I use grey thread for all my patchwork piecing. Yes, ALL! No matter what color fabric I am using, I sew it up with this light grey thread. I find this grey disappears. White and cream thread stick out when next to dark colors because of the strong light-dark contrast, so I use the grey.
I buy it in these large 1,000 meter spools. I pay about $7.80 for them at my local fabric store. The 100 meter spool, next to it in blue, costs about $3.00 each, so you can see it is a cost saver as well.
And when I have to wind a bobbin, I wind up four of them at the same time. This way changing the bobbin is No Big Deal. When I get down to one full bobbin left, I fill the other three. So I always have at least three bobbins fully wound, and one in the machine.
I have a 30+ year old Kenmore sewing machine. It is made of metal, and sews zig-zag and 10 other stitches, which I very rarely use.
My sewing room is very small, about 8 x 10 feet. My sewing machine sits on this little student desk, which measures 18 x 24". I keep an extra pair of inexpensive scissors in the desk for trimming threads. This pair of scissors NEVER moves from the sewing machine. I also have a bowl with extra needles, and little brushes to keep the feed dogs and bobbin area free of dust.Underneath, on the floor, you see a plastic bin. This is so when I chain-piece all the pieces can fall into this neat, clean plastic bin. It makes it easy to grab everything when I am done.
All the other thread lives on this thread rack on the wall nearby, arranged by color and within easy reach, and there is a wastebasket right next to the machine.
5 comments:
I'm interested in why you use 100% polyester. I always thought either a mix or 100% cotton was the best because of the amount of wear and tear a quilt will get.
I never thought of grey - I use white. Or I did until now!
Yoo are so organised!
Clare, I never gave it any thought. I use it purely out of habit.
I use gray too, it does work well! It also works well to quilt with gray if you are doing an overall quiltdesign.... I quilted my Plain Spoken with grey :-)
I'll start winding more bobbins at a time...that's a good idea!
I quilt in light grey also but I never thought to buy the larger spools. Thanks for the idea!
I wind 6 bobbins at a time. I have to put a drop of oil in the bobbin area every three bobbins so that helps me remember when to oil the machine.
The clear plastic bin to catch your chain piecing is brilliant. I also use a medium gray thread for most of my piecing nowadays. It really does blend better most of the time.
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