Hey, What's In the Box?
Topic: Supplies
Since I do quite a bit of paper embroidery I wanted a set-up of supplies that would keep everything together and be portable. I take mine in the car, on the plane, to waiting rooms, and when I'm at home it is handy in a drawer by my favorite chair.
I got the box on sale at the craft store and here is how I have it set up:
On top is a stack of already pricked papers, still taped to their patterns. If they are for a specific occasion they have a sticky note with a date and are arranged in order of stitching rotation. The lid is flexible and has a good latch so I can stack 4 to 5 projects in here. While I am working on a project the others get moved to the open lid, out of the way of thread selection. Completed pieces get moved to the bottom of the stack until I get home when they are moved to the studio for assembly into a card.
On the right side of the box I have all my threads. The brand I buy (Sulky) will fit 4 to a section. I group them by thread type (metallics, shimmers, verigated, and solids) The solids are grouped by colors so I can easily choose from 3 greens, 4 pinks, 3 browns, etc. I move the spool I am working from over to the left side tool section so I don't lose track of it.
So, what's in the tool section? First of all I used a sharp knife and cut out the divider in the left section so it would run the full width of the box, to fit longer tools inside. From upper left: roll of regular scotch tape. This is used to hold the loose thread ends to the back of the cardstock at the beginning and end of each length of thread. To the right is a tiny box of wax. This is used to condition threads that have a tendency to twist, knot and fray. Next row from the left: I use a Clover thread cutter. It has no sharp or pointed parts to I can take it on the plane without any problem. The thread is pulled into any one of the slots around the edge where there is a razor blade that slices through it. To the right is my needle case. This is actually the container that replacement leads for a mechanical pencil came in. Then there is a needle-threader. I seldom need this but it is a handy place to wind more tape and I use the rounded ends to burnish the back of the finished project to close up the holes around the threads. I keep a pen (and usually a mechanical pencil) in the box to make notations on patterns. I have two piercing tools. The one that looks like a pen is newer and, like a pen, comes with it's own cap. The older one on the bottom is just a 'needle on a stick' type so I devised this set-up to make it safe. The plastic tube is off of a fresh flower from the florist. It includes the rubber cap with a cross-cut opening to slide the stem through. I placed a sponge grip meant for a pencil inside. This way I just push the tool through the rubber cap and it slides into the foam sleeve. Keeps it from rattling around and protects the tip from breaking.
I put a little piece of packing material in the bottom of each well to keep everything from clacking around when I carry it.
....now back to stitching!
Ddd
Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net
at 12:01 AM PDT