Some useful (and unexpected) sewing tools

 Because people know I sew I often am given random  collections of sewing things.

The tool below, came into my life last summer.

I had no idea what it might be useful for until this summer. This tool has two excellent uses. First of all it is quite as a good sewing machine screw driver. One needs a really stumpy, short handled screwdriver to open up the cover to the bobbin case. This does the job well and is just stumpy enough to get into tight spaces.

The looped handle also gives this tool a second excellent use. This little tool is also an excellent bodkin. A bodkin is a tool that allows you to thread elastic or ribbon through a narrow casing. I sewed elastic to the top of the loop and easily threaded the elastic through a casing. Normally, I use safety pins as bodkins but sometimes a safety pin can decide to open mid task which can result in lots of cursing. I don't know if it is possible to buy a similar combination mini screwdriver/bodkin but if you find one, get it.

Below is a rolling ruler. It  was first invented in the 1710s and was used in mapmaking and in technical drafting.

Apparently the metal rolling ruler of yore was reinvented in plastic in 1991. I first saw one in a quilt show in the early 1990s and it was an expensive tool that I lusted over. A few years later I started finding cheap knock offs for a couple of bucks. The knock offs work well but the rulers have an unpleasant tendency to break off just past the roller. They are still useful, although less so.

I found the rolling ruler above in a thrift store and it seems to be of better quality than the ones destined for a short life. I just used my rolling ruler this afternoon to mark the placement of this line of ribbon painted with text.

It makes a tricky job much less tricky.

The text painted ribbon is going on Jess's tallit.

It's in progress but nearing the finish line.

My secret weapon for painting lettering on fabric is

sand paper. It holds the fabric steady as you work.  The standard painting on fabric method is to stitch the fabric taut into a frame. The sand paper is way easier and less time consuming.

My least favorite sewing activity is unsewing.  Mistakes, large and small are inevitable. Unfortunately stitching has to sometimes get unsewn. It is a disheartening job. Inevitably, I will mess up when using the densest embroidery stitches.

I have been using disposable scalpels for years to undo stitching.

Every few years I will buy a dozen of these disposable scalpels. They are worth every penny. 

I have recently started using disposable shavers to do the same task. You can pick one up in your local dollar store. 

I now have to go back to some hand sewing on Jess's tallit .A pesky job, but I am the only one around to do it.