Magnetic Pin Picker Upper Pole...

We've all been there. You're sewing and you drop a needle, a pin or worse yet...the whole dish of pins. Dropping them on the carpet is the absolute worst, but even if you have tile or wood floors you can still leave a pin or needle behind. My biggest fear is someone stepping on one.

I was roaming the aisles of the hardware store and found this beauty that might help!!

A Telescoping Magnetic Pole...

The handle telescopes so you can reach all the pins on the floor without bending over. It's also great when the dish of pins drops behind your sewing table or desk.

The whole strip is magnetic and it's a great size too. It's 12 inches long by 2 inches wide.

The bottom of the magnet shows all the things it can pick up. I'll forgive the manufacturer for not putting a picture of pins and needles on there, but it's ok. If they knew we were buying this for our sewing rooms, they would raise the price!! Shhhh...don't tell them.

Just an FYI...the bottom has a warning label on it for anyone wearing a pacemaker. Do not have a magnet in close proximity with a pacemaker. May cause interference or failure of pacemaker.

One way to help eliminate the pins spilling is to have a magnetic pin bowl. Over the years, I've done posts on magnetic pin bowls like the ones pictured below.

This one is a magnetic automotive parts dish. Great to keep the pins in place. Click HERE to see that post.

You can also make your own with a post I did a while back. Click HERE to see how. You just glue magnets to the bottom of any dish to make it magnetic.

Like this cute little heart dish!! The post shows a ton of options for dishes.

The magnetic pole can be found in most all big box hardware stores, but you can also order them online! I have no affiliation with this product, just wanted to share.

Happy sewing,
~Karen~

Upcycled Napkin Ring…to Pin Cushion

Hi everyone! Family functions at our house tend to be in large numbers, so that intimate dinner party with fancy place settings and cloth napkins with a napkin ring are non existent. I have napkin rings from long ago, but they are just taking up space in a drawer.

Here is a cute one…

It's a hammered metal napkin ring, but any napkin ring you have will work for the pincushion project!

If you have a set of napkin rings that you're not using any more, make a pin cushion for yourself and use the rest for your sewing friends.

Come on in and see how quick and easy…

Cupcake Liners…Perfect Topper for Canning Jars

I love canning jars. I use them for everything…organizing craft items, keeping foods in the refrigerator, storing baking supplies in my kitchen cupboard, pincushions and especially for gift giving. I have used canning jar to give gifts of homemade Irish Cream, cookies, fudge, homemade popcorn etc.

The food is the gift, but a cute container is a must!!

I usually cut a piece of fabric and use that to cover the jar, but this is so much faster.

Come on in and see…

Tool Time Tuesday...Fun Pool Noodle Crafts

Welcome to another edition of Tool Time Tuesday. Today, I'll be showing you 3 projects I made with pool noodles. You know, those long styrofoam tubes that kids use to play and float with in the pool.

We went to the Dollar Tree this past weekend and I saw all the noodles in a box. My first thought...I don't have a pool, but I'm buying these for Tool Time. For one dollar? Who could resist.

I rounded the corner with 2 noodles in hand to find my husband and daughter wondering why the heck I was buying pool noodles. I told them I want to slice the noodles into segments and do a Tool Time with them. I thought pincushions and Kelsie and hubby both said "napkin rings"!!

Tah Dah...

This is such an easy product to work with...I'm sure there's more we can do with it. I have one more idea too.

Tool Time Tuesday...Ring Pincushion

Happy Tool Time!! Today is another pincushion idea...a ring pincushion!! 

We all love pincushions and we all use them in different places...by our sewing machine, on the cutting table, on the ironing board, by our favorite chair when we do a little hand sewing or even in the car.

This is the best pincushion, because we'll never lose it...it's on our finger!!

Tool Time Tuesday...Thimble Pincushion Necklace

Happy Tool Time everyone! I know the title of this project is a mouthful...Thimble Pincushion Necklace. I couldn't shorten it or describe it any other way. Maybe the title should have been...

TOO CUTE!!!

Want to make one too? It's so easy.

Tool Time Tuesday...Creamer Pincushion Ring

I know what you're thinking...another crazy title. Creamer pincushion?? Yep, it's recycling time again. Tools used today...easy ones...scissors and glue gun!

We're going to be making this little cutie of a pincushion. On the left, the before. On the right, the after!

Here's the source for the ring! Cream. Cream for your coffee, whipping cream for your pies...whatever container has that tab.

Tool Time Tuesday...Chicken Feeder For Sewing

What? A Chicken Feeder? You betcha! Hubby and I were shopping in a Tractor Supply store this past weekend, looking for special diet dog food for our yellow lab, Annie. They didn't carry the dog food, but you know I roamed around the tool and hardware section.

They carry a lot of galvanized metal items (my absolute favorite!)...buckets, pans, scoops, troughs and chicken feeders. The chicken feeder caught my eye.

Do we have chickens? No. Well, we have them in the freezer from the store, but to feed...no. So why buy a chicken feeder. To make one of these.

Tool Time Tuesday...Framed Pincushion

Happy Tuesday again everyone! Tool Time is a day we make something useful out of something we aren't using, something from the recycle bin, something from the hardware store or from some other crazy place.

This Tuesday is a pincushion from an old frame!

Tool Time Tuesday...Knee Pincushion

I know...knee pincushion? Thought that title might get you!!

Just came up with this idea in the car driving home from a little New Hampshire vacation on Sunday. I was sewing hexagons in the car and forgot my cup holder sewing kit at home. Click link for that tutorial.

I kept using the cuff of my shorts as a pincushion. I said to my daughters..."I need a knee pincushion" and the head band idea immediately popped in my head. Courtney had one with her, so I tried the bobbin of thread I had with me and it fit perfectly!!

Tool Time Tuesday...Kitchen Sponge Pincushion

Happy Tuesday! How would you like to make an adorable pincushion for 25 cents or less with scraps and a kitchen sponge?

You read it right...a kitchen sponge. Use a new one of course, because that would be gross if we didn't...LOL

Isn't she pretty? These would make great gifts for sewing friends for swaps, guilds, quilting bees, holidays etc

Sew Many Magnetic Pin Holders...

Hello everyone. Hope you had a wonderful long weekend. Ours was great, but busy. I had so many posts I wanted to write up, but no time to do them, maybe Wednesday. After all...tomorrow is another day! (make sure you say that like Scarlett though)

Onto Tool Time...seems like I'm stuck on magnets lately. Last week's TTT was the magnetic business cards and this week you can turn anything into a magnetic pin or needle holder and I mean anything!

This package of 8 round magnets was $3.00 at a craft store.

Tool Time Tuesday...Tea Ball Pincushion

Most weeks I already have an idea about what I'm doing for Tool Time. I even have a TTT box of things I collect. This weekend was busy and Sunday was a computer (blogger) nightmare. As you can see, I changed my header. I thought I would just remove the picture, try another and then put the original back. To make an 8 hour story (with a few tears in there) very short, this is my new header. It's temporary, because my very talented daughter Courtney designed me a new one. I won't be using it for a while...I can't take another computer adventure right now.

What does all that have to do with this week's TTT. Well, my old header had a tea for one tea pot and an antique tea ball. I was roaming around my sewing room Monday morning trying to find some inspiration when I spotted all these...my little tea ball collection.

Tool Time Tuesday...Canning Jars Projects

Tuesdays..."Where we always thinks outside the box" or the jar in this case. Did you know your local hardware store carries boxes of canning jars. They are actually in a lot of stores this time of year for storing fruits and veggies right from the garden or farm stand. However, no such edibles in these jars!

Canning jars come in so many different shapes and sizes.

Tool Time Tuesday...Bottle Cap Pincushion Ring

Caps, caps and more caps...we all have them and we all throw them away. They come in so many shapes, sizes and colors. Maybe after this tutorial, you can save a few of them from the trash!! I remember making these little pincushions years ago, but I thought I would share it with you today!
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These caps came from water bottles, soda bottles, juice containers and the big red one is from a jar of peanut butter...we all know I'm having issues with peanut butter lately, so I'll save that one for another time!!
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Car Caddy Tutorial...

I've finally put together the tutorial for the car caddy that I made for our car trip to Florida. I always take hand sewing with me and this is just a great little holder for all my sewing needs. (click the link for the original post and pictures). The instructions are more of a guide, because every one's cup holder and can might be a little different in size and shape. I'll give you the measurements that I used, but remember to check the size of yours first.
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