Wacky Tools in Your Studio You Can’t Sew Without
Those baby food sweet potato walls drive me insane….
I love it when bloggers share pictures of their sewing studios. I am lucky to have an area in the basement (which desperately needs paint) for my work. And while this picture shows the neat and clean, it’s a sty most of the time!
I also love to see what tools everyone uses. No, I don’t mean what’s new on the market or what’s coming out at next Quilt Market… I mean unique items not meant for sewing purposes but you can’t craft without.
Do you have any of these? I sure do! Here are my 4 favorite – non sewing items – I use in my studio everyday:
1. 1/2″ Binder Clips If you sew with Annie’s Soft and Stable like I do these clips are perfect for holding fabric and foam together. Yes, there are more sewing friendly types of clips out there but they are inexpensive and can hold just the right about of fabric together for me. I also use the 1″ for my larger bag construction.
2. Soldering Aid Tool If it was not for a company name on this tool I would have never known it’s original use! This tool is part of a soldering kit. One side has a sharp point and the other has a wider tip. This was part of an estate auction I won years ago (minus the soldering iron!). I often use this in place of a finger that may want to guide a tricky sewing section or just as extra help to hold fabric down. The wider end is good for pushing corners out for pockets too.
3. Knitting Needles – I don’t think having a pair of knitting needles near your sewing station is new, but these specific ones are a good 15 years old and with worn rounded edges get used during for my bag projects.
4. Lil’ Chizler As for the weird blue thing? That’s called a “Lil’ Chizler”. Another older tool that I originally used to remove scrapbooking tape from pictures or paper. It now lives in my studio and is used to help flatten seams in hard to reach or curvy areas. It is great with my leather and canvas work too. Just pick a corner and go back and forth over the seams and done.
I know I have a few more oddball tools in my drawers, but for now these are my go-to’s. I’d love to see or hear about your oddball tools!
Wacky tools! A standard orange peeler. Yup, that thing that came free in the bag of oranges, I use it as a stiletto, a point turner, I use it to spread glue stick over larger surfaces, I use it to peel seams apart that have been set with glue sticks…I use it for a Hera marker…its multi functional! I have several floating around.
Aldo, a rolling pin! Yup. S when I am waking with leather, I use glue fold it onto itself to form handles and then use the rolling pin to squish it all down nice and flat. It works for the pleather and vinyl as well. I guess I use this much like you use your lil chizler?
I also keep a small paintbrush, about 1/4 inch across, whose bristles have been cut down short so they are stiff instead of soft. I use this brush to dig out the bit of glue stick that s left n the bottom f the container once you’ve usd all you can by swiping. Then, I use the brush to spread it where I want it to be. I use a lot of glue, so I try to use it all!
And, it may not be a weird tool, but it is sooooooo necessary! I’ve always got a cup of coffee! I don’t care if it’s 1AM. Sewing needs coffee!