One Quilting Circle

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Improving your Quilting space - 5 ideas to help

In today's post, I'm going to give you a window into the inner workings in my space, and share with you 5 things which I use every day in the studio to make my quilting better. If you're still looking for ideas to put on your list - these are items that make sewing more fun. 


I firmly believe that what works for me may not necessarily work for you.  There are some universal truths, though - so hang on and I'll go through the list.  I'd love to hear from you what your best ideas are to make your sewing more fun...I'm ready to start on next year's list. 

This is NOT an affiliated post in any way, so take what you want and leave the rest. 

Taming the threads...

This works so much better than my old 'ice cube tray' system! 

Believe it or not, thread and bobbins have been a major focus in my space this year, and these have helped me corral the spare threads that make me nuts. 

I use mostly Aurifil thread in my quilting, and this product has helped me start to tame the thread beast. They are called Bobbin box organizers by Tidy craft, and at less than $10 for the set, they make it easy to keep things organized. Yes, I do know that I have several grays at the bottom - my color of choice! 

A sharp blade is a safe blade...

This is one of my favorite tools in the sewing room. 

This was something that Santa brought me last year - a blade sharpener that I absolutely love. It does give my blades extra life, and there is nothing like a sharp(er) blade to help with your accuracy when quilting.  This was a great hit - it's in the top drawer of my cutting table, where it's able to be used often. 

LEDs are a gift from the Sewing Gods...

Now that the days  are getting dark sooner, I depend on the lighting in my sewing room.   Well, Move over, ottlights...you can't take my LEDs away from me. My space is a bedroom, and there are only so many lights a girl can have...you need to make the most of them.  

Sew organized! 

Sew Emma - Vertical Storage in a tiny spot

This is a handy little organizer that's just big enough.  It holds all my go to tools on the back of my cutting station, near the Ikea cubby. It's got space for my collection of seam rippers, my pencils, tweezers (you'd be sutprised!) as well as a pair of Had's scissors I keep on hand to work with.  My rotary cutters and the Good scissors are in the drawer - outside of the hands of little ones who don't know they are little.  It's from Sew Emma, and it's called the Stash and Store...well named. 

Angela Walters' Rulers

I sew on a Janome 8900, and I need my tools to be sized appropriately for my machine. That's why I love (and am developing an obsession with) Angela Walter's rulers for Creative Grids.  These are easily handled when working on a domestic machine, and they allow you to maintain control of your quilting. If you have an opportunity to try them, you will find them very easy to work with.