191 Sewing and Quilting Hacks (Or So)

Several weeks ago, I saw a thread on a Facebook group called Just Us Quilters, where a member had asked for “a few quilting hacks” (tips or tricks) that she could take to a club meeting in her hometown to share with other quilters.

The response was overwhelming.  The thread was full of great ideas, and several people commented that they wished an all-inclusive list could be posted on the internet somewhere they could find it repeatedly.  So, the whole list is here.  In future installations, I will probably repost much of this content, broken up by topic, to make it a little easier to take in.  In the meantime, this will serve as the original, master list.  I will watch for other “hacks” over the next few months and beef up each section a bit.

It took a little longer than expected to edit and format the answers, but the list is attached!  I may have missed a few, but  I tried to get the bulk of them.  I hope this will be helpful.  If you have others, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.

-Dana Jo

 

Applique Hacks:

Buy coloring books and use stencils for walls as ideas for applique projects. – Mary Watters

Dryer sheets can be reused for applique backing. After they come out of the dryer, press them lightly. Then place them over any shape or design you want to create an applique shape for.  Then place the dryer sheet with the traced design onto the right side of a piece of fabric and sew around the entire shape with a very short stitch.   Cut out the shape leaving a little 1/8″ inch allowance. Then with a s small slit in the used dryer sheet you can turn the shape inside out.  The dryer sheet adds virtually no bulk. It ensures a nice smooth edge for you to either machine or hand applique. It is really good for unusual shapes or ones with complex edges such as a ruffled flower. – Melissa Dawson

Use straws for turning appliqued pieces. – Jeannette Cyr

Using baking paper as a pressing cloth when doing applique stops the ironing board and iron from getting mucky. – Nicole Anderson

 

Quilt Basting Hacks:

A “shooter” marble can be used under the layers of a quilt when hand basting. It holds the quilt up just enough to baste comfortably. – Kathleen Frosch

Cover and use washers for weights to hold quilt taut while pin basting. – Teresa Golden

For those expensive Pinmoors, round insulation can be purchased from the hardward store and cut it into 1/2″ chunks. Get about 300 of them for less than 5 bucks! – Laurie Keep

Use a grapefruit spoon to help close quilting pins when basting a quilt sandwich… –  Cindy Barrell Brown

Use carpenter’s clamps to secure the three layers to the table to help stretch taut and then pin before quilting. – Barbara Colbourne

 

Binding Hacks:

A spring loaded curtain rod between the sides of book cases can be used to store rolled up bindings. – Pauline Torres

Girls hair clips the snappy ones go on the edges of quilts to hold binding down as u sew it!! – Margaret Miller

Old aluminum foil cardboard tubes work well to hold binding fabric – Eileen Moriarty

Place prepared binding in a gallon storage bag with the name of the quilt on it and leave it open a little so it gets air,then hang on a rod in your closet with the clip from a pants hanger until you’re ready to use it. – Helen Guffey

Use binder clips from an office supply store to hold quilt bindings as they’re sewn on – Ann Fleck

Use the hair clips that snap closed for holding binding in place instead of pins. (They’re cheapest at the dollar store.)  – Clara Arvizu, Cindy Barrell Brown, Teresa Golden

When finishing binding corners, you can use a pair of hemo-stats to pinch the corner just so and hold it in place while stitching. – Jeanne Handley

 

Cleaning Hacks:

A flat metal cake spatula can be run between seams to open them just before pressing.  – Karen McGallian  A long flexible metal drain is great for turning things right side out.    – Karen McGallian

A magnetic wand can be used to sweep the floors for pins. – Lisa Lynn Vanzant , Sandra Fulton,  Lynne Bumstead Tolway

A washable lint roller works well to pick up threads from your ironing board and cutting mat. – Liz Gegenheimer LeSaicherre

Antique crystal ice buckets are nice for throwing waste scraps, threads, etc in… – Freda Littleton

Attach leftover batting to the Swiffer broom (or other dust mop) and use to collect loose threads from the floor. – Betty Blair Hunter

Dispose of used needles in an empty Sew Easy glue tube. – Julie Quilter

Take a coffee stirring stick, and insert a little piece of chenille. It is great for cleaning lint out of your sewing machine. – Laura Cooper

Use a professional fingernail cleaner to pick out small bits of paper in the tighter spots of paper pieced projects.  The flat angled edge works great.  – Lynne Bumstead Tolway

Irish Spring soap can help to reduce smell of older sewing machine in case. – Teresa Golden

Make up brushes and pipe cleaners work well to clean out the hard-to-reach bobbin area in your sewing machine. – Barbara Schultz

Tape a brown paper bag to the table to catch threads while you’re sewing. – Sherida Risner

To remove fusible residue from your iron, pour a layer of salt in a big 9 x 13 pan and iron the salt. The gunk will come off and it will not hurt your iron! – Jane Maddin

Use a (new, clean) toilet brush on your floor around the cutting table and machine, and label it for this use. It will pick up all the loose threads.  – Teresa Wavra,  Karen McGallian

Use a sink scrubby to clean your cutting mats.  -Pauline Torres

Use empty square kleenex boxes for trash next to your sewing machine. – Connie Olive

Use left over cotton batting for removing nail polish instead of cotton balls. Works great. – Brenda Gardner

You can clean your iron with wax paper crumbled up in a ball and Goo be gone if you get adhesive on it.  – Della Camire

 

Cutting Hacks:

A cereal box will make a sturdy cutting template – Clara Arvizu

A T-Square is 2 1/2 inches–great for cutting strips – Pam Olds

Belt hangers work great for hanging quilting rulers. – Pat Castonguay

Clips that were made to keep fabric on a bolt work well to keep one’s place in a quilt book when you’re cutting out from directions. – Lois Shugart Klepper

Flexible tape on the back of your rulers keeps them from slipping when you cut fabric. – Kay Hord Nexcare

Foam shelf liner on your ruler will help to keep it from slipping. – Kellie Presley

If your scissors don’t cut well, layer a few sheets of wax paper and cut thru them, makes the blades glide smoothly. – Freda Littleton

piece of self stick tile makes a nice rotary friendly template – Rebecca Smith

Plexiglass cut to size at the hardware store makes for great squaring-up rulers. – Cheryl Hammond

Put blue painters tape across ruler when cutting so as not to lose marking while cutting.  It comes off easily when you’re done. – Theresa Mattia Murro

Several layers of painter’s tape can be used to mark an edge on your cutting ruler so you don’t have to keep looking for multiple strips.  – Carol Hartman

The handle bars that have suction on them can be used to hold the rulers in place so you can use your rotary cutter. ( They are the ones that suction on to the bathtub to steady yourself while getting into the tub.) – Marilyn Masker-Allen

Use a carpenters’ t-square to square up quilts and cut batting. It is 48 ” long and can make one cut on rolled batting. – Phylis Steelman

Use bath handles with suction cups from the hardware store to hold your quilt rulers in place while cutting–much cheaper than the quilters’ version and just as effective – Donna Pauling, Kellie Presley

Use bed risers under your cutting table and sewing table legs to raise them to a comfortable height. – Pat Castonguay, Freda Littleton, Barbara Schultz

Use foil to sharpen your rotary blades.  Just stack a few layers then cut with your cutter–works great. – Terri Springfield Jungmann

When using a pattern, copy the yardage and picture of the pattern to take to buy fabric. Also copy the cutting directions and mark off as you get pieces cut. – Louise Stevens Stegall

 

General Gadget Hacks:

Wet the needle instead of the thread to make threading easier. – Clara Arvizu

A kid’s toy called a Bug/Insect lens. lets you see multiples of a single quilt block to see what the top might look like put together. – Melissa Dawson

A picnic utensil holder works well for storing gadgets – Carol Hartman

Best advice. You don’t have to buy everything under the sun. – Brenda Gardner

Blue tape is a must! Use it for holding cutting boards, marking rows, putting names on electrical cords. – Pam Olds

Chop sticks to poke out corners  – Eileen Moriarty

Cuticle sticks (the wooden kind) – useful for points. – Ann Baker

Surgical forceps or hemostats work like a third hand.  They come in different lengths and are sometimes curved. They’re also great for threading a serger. You can find them at flea markets and tackle shops. – Onalee Pallas

Tape a pen cap to the side of your sewing machine. If you have a larger seam ripper, an old medicine bottle works. – Ellen Swistock

The magnetic nut..bolt bowl is so much cheaper at the auto or wholesale store than the quilt shops and they come in several sizes. – Dottie McLain

Tupperware orange peelers make great corner pokers/stilettos that you use when you turn the handles of tote pockets and handles. – Nancy Chaffee Parker

Use a manicure stick for a stiletto or point turning – Mary Thomas Royer

Use bamboo skewers to turn corners and to turn tubes for applique quilts. Works great. – Cindy Barrell Brown

Use mailing labels to mark all parts of sewing machine, iron etc! – Pam Olds

Use wooden chopsticks to push out corners when turning things (pillowcases, etc) or as an emergency stiletto. – Paula Durkin

 

Hand-sewing/quilting Hacks:

Go to the parts store and buy a hand held LED mechanics light.  They are great for checking under quilts when they are on the frame.  – Nicole Anderson

If you have acrylic nails, you don’t need to use a thimble for hand quilting! – Amy Hallen Blicher  (May not be manicurist-recommended 😉 )

Myrle Lee use extra long chain to make necklace to put scissors on when hand quilting .

Use an eye bolt with a washer and nut, and nylon cording to hang a spool of thread around your neck when doing a lot of hand sewing.   – Pauline M Moll

Use extra long chain to make necklace to put scissors on when hand quilting. – Myrle Lee

Use rubber “banker” fingers as thimbles. – Pat Castonguay

 

Marking Hacks:

Blue tape to mark lines to sew. Hand grips things to hold a quilt together and Tupperware lid to make curve.  – Pam Oller

Crayola washable markers work well to mark your quilt for quilting. When done quilting just throw it in the wash and they disappear. Painter’s tape is a is also great for this purpose. – Carol Hartman

Dinner plates are a great template to make the curved corners on a baby quilt or on fleece blankets. – Jeannette Cyr

Painter’s tape for marking diagonal lines to quilt. – Teresa Golden

Use a 6′ metal carpenters’ ruler for marking your quilt top. – Judi Svendsen

Use carbon paper to transfer words or designs for hand embroidering to fabric. – Angie Pearson

Use colored chalk to mark your quilts. – Jennifer Farrow

Use cookie cutters for marking designs for hand quilting.  Dip the edge in flour or cinnamon depending on the fabric color for contrast – press firmly onto the space you want the motif to be then hand quilt the design. The flour will brush off when done – Melissa Dawson

Use dollar store flexible cutting mats for quilting templates (for appliques). –  Cindy Barrell Brown

You can use a few old cardboard oven pizza rounds to mark circles or half circles for quilting my tops- Krista Florent Gilday

 

Odds and Ends Hacks:

A flannel backed table cover works well as a design wall. – Barbara Schultz, Kathie LD Banks

A galvanized pail will contain a current project. Its handle makes it mobile.  And bankers’ clips used within will keep fabric pieces organized. – Nancy Christensen

An over the door shoe rack works great for keeping projects/patterns/fabric together – Linda Day

Instead of buying gift wrapping paper, use fabrics in your stash to cover gifts and the recipients always give it back afterwards! Sometimes you can use scrap fabric strips for ribbon too. People love it. – Caryl Dobbe

Keep a stack of 4×6 notecards by your machine….you can use them to mark diagonal lines and for scratch notes.  – Jennifer Farrow

Make a sturdy template by tracing it on a cereal box and cutting it out.  Use kids’ scissors to cut threads so you aren’t as likely to cut your quilt, – Clara Arvizu

One must always keep a box of band aides near by! – Freda Littleton

Skewers taped to your cutting table are good for marking the center for basting…and large binder clips clamp the fabric in place. -Kathie LD Banks

To get a distant view of your quilt in a small space before sewing blocks together, use binoculars backwards, or the peephole from a door. –  Clara Arvizu, Melissa Dawson

Use a Glad Press n Seal empty box to store and tear my stabilizer or my adhesive paper. No more cutting with scissors and always a straight cut. – Lisa Mullen

Use binder clips to keep fabric pieces organized.  – Nancy Christensen

Use woodworkers clamps to hold quilt backing to table for basting quilt layers – Debra Foster Miller

Washable school glue can be used for lots of things.  See http://sandyquilts.blogspot.com/2008/05/elmers-washable-school-glue-and-quilts.html – Sandy Wright Deem

 

Quilt Piecing Hacks:

Clothes pins, large and small, work well to ID rows in patterns – Brenda Gardner

Make marker tabs to label your quilt pieces. – Jann Cox

Use a bench scraper (dough cutter) when paper piecing.  It doesn’t get soft like a piece of card stock does, but it only works on smaller piecing units. – Lynda Hansen

Use alphabet beads on safety pins to mark quilt rows. A bag can be bought at any craft store and usually with a coupon very inexpensive. Several sets can be made out of just one bag. – Carol Chambers Grady

When you cut several blocks at one time, you can keep track of them by placing the block pieces for each on their own paper plate. They stack and can go to quilt class and stay together. – Laurie Shoebridge

 

Pressing Hacks:

A round cork trivet can be used to set a hot iron upon when pressing in a class. – Teresa Golden

Attach a spray bottle head to a glass vinegar bottle to use at your ironing board, and it won’t melt when the iron touches it  – Dana Johnson Harr

Put an ugly bracelet on when you turn the iron on, and take it off when you turn the iron off.  You won’t forget to turn the iron off.   – Lisa Lynn Vanzant

Use an icing spatula while pressing seams.  It has a bent shank and it won’t melt – Bobbie N Andy Conner

Use parchment paper when doing fusible projects.  It will keep the iron goo-free! – Jan Donley

Use scrap strips sewn onto an old ironing board cover and then just run a new piece of elastic around the edge. – Nicole Anderson

Used t-shirts can be cut up and used as pressing cloths.  – Freda Littleton

 

 

Machine-quilting Hacks:

Cheap foam flip flops from Joann’s help grip your fabric while quilting with your domestic machine. – Dana Jo Forseth Tabayoyon

Crayola washable markers are great to mark your quilt for quilting. When done quilting just throw it in the wash and they disappear. – Carol Hartman

Fingertip grips are great for machine quilting. – Cheryl Hammond

Rubber kitchen gloves are perfect for guiding your quilt during free motion quilting. – Linda LaBrot

Use mason/canning or baby food jars to hold your spool of thread when hand or machine quilting.  You can punch a hole in the lid and keep up with the thread that way, and the spool never flies out of the jar.  – Willene Kill, Freda Combs

Wearing rubberized garden gloves while machine quilting will help you guide the quilt under the needle. – Kellie Presley

 

Seam-Ripping Hacks:

In beauty supply stores they sell small plastic disposable razors wrapped with wire used to groom eyebrows. It’s a terrific seam ripper. – Catherine MacLaine

My standby is battery operated men’s beard trimmer as a seam ripper! Less than $10.00 in Wal-Mart or Dollar General. Quick and Easy, great for Around the World – Kathryn Kelley Cliborne

Old blunt (ish) rotary cutters make great quick unpicks especially if you have shortened the stitching like you do in foundation piecing. – Nicole Anderson

Use a safety razor as a seam ripper – Barbara Caine Romano

Using a small battery operated mustache trimmer as seam ripper takes only seconds for long seams.  – Nona Humphreys, Sharon Mck Mason

 

Machine-sewing Hacks:

A magnet on a stick from the automotive store is good for not having to bend over to pick up pins on the floor. They are usually telescoping too. – Carol Hartman

A mouse pad or rubber shelf mat under your sewing machine foot pedal will keep it from sliding – Sallie Ruff Marcil, Clara Arvizu

A thermal beverage glass with straw can be used as a cone thread holder.  Thread goes through the straw….and it stays clean.  – Deb Urschel Heath

Ask your dentist for used cleaning instruments.  You can use them for keeping seams flat just as they go through the feed dogs.  (These can also be found at dollar stores) – Ramona Mattix, Melody Brewer

Attach a soap dish with suction cups to the side of your machine to hold small tools. – Liz Gegenheimer LeSaicherre

Attach self sticking Velcro to the back of your machine to hold threads whenstarting to sew.  Then you always know where your threads are and they don’t bunch up when you start. – Pauline M Moll

Crack filler or foam ear plugs can be put on the sharp ends of pins to hold them in place..  Kellie Presley

Create your own spool/cone holder from a twisted coat hanger wrapped around a coffee cup, putting the cone in the cup  – Julie Quilter

Cut threads with kids’ scissors so you aren’t as likely to cut your project by accident – Clara Arvizu

Flex guard tubing will protect sewing machines cords from being chewed on by pets. – Laura Ax-Fultz

Hang your small scissors from a lanyard to keep from losing them. Then they are always at hand when you need to snip a thread.- Connie Quaile-Mantey

Painter’s tape is a staple. You can use several layers to make a sewing gauge on your sewing machine.

Put velcro on the bottom of your sewing machine foot to keep it from sliding. (Works on rug. Not sure about wood.) – Sheila McDonald Woofter

Sand paperor rubbery shelf liner attached to the bottom of your machine control foot keeps it from sliding. – Lisa Lynn Vanzant, Teresa Golden

Use a CD-R support spindle to hold a sewing thread cone when machine sewing. – Aceoni Silveira

Use chair foot pads or rubber door stops to elevate the back of your sewing machine. It really helps you to see the fabric that you’re sewing and reduces fatigue. – Roxanne White, Nancy Adamson, Dottie McLain, Ann Harcourt

Use kabob sticks to feed material through sewing machine – Pam Olds

Use orange sticks from the beauty supply store to lay seams down while sewing. – Charisse Hamilton

Use the old cotton reel up the inside of a thread cone so that it doesn’t wobble and cause tension problems. Use cling wrap around my thread reels to keep them from unraveling – Nicole Anderson

Wet the needle instead of the thread to make threading easier. – Clara Arvizu

You can make a seam guide for your machine out of painter’s tape.  Cut into the roll of tape, 10+ layers deep.  Then make a second cut 10+ layers deep about four inches from the first cut. You can then adhere it to your machine as a seam guide, with a nice thick edge to help guide your fabric. – Cindy Wynn

 

Storage Hacks:

A large daily medicine dispenser or a three-ring binder designed to hold baseball cards can be used to store your sewing needles. – Lisa Lynn Vanzant

A men’s belt hanger is great for rulers, and a cutlery tray is great for rotary cutters, pens, chalk etc.  A plastic tool chest is great for misc. sewing or quilting items (i.e., seam rippers, tape, safety pins, scissors, hair clips for binding, needles and thread, etc.) It’s great for taking to classes. – Della Camire

A rolling toolbox from Harbor Freight only costs 16.00 and is wonderful to hold your sewing machine when going to a retreat. Some pretty BIG pockets are also in there to help. – Lisa Lynn Vanzant

A silverware tray can be used to.hold needles, marking tools,.pens pencils,.etc. – Dawn Thrift

A tool bag with multiple compartments and/or toolboxes are far cheaper than any similar carrying devices made for quilters. – Laura Ax-Fultz

Add dividers to the top drawer of rolling plastic drawer units to separate tools. They are handy and easy to grab and put back instead of laying them down to be lost or covered up. – Ann Harcourt Silverware

Altoids cases work well to hold hair clips for securing binding.- Teresa Golden

An acrylic makeup organizer with many compartments can sit directly to the right of your sewing machine to hold things you might need as you’re sewing, such as tweezers, seam rippers, chopsticks, and other gadgets.  – Freda Littleton

An armchair remote pocket can be used to hold pens, rotary cutters, seam ripper etc. – Rose M Andrade

Baby food jars for buttons, Ikea utensil rod and hooks to hang rulers, peg board and hooks to organize supplies. – Sharon Nadeau Short

Can’t live without my magnetic dish for pins AND seam ripper sticks there,never gets lost. – Catherine MacLaine

Carry a small tool box with you when you go to retreats to hold scissors, pins, seam rippers and other gadgets. – Lisa Lynn Vanzant

Clear plastic drawer organizers from office supply stores are great for cut fabric strips.  You can sort by lengths or colors. –  Dottie McLain

Clear plastic tubing from the hardware store cut into small sections and slit down the side will keep bobbins from unthreading – Kellie Presley

craft pins come in from the store to hold a tiny sew on the go kit. Needles in one of my antique needle cases. – Ann Harcourt Container

Foam pedicure toe separators make great holders for bobbin storage – Ardis Mistak

Golf tees to hold matching bobbins in the center hole of the thread spool. – Ann Harcourt

Golf tees will hold matching bobbins on top of spools of thread – Kellie Presley

Hang quilt blocks on skirt/pants hangers.  – Cherry Price Potter

Hang rulers on pants hangers on over the door hook for lack of space.   – Theresa Mattia Murro

Hull an empty cd case can be used to wrap binding around. close one end of binding inside and then wrap around the case. – JoAnne Crowder

Larger cardboard tubes – press fabrics and then roll round the tube to save creasing again by folding. – Ann Baker

Metal automotive bowl that is magnetic can hold pins so they won’t tip.  – Lisa Lynn Vanzant

Old filing cabinets with the metal frames for files make great hangers for fabric. – Cheryl Hammond

Old medicine bottles for used rotary blades – Eileen Moriarty

Pipe cleaners keep your thread together with matching colored bobbin. – Sue Walker

Pizza boxes (unused) to store your quilt squares as you finish them. Stores them great after being pressed. You can also use them to store your cut pieces to take to class or just to keep them all together until you sew them together. – Rita Hergott Luongo

Plastic, zipper bags that bed sheets come in can be used for odds and ends for sewing. – Patricia J Ward

RX bottles to hold spool of thread and matching bobbin. – Teresa Golden

Scotch tape is great for keeping embroidery thread from unraveling. – Marilyn Masker-Allen

small elastic pony tail holders over bobbins keeps thread from unraveling. –  Barbara Schultz

Store your spools of thread on dishwasher racks on the wall – Sarah Craigen

The empty round containers that ICE BREAKERS mints come in make great storage for used rotary cutter blades until disposal. – Jan Collins

The golf tee is used to hold your bobbin on top of coordinating thread! – Doris Magiera

The thingy you put between your toes can hold filled bobbins so they won’t roll around. – Lisa Lynn Vanzant

Thread spools and bobbins are kept on a peg board with a dowel through the holes to hold them. – Pauline M Moll

Toilet paper rolls will organize all your sewing machine cords just just fold cords and push through rolls keeps everything neet and tidy LOL – Karen McGallian

Use a empty bubble gum container to hold a 120″ tape measure.  – Pat Wade’s

Use a mechanic’s magnetized bowl to hold pins at your quilting machine. They usually stay in it and it stays on the table.  – Lois Shugart Klepper, Sheila Chaisson, Lisa Lynn Vanzant, Dottie McLain

Use a new clean pizza box to store finished quilt blocks in. – Amy Hallen Blicher

Use a Pampered Chef’s rotating utensil holder on your sewing table to hold cutters, small rulers, pencils etc. – Kris Webb

Use a short glass jar to gather used rotary blades for disposal. It’s perfectly sized at about 3″ high, stores out of the way and holds so many blades it’s unreal. – Jackie Sayre

Use a wall CD/DVD holder for your fat quarters – Oldbrickhome Quilts

Use an old prescription bottle for old needles. You can drill a tiny hole in the lid, superglue the lid on, and then just put them in the trash once they’re full. – Laurie Keep

Use clay pots to organize larger tools. – Dawn Thrift

Use empty paper towel and toilette rolls to keep cords from getting tangled on your iron, lamps and sewing machines when not in use.  – Sharon Nadeau Short

Use fishing tackle boxes (the plastic ones) to sort beads and embroidery floss. – Amanda Rae Downey

Use mason jars for buttons, pins, etc. – Barbara Woods Dison

Use old Tide Pod containers to hold buttons, ric-rac, and other small trims. With some black paint, you can repaint the labels and use like a chalkboard to label them.  – Amanda Rae Downey

Use plain metal shower curtain rings to put through the holes in your rulers to hang up on slat board hooks.  Slat board and hooks or pegboard and hooks are great for hanging spare rotary tools and stencils, etc. – Mary Watters

Use the toe separators that you buy for painting your toe nails. It holds 4 bobbin spools with no threads hanging out, and it’s  easy to see what thread your have on the bobbin.  They’re also easy to pack and stack.  – Lynne Bumstead Tolway

When traveling and stitching like waiting in a doctor’s office, carry a small cream cheese container for threads etc. – Sherida Risner

When traveling with several bobbins, you can put them in a small prescription bottle and to throw in a long cosmetic bag with threads and rotary cutter, etc. – Theresa Mattia Murro