Embroidery Library - Embroidery Design Tips and Tricks

From Shirlene: Some stabilizer comes in a plastic tube, a great use for this tube once your stabilizer is gone, is to hold your spools of ribbon. That way, you have it in one place and you can easily remove the lid and pull out the ribbon that you need. The ribbon stays organized and dust free. One tube can hold roughly 20, five yard spools of ribbon.

From Jo: I save all my test designs, as well as all scrap material. I cut the scrap material into a shape to complement the design, sew them together, and zig-zag or applique it to sweatshirts, t-shirts, denim, and sometimes even kitchen towels, pot holders, etc.

From Chris: Use cheaper hand towels and flannels to practice and stitch out, that way if they look good they become part of a gift, if they don't work, then use them for yourself.

From Sandi: Everyone has one too many decorative gift mugs. One of mine didn't do too well in the dishwasher (the jewel fell off). Now, I use it for sewing tools near my machine.

From Ronny: Being on disability, every penny counts and so does my stabilizer. I save every scrap, then I sew them together with invisible thread or dissolving thread. I try to make as much as I can with the little I have.

From Karen: Don't throw away the heavy-duty plastic shopping bags from the nicer stores. Cut off the handles and cover the bag with fabric and/or ribbon. Sew the fabric to the top edge of the bag. Replace the plastic handles, with matching fabric handles. Now you have a sturdy bag that won't let moisture out in case of a spill, and will protect its contents in heavy rain.

From Anna: When changing thread colors, I cut the thread near the spool and pull near the needle. I save these long threads and use them when I sandwich designs with tulle or other see-through materials. Gives the design some depth!

From Karen: I reuse paper with one blank side to print my templates. I now have no guilt when cutting out my template to determine placement on my project.

From Annie: I shop at home first, from my clear plastic bins. I place patterns, fabric, and notions in large zippered, plastic bags and use them each project is completed.

From Jo: After preparing my bias binding strip, I roll it on an empty toilet paper roll. I put a ribbon through the roll, hang it around my neck, and as I sew the binding to the quilt edge, I just unroll as I sew. Keeps it under control and works as a "third" hand.

From Darlene: You can make comfy bed for your pets, with leftover fabric scraps. I use soft fabric -- whether it be cotton, flannel, or fleece, then fold it in half, and sew 3 channels down to the fold. Leave the top side open and fill it with all of your soft scrap material -- cotton or fleece. Sew the sides so your scraps do not come out, then sew the top and bottom seam. The pets love it in our family!

From Melody: Instead of buying Mylar at the craft store for applique projects, I simply save my Mylar balloons. I turn them inside out (and sometimes even use the printed side). They come out beautifully. Also, I stick the Mylar directly onto self-adhesive tearaway stabilizer and embroider the dieline file directly onto it. It saves a step and cuts out very easily!

From Carolyn: I save my cut off selvages and other narrow strips of fabric for my husband, who is quite the gardener. He uses them to tie his vegetable plants to his plant stakes, keeping them off the ground. Works great!

From Sonja: I make different sizes of tote bags during the year, and add outside pockets using my test design squares. I use these as gifts or gift bags.

From Suzette: Use fabric swatches from discontinued fabric books, from fabric shops/interior decorators (often for free), to do applique or in-the-hoop projects.

From Betty: I use the empty containers strawberries or cherry tomatoes come in, to store my fabric "yo-yos" in. Start saving them and you will be surprised what you can think of to use them for!

From Betty: I had a t-shirt quilt made and had all the shirt backs left. I hate to throw anything away, so I embroidered my grandchildren's' names on them and put another piece of the t-shirt on the back and serged around it for washcloths for my kids in Russia. They loved them and have requested more.

From Carolyn: When tying quilt layers together, use a square knot to prevent it from coming out -- this was actually a famous statement from my father. He supervised us while helping mother with the quilts.

From Nadyne: I use the many peel and stick address labels that I have accumulated for marking my sewing and embroidery projects. I just snip ends for triangles and squares and I peel off the backing. I use a permanent marker for making circles and X's (usually about three to a label). I use X's to mark placements for my embroidery designs. Just center the "X" under the needle then remove the "sticky X". These never leave residue or mark my fabric in any way, and best of all, they stay put until I remove them and they don't disappear!

From Linda: I always remove all buttons from any discarded clothing and toss them in the button box for future use. I also save zippers, and anything that is going to be thrown out (jeans, jackets, backpacks, slipcovers, zippers of all colors, sizes and kinds). Every dollar counts!

From Linda: I keep a plastic storage box behind my embroidery table to catch all my bits n' pieces of stabilizers from projects - tear away, water-soluble, cutaway - all kinds. Whatever isn't big enough for embroidering, I use for sewing projects, it works great as toppings or extra backing for nice clean buttonholes.

From Linda: To help keep my touch screen on my Janome MC9700 from getting fingertip smudges, and have more accurate pointing, I use one of the extra plastic pen stylus' that we bought for our daughter's Nintendo DS -- it works great!

From Anita: The adjustable seam guide that came with the machine wasn't wide enough for the project I was working on. I came across some extra-thick rubber bands, that bakers use on their rolling pins to keep rolled out dough even. So I put one around the open arm of the sewing machine to use as a guide. Worked really well and I never use the adjustable one again.

From Cassie: To keep my workstations tidy, my 5 year old daughter decorated oatmeal canisters for me to use as waste containers, for scrap threads and fabric. I have one hidden behind my embroidery machine, my sewing machine and serger. When they are full, I just dump them out into the large trash can and reuse.

From Mary: I bought a clear plastic table cover at Jo-Ann and cut it in strips to wrap around my thread spools to keep the thread from unraveling. It clings to itself and works great.

From Lena: I use leftover batting that is too small to use for other projects as packing material. When I ship something that is breakable, I stuff the box with the leftover batting. I also use the small pieces of batting inside pillows that I make.

From Deb: Retired needles and a wine cork are a fun and substantial push pin for your sewing room. Easy to embellish too!

From Beverly: If you like to sew and embroider purses, some of the handles can be pricey. Check out the thrift stores, they usually have a large assortment of purses and are inexpensive too. You can remove the handles and hardware and reuse in your new purse.

From Nadyne: I save those little silicone packages, that come in so many things, to keep dampness out. They work great in areas of my sewing room for the same purpose, but they are a necessity in the drawer where I keep my water-soluble stabilizer!

From Nellie: Ever wonder what to do with that little bit of thread on your embroidery bobbin when there isn't enough for the next project? Don't throw the bobbin with the little thread away, use it to sew with on a sewing project.

From Maggie: Ask your nail technician for used brushes and then clean your bobbin case with one each time you change bobbins. They are wonderful for getting rid of lint!

From Alice: I save the containers from wax paper, foil and anything that has a cutting edge and wrap my backing for my embroidery around the inner cardboard. It makes it a lot easier to keep my vast supply of backing in order and easy to use. I label the ends and stack them.

From Donna: What I do with a purchased sweatshirt is cut it up the front and add a matching or contrasting colored zipper.

From Beverly: Keep a few clothespins with your embroidery supplies. Use them to clamp glued parts together or to keep multiple pieces together.

From Georgia: I have a friend who does needle-felting. She love the snips and thread from ends of spools for her art projects. I use a baggie in my thread catcher and periodically just give the bag to her.

From Tony: Clear plastic jars are a must in my sewing room. I use them for storing everything from pins to buttons, thread, snaps, pens, pencils, clips, for just about anything that needs to be stored because you just can't throw it away. I use them for everything and I mean everything. I even find myself looking for plastic jars when I am grocery shopping so sometimes it makes for some really interesting snacks. THERE IS NO PLASTIC JAR SAFE FROM ME!

From Carolyn: As a charitable project for a local help group, I take regular sized sheets, purchased at yard sales, wash them thoroughly and make crib sheets. I then use the leftover scraps to fashion a baby quilt to coordinate with the sheet. Very satisfying to know that my one of a kind creations is going to warm a new baby in need.

From JoAnn: We have a wooden screen door as the sewing room door. I can set up my machine to sew a large design and leave the room. With just the screen door shut, I can hear the machine running and know all is well, while doing other chores. Furthermore, I'm assured that my cats cannot go in there and get near my machine.

From Suzette: Don't know how to keep bits of ribbon tidy? I use my empty thread spools, wind the pieces of ribbon and put a small rubber band around it - store them in your thread drawers or in a shoe box!

From Ruth C: We are always looking for ways to reuse, rather than throw out and I found a way to use up all those little scraps of fabric that can't be used for anything else. I keep a waste basket next to my cutting table and throw all the unusable scraps in it. Then, when I want to stuff a pillow, etc. I line it with batting and use these scraps to fill it. Works out perfectly!

From Christine: I save old T-shirts, jeans, and other garments that have usable fabric left. I cut them into pieces and use them as a test when embroidering. The fabric content is close to what I want to embroider on so I can see what the finished product will look like, how the stabilizer will support the design and what adjustments, if any, need to be made. If the sample comes out good, I trim it down into a square and place in a basket and when I have enough of the same type of fabrics, I construct a table runner, lap quilt, tote bag and etc.

From Diana R.: I use canning jars (I have some with bail closures) for storing buttons, embroidery floss and zippers. I sort them by color or, in the case of zippers, by size. The jars are inexpensive and readily available. Not only can I see what I'm looking for, the variety of colors and shapes in the jars create "artwork" on the shelves in my sewing room.

From Mandy: I don't like "wasting" thread, and we all know we should cut it at the spool and pull it through the needle when changing colors. Those clips of thread are the perfect size for mending. I keep an old paper towel roll covered with sticky stabilizer on a wire coat hanger close at hand, and then stick those thread tails to it when I change thread! If I ever need just a short piece of thread, it's right there!

From Beverly: I sew all the tiny pieces of leftover batting together and use them for small projects, like Hard Drive Pouches or tiny bags. "Waste Not Want Not" is my motto!

From Christy: My favorite repurposed item is a men's pants hanger. It has 10 swing out wooden dowels over which I can hang the binding strips (which I always cut at the beginning of a quilt project). I also cut strips 2", 2 1/2" and 3" from every piece of fabric that I purchase...the various strip sizes go onto the marked dowels and are easy to identify and are ready for a strip project or to be cut into squares for a scrap quilt... and best of all, they do not need pressing (again!).

From Stella: I use the mini M&M containers or the small Mentos containers to store my memory sticks. This way I have them categorized as borders, cartoons etc. I also use TicTac containers for my sewing needles. Each color is a different size needle.

From Kim: Mistakes happen...it's a fact of embroidering! I've had a couple...ok, a few, sweatshirts that just did NOT sew out right for some reason or another. I never wanted to throw them out. Since I enjoy creating purses, I have used these sweatshirts with boo-boo's for lining my purses. Simply cut up the side seams of the body, cut off the arms, and then again up the underside of the sleeve and you have ample fabric to work with for your purse lining. AND...nobody sees your mistake!

From Michele: It's that time of the year to watch the yard sales in your area for drawers and clear storage containers. These are the best prices you can find for them. They are great for seeing colors of material without having to dig through the containers, and the drawers are great to hold all the little things like your threads, bobbins, and all the other small things in your sewing room.

From Char: I recycled my worn, poly-filled mattress pad by using it between fabric layers and then I cut to 12x12 squares. I use them in stitching out sample quilt designs.

From Joyce: I have lots of used sewing machine needles. I use them to secure fabric to my stabilizer if I am not hooping the fabric. These needles are sturdier than a regular pin and it's a great way to reuse them rather than just tossing them.

From Ann: Save all those threads you unwind from bobbins (or old spools of thread you don't want), put a bunch of them between two wash away stabilizers and stitch them together. If you have enough of them, you can make them into something, like a light and airy shawl.

Tip from Joyce: I use my old sewing needles to hold items on my bulletin board. They also work as "nails" when hanging pictures and leave a much smaller hole than a nail.

Tip from Edit: I save old clothing, cut out squares that will fit in my hoop and use them to test out designs before I sew them on my actual items.

Tip from Sally: When I need plastic zippers 11 inches or smaller, I go to the Dollar store and purchase mesh laundry bags. There are three in a package and I remove the zippers to use for a project. When I want a colored zipper, I color the Zipper with a Permanent colored Sharpie. You can cut off the top of the bag, hem it and keep the bags to use for scraps near your sewing machine. One could also open the bags then sew them together for a larger piece of mesh fabric.

Tip from Linda: I recycle old blankets and sheets. I cut out the good parts and make blankets for dogs and cats for local SPCA and vets. Just put 2 layers together and serge around the edge, it's fast and easy. Put a few bar tacks on them to keep from billowing when washed. I also use left over fleece, flannel or any fabric as long as it's not rough like burlap.

Tip from Terry: When sandwiching quit tops, batting and backing, I use an EXTRA large piece of cardboard to cover my cutting table to make the surface even larger. An added advantage is that it will slide from side to side so I can get to all sides even though the cardboard overhang makes it a tight squeeze around the table. I was able to get a carton which held a "Smartboard" installed in a local school. Not only did I do something "green" by reusing this, but it was free!

Tip from Mary: I travel a lot and often find my fine jewelry chains tangled when I take them out. I save empty bobbin spools (from the pre-filled bobbins) to wind very fine chains on and empty thread spools for the heavier chains. Secure each end of the chain, store individually in small plastic zip bags and I never have a tangled chain.

Tip from Beverly: Keep a jar for loose change and after several months, cash it in for your embroidery fund. You can even embroider a pretty jar topper to make it more festive.

Tip from Jan: I salvage the plastic bags that the newspapers are delivered in and I use them to store my rolls of stabilizer. I label the plastic bag with the type of stabilizer and the rolls stay fresh and clean. Works great!

Tip from Ronny: I have had to wear glasses forever, so I have a lot of cases. The hard cases are great for rotary cutters and scissors, it keeps little hands away and I know where they are.

Tip from Marie: When I need to print a paper dieline for a template, I use an old map. I can cut the size I need when 8x11 paper isn't quite large enough and it fits perfectly in my hoop.

From Ronny: I take empty CD cases and put a strip of magnetic tape inside. It is great to organize your needles and you can see what needles or pins are where.

From Margo: Instead of buying magnets for the back of fridge magnet projects, I save the advertising magnets that come in the mail. They're easy to cut (not with your good scissors!) and hot glue to the back of my magnets!

From Tink: I save empty tissue boxes (the square, upright kind) and cover them with pretty papers or fabrics to match my sewing room. I then add snipped thread pieces into them for later use. I have one by each sewing machine and each serger. You could also use different ones for different threads - one for shiny embroidery threads, one for metallic threads and so on.

From Peggie: Use little net tubes to keep your thread from unwinding. Just ask your local florist (sometimes there is one in your local grocery store) to save them for you. They come on flowers to keep them neat and closed during shipping.

From Grace: To protect my hoops from spray adhesive, I recycle the Styrofoam containers from the grocery store. Wash them and cut the middle out - the curved sides protect the hoop.

From KB: I use a small Ziploc container for all my small thread snips. Around Christmas I do standalone lace designs on organza or mesh. Just before finishing the final outline with the bottom piece (back) for the design, I stop, leaving a little opening. I then take hoop off the machine stuff the little threads inside and then finish off the final part of the backing outline. It makes good use of the wasted threads and makes the little ornaments very festive especially if you have some metallic thread in there. I have also throw in a few rhinestone beads or sparkly snips of ribbons.

From Maureen: I collect all the little bits of thread in a box. When I have enough, I lay them all between two sheets of water-soluble stabilizer (WSS), and then free embroider over the top with variegated thread. Rinse away the WSS and it leaves a wonderful colored thread square to use on quilts, t-shirts, etc.

From Chickee: Tupperware makes a round Bagel Keeper that is ideal for a round magnetic pin cushion. The cover is attached, and even when stuffed, the pins don't fall off.

From Ronny: I save all my thread scraps and when I have enough, I lay them out on a piece of plain material and place a piece of water-soluble stabilizer on top and sew the threads on. Then, I rinse and use for a very different material pattern.

From Ann: To store thread I reuse the clear plastic boxes that pastry products come in. They come in different sizes that are great for the different spool sizes and they snap close so I can carry the threads.

From Nancy K.: When making a quilt top with lots of little pieces, I find that a plastic silverware tray works great for keeping the pieces sorted and at my fingertips! I recently made a quilt for my daughter that had 34 pieces in every 10 inch block and this was a LIFE SAVER!

From Donna: When I quilt, I usually have left over squares. I collect these for a period of time then hand them over to my granddaughters (ages 8-11) to use in their little projects. I have given each girl her own Janome Sew Mini machine and they have a real need for project ideas to do on their machines. Since I don't want them using a rotary cutter just yet, this gives them plenty of cut squares to work with. Their projects are a good use for my leftovers.

From Ronny: My daughter was about to get rid of a tiny pair of nail scissors (the kind you cut a babies fingernails with), but I took them and they work great to clip jump stitches.

From Christine: I sew with many different weight threads. I wanted to find a way to keep the wound bobbins together by weight so they would travel well to classes. I was at my local pharmacy and they had 7 day pill cases for free, so I brought 2 home. Since my vitamins were too large to fit into the daily slot, I just put them away. I was going to take a class and had to bring bobbins that were wound with different weight threads. I didn't want to put them in bags where the threads would get all tangled. I remembered the pill case. The bobbins fit in the daily slot perfectly, each bobbin having its own slot, no loose threads. I have since purchased a larger pill case and can fit several bobbins in a slot and mark the slot with the thread weight. Just be sure to bring a bobbin with you when purchasing the weekly pill reminder.

From Sylvia: Sunsweet individually wrapped prunes provide the perfect container to store 5500 yd narrow spools of thread. It also can be used to sit behind the machine when embroidering because of smooth edges around the top of container. Contents can easily be seen for identifying colors. We are now eating a lot of prunes, which is a good thing!

From Ramona: I cut off selvage edges in long strips (with a rotary cutter, of course), and use the strips to tie everything from tomato plants to rolled-up quilts.

From Nancy: A hard sided eye-glass case makes a great to-go sewing kit. It will hold thread bobbins, needles, and pins in a small piece of batting/felt, a seam ripper and even small pair of scissors. Works for me!

From Angela: On the end of my sewing machine cabinet, I have attached (with blue/white "tack") an empty small square tissue box, into which I drop all the odd ends of cut-off thread when I am sewing/embroidering. This can be emptied and re-used or thrown away with contents inside and replaced by another one.

From Lois: When making your quilt sandwich on a baby quilt or wall hanging. I use clothespins and hang the quilt, batting, and backing by the top. I then start pinning, smoothing and straightening as I go. Sure beats crawling around on the floor!

From Nancy: I use my husband's golf tees to keep my thread spool and matching bobbin together.

From Nancy: I'm always looking for easy ways to carry things to sewing classes and retreats. While second hand store shopping, I ran across an older hard case suitcase and knew I had found my next great 'take along'! I cleaned up the suitcase and tucked my current projects inside and off to class I went! I LOVE IT! I have since painted quilt blocks on the outside of the suitcase for a more personal look. The second hand stores in my area are surprised that these seldom purchased items are now selling like hotcakes!

From Lorraine: I use a drink carrier from a fast-food restaurant for organizing my spray starch, lint brush, seam guide, tailor's ham, and fusible hem tape. I keep it on the end of my ironing board. It is great!

From Patricia L.: Use your best fabrics to sew stitch outs to check designs. These can be used for so many things. They can be combined for a charity quilt or a pocket or an applique on a garment.

From Tommie: When embroidering on a purchased garment, I use butterfly hair clips to hold the excess fabric out of the way. They're plastic and don't scratch the machine, light weight so there's no drag, and depending on the size hold lots of scrunched up fabric.

From Christine: What do you do when your cutting mat is not useable for sewing? I had my husband cut it to fit under my kitchen sink. I turned it over to the back side, it is much easier to clean the mat instead of the wooden cabinet. This also keeps the inside cabinet base from becoming discolored from my cleaning products.

From Marie: Our local grocery store gave out canvas totes with bottle dividers if you bought at certain amount of bottles of wine. I use those totes to store my stabilizer rolls, can of basting spray, and adhesive sprays. They are kept neat and easily available at my finger tips.

From Daphna: We all want to see what a design will look like before we stitch it onto our final project, but don't want to waste the thread, fabric, and stabilizer. I do my "test stitch" on a piece of 16x16 cotton fabric, and turn it into a cloth napkin. Nothing goes to waste, and you end up with something fun and useful.

From Joyce: Bamboo skewers are can be used for a multitude of tasks - feeding a narrow strip of bias tape under the presser foot, fishing out that bit of thread or dust bunny from the bobbin case or anything for which you need something long, thin, pointy and flexible. I keep several on my work table and the rest of the package in the kitchen (they come in packages of 50 - very cheap).

From Patti: I use a pipe cleaner to keep my bobbin thread with the spool of thread. It also keeps the bobbin thread from unwinding. I wrap the pipe cleaner as tightly as I can a few times around the bobbin, then set it on top of the spool and continue to wind it, snuggly around the top portion of the spool. The bobbin will raise a little from the top of the spool when you let go of it. I place it on my thread rack and it works perfectly. The pipe cleaners can be used and reused many times.

From Debbie: With lots of color threads used in embroidery projects, I took a pretty jar with a wider mouth, and I place all my thread snips and longer strings inside the jar. It's beautiful and colorful as it fills with threads. I've filled one jar very full, capped it, and it now decorates my sewing room!

From Ruth C.: When making templates, I go to the dollar store and pick up the plastic cutting boards, which come two to a package and use them to make my templates. They work just as well as the more expensive materials sold in fabric stores.

From Mary: Don't throw away those used sewing machine needles (even the ones with broken tips). They work great for hanging pictures or wall hangings. They only make a small hole in the wall and are very strong, thus can be moved around as necessary. If the wall is white, white toothpaste will fill any visible hole when needle is removed. I place small plastic rings on the back of wall hangings which are then hooked over the needles.

From Patricia: Save your empty containers from Press N' Seal wrap. Remove one of the plastic roller ends from the end of the box and you can pull up the cardboard roller. Slide a roll of stabilizer onto the roll and return the plastic end. You have a place to keep a roll of stabilizer neatly together and you have a great way to cut off the pieces you need.

From Christine: Ever wonder what to do with the plastic bags from bread? I reuse my bread bags as replacement bags for my scrap bag on my sergers. If the bag is too long, I pull the excess to the top and when the bag is full, I cut the bag, throw it away, and pull the excess down from the top and put a twist tie on the bottom. I now have another bag ready to go. This a much cheaper than buying replacement bag and they fit great.

From Jackie: I purchased metal, rubber coated, dish racks about 16 inches long at the dollar store. With pliers, I squeezed the tips together. This gives me 18 spool holders for my projects. I paid 50 cents and they don't take up too much room.

From Pattie: I like to use slivers of bar soap for marking the center of my designs or for any of my sewing projects. A little steam and it's gone! No worry about blue marks that keep coming back.

From Patricia: The plastic sheets that children use to store baseball cards are wonderful to store needles. The little pockets clearly show the needle pack and can be put in a folder or hung on your peg board as I do.

From Gerry: I store my new needles in plastic pill bottles. I label them according to size and they're easy to find when I need a certain needle.

From Ruth C.: For those problem fabrics that don't allow your straight pins to glide in, I keep a small bar of soap (the type we all take home from our stay in a hotel), and keep it in a dish next to my sewing area. When I have trouble with pins sticking, I stick them into the soap and presto! They glide into the fabric like a hot knife in butter.

From Diane H.: For practice fabric, I buy sheets at the Salvation Army as low as 75 cents. If there are a few stains I just work around them. Now I have a lot to practice with.

From Nancy K.: I have finally found the perfect way to store my quilting safety pins, long pins, safety pins, glass head pins, directional pins, etc. The Dollar Tree sells an item called "body butter" in a 7.6 oz flat round container. Once emptied and cleaned out, this 2 inch tall, 4 3/4 inch diameter clear jar makes the perfect storage place for all my different types of pins. I use them for all sorts of things - buttons, snaps, hook & eye sets, and best of all they are 'green' and 'free' - the best type of storage container.

From Sandra: I have found that clear plastic coin rollers (quarter size) are perfect for holding bobbins. Each one holds six and they are clear so colors are easily seen. I use an elastic band to hold them closed so it can be reopened easily.

From Marie: I use the new clear double pack egg cartons to stage my color changes. Room enough for matching bobbins and can stage 36 color changes at a time.

From Sandra: I bought a bunch of embroidery threads from a lady that used to have a quilting store at a very reasonable price, but I couldn't afford to buy thread nets, too. So I made my own from empty garlic bags that I had saved because I knew I would find a use for them someday.

From Keri: At home I keep a small bowl filled with pre-wound bobbins close by in a drawer, but I was stumped about keeping them clean and accessible when I went to classes. I found the perfect solution in a mini M & M holder. They are just the right circumference and I don't worry about them getting all tangled up or lose.

Tip from Therese: If you ever find that your air erase marker tip is dry, you can remove those marks instantly with a touch of white vinegar.

Tip from Nancy K.: I get all sorts of return address labels in the mail from different organizations. I have started to use them in my sewing room. I stick one to my various sewing supplies and containers. That way, when I go to class I can quickly see which of the 10 blue magnetic pin catchers is mine! I keep a sheet in my basket so that I can easily share contact information with new friends. I also stick one to each of my pattern books -- then when I am at the store picking out fabric, it is easy to identify that I brought the pattern/book in with me.

Tip from Melissa: I have wood flooring in my sewing room, so I use an old mouse pad to keep my foot controller in place.

Tip from Charlene: A cosmetic or jewelry �travel organizer� (the kind that rolls up and has a loop at the top for hanging on a doorknob or hook) works great to organize extra sewing machine feet, bobbins, needles, etc. You can recycle your old ones or find very inexpensive ones at the local dollar store.

Tip from Char: The next time you are shopping at a major department store, stop at the makeup counter and ask for a few disposable mascara applicators. They work great for cleaning out lint and thread scraps from bobbin case and are reusable many times. When they get too grubby, simply toss out and ask for a new one next time you shop!

Tip from Jackie: Purchase applique embroidery to use up your scraps of material. It also saves money on using embroidery cotton.

Tip from Nancy K.: I used to always misplace my small scissors when working. But no more! I purchased a name badge holder (the type that clips to your shirt and you can pull out then it retracts into itself). I removed the plastic name badge holder and added my small scissors instead. I clip this to my shirt and now my scissors are always handy! You can get the plain jane ones at the discount store 3 for $5 or you can get some really nice fancy ones for $7 or $8 from gift shops or office supply stores.

Tip from Beth: I keep a scotch tape dispenser on my sewing table to tape the ends of my jumbo spools of thread when I'm switching them out. I find I can re-use the small bit of tape from one spool on the spool I'm unloading up to three or four times. It saves time unwrapping mesh covers or struggling with the eaten ends in the snap spools. So handy, quick, and convenient!

Tip from Angela: I'm new to machine embroidery, so after a snafu with a t-shirt, I kept it and now use it for practice runs. I turn them this way and that way and make use of all the space.

Tip from June: To clean up, I take a long handled narrow paint roller handle, and snap a lint roller cartridge on the end (Instead of a paint roller). Now all I have to do is roll it around on the floor, tear off the used portion, and am ready to pick up anything! It works great - no bending over to pick threads, pins, etc. off the floor!

Tip from Sheila: If you've ever made a mistake with an embroidery design, or are simply tired of the design you have embroidered, I have a great tip! I discovered that a design can be put on another piece of fabric and then layered over the top of the other designs. This works great for sweatshirts or t-shirts.

Tip from Deborah: I try to do most of my sample designs on same size blocks, with coordinating backgrounds. They make great squares for scrap quilts for quick gifts!

Tip from Kathy: Make clean-up a breeze by keeping a scrap of leftover fleece fabric by your machine! Thread snippets cling to it, and when you finished for the day, a quick swipe over your table area and machine and all that lint and threads go into the trash in a flash!

Tip from Nelda: When doing freestanding lace, reuse the extra water soluble stabilizer you trim off. Keep it and dissolve it in water to use for stiffening agent on other items, such as pencil toppers, candy cane holders etc.

Tip from Carol H.: I hated feeling like I was wasting the thread cuts from my machine after a color change. So now I save some of them until I have three strands of the same color (or close to same) and thread all three into a needle. I place these needles in a pincushion and now I am ready to sew on a button or take a quick-stitch.

Tip from Christine: I tend to save my small pieces of fabric hoping someday to use them up. I had such a large collection over the years and had not used them, but hated to just throw them away. I took a large box to the local elementary school and donated it to the Art teacher. She was thrilled and was able to use it with the children on several projects. I have since given another box to a preschool. My scraps of trash have turned out to be someone else's treasure. The nicest thing was that my niece made a project at school and realized the fabric she picked was from an outfit I had made her. With the schools cutting their budgets for supplies, these are welcomed donations.

Tip from Julya: As a newcomer to machine embroidery, I purchased a set of flour-sack towels for practice. I can observe colors, spacing, etc. I use these to cover my machine so they're always handy for a new design or looking at an older one. My grandson also likes to practice which makes it fun for me, too! When the towel is full, I will add straps and have an apron full of memories!

Tip from Christine: I do not throw away my scrap pieces of stabilizer from embroidery projects. I mark gallon zipper top bags with the type of stabilizer it contains (tear away, cut away, etc.) I use these piece when I make button holes to add support to the stitches, fix tears or holes in garments when mending, and support shoulder seams when sewing with knit fabrics. I am still experimenting other uses as I write this.

Tip from Joan: I use the tall CD containers that CD's come in to keep my large spools of embroidery thread clean and out of the way of my feet. My husband put a hole in the center of the cover to pull the thread through which keeps it close to the machine as I usually have the container sitting on the floor. The spool doesn't fall over and I don't get all tangled up in the thread. I find all kind of ways to recycle and this is one of them.

Tip from Kathy G.: Take your leftover cutaway stabilizer and donate the pieces to daycares or schools. The children can use them in their art projects, decorations, or even make bookmarks!

Tip from Christine: It is always difficult to throw things away that still may have a useful purpose. When my rotary cutter blades do not cut my fabric as clean as I like, I save them in a candy tin and mark 'used blades' on the tin. I then use them for cutting wrapping paper during the holidays. I have a clean edge and it makes wrapping gifts go quicker. I also use my old cutting mats for this purpose, too.

Tip from Dru: When bed pillows need to go, I take all the stuffing out, put it in a cloth mesh bag, wash and dry. Now I have stuffing for my projects and a new pillow.

Tip from Elaine: I like to re-use the clear, zippered bags that bed sheet sets and blankets often come in to store my embroidery supplies and projects. They are clear bags, so it's easy to see what you have. Plus, it keeps everything dust free, and they hold up really well!

Tip from Joanie: I use clear, plastic, square tubs that you can buy spinach in at the grocery store to hold my threads. I use one for pinks, reds, and oranges and another for blues, greens, etc. They stack beautifully, and you can easily see the thread colors through the clear sides.

Tip from June: I use an empty and well washed out roll-on deodorant bottle for erasing the marks from water-soluble markers. Use something thin and pointed to pop the circular top off, and then fill with water, put the top back on, and you're in business. It works great.

Tip from Leslie: When removing the plate to clean your machine, it is sometimes difficult to get a screwdriver under the machine. I use a small coin, like a nickel or dime, to loosen the screws.

Tip from Christine: When you purchase clothing, shoes, and handbags, there are usually small packs of silica placed inside the item. I collect these packs and keep them in a zip tight bag. I use these packs where I store my water soluble stabilizer (in zip tight bags). It keeps out the humidity and leaves my stabilizer in its original condition. I also use these packs when I am storing fabric in plastic bins. (Reminder: Keep these packs out of the reach of young children)

Tip from Janet: For test sew-outs, make each test using a 6x6 inch square, then work the squares into a quilt for hospital patients - female, male, or children's. Most hospitals will welcome such donations. Our sewing group has made hundreds over the last few years.

Tip from Kris: I usually do a test sew-out when embroidering for a gift (baby blanket, apron, etc.). Instead of keeping the design which I will probably never use again, I cut out around the design with pinking shears, spray the back of the embroidery with permanent spray adhesive, and put it on an inexpensive plain gift bag. It adds a little personal touch to the gift bag!

Tip from LuAnn: I use my camera film containers with the snap on lid to dispose of used or broken needles or bent straight pins.

Tip from Laurie: I use an egg carton to line up my threads for embroidering. I number the spaces and have everything neatly organized.

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