First, you save time by not having to look for them. Second, you are safer because they won’t get accidentally stitched over or into the quilt. Finally, the coffee filter keeps your quilting space cleaner.
Always “checking” for a better way to quilt!
Pat Barry
www.PatBarryQuilts.com