Your crafting tools (have, want, dream about...)

I'm slightly obsessed with Oliso irons and Electronic Quilt software. Both because I don't have either of them...and WANT them so so so sooooo much.

I do have a lot of rulers -- more than I use to have. I also have two 2' x 3' cutting mats, two rotary cutters (one paper, one fabric), and two sewing machines. I also have an Accuquilt with multiple dies that I should use more often. I've been considering donating that to a Girl Scout troop that my co-worker leads.

What tools do you love? What do you obsess over? What tools do you want?

I had asked for a Sew Steady Extension Table for my sewing machine for Christmas (which I didn't get). It increases the sewing area since my machine is not in a sewing cabinet. I even filled the paperwork out for my husband and told him where to go to order it. If I can hold off ordering it for myself, my birthday is in 4 months and I'll drop the hint again.

I too have a bunch of rulers and a couple of cutting mats (one smaller to take to class) and two sewing machines.

I've also considered an embroidery attachment for my machine to help me with quilting, but I'm not sure I'd get enough out of it.

It would be so much fun to have a knitting machine. It would be really fun to play with. There are various embroidery stands I'd like to try out, but since I need to be reclining a good ways to work it's hard to tell what would work and what wouldn't. I'd adore a letterpress thing-a-me.

I have just acquired my mother's old sewing machine. It's not an amazing machine, but much more advanced than mine. I'd forgotten just how much it weighs! I would have kept it anyway for sentimental reasons but it will be helpful for the more heavy duty tasks.

>2 dudes22: Ooooo, the sew steady tables are so awesome. I drooled over those for a long while; but I can't justify the purchase when I only make very large quilts every other year or so.

>3 mabith: My mother's Bernina is a workhorse. It scares me when I use it because it's so fast.

I have all the basic tools I think. Enough to do what I want to for now. I was given (ordered myself) for Christmas a snap press machine which I hope to use to make baby things for our first grandchild - to be born next week! But I would like one of those nifty irons. Mine is very heavy and the constant switching on and off can't be good for it.

My iron is dying -- it isn't heating like it should. It's a Proctor Silex (can't even buy that this style any more). I've had this iron since 1994. My grandmother gave it to me as a college going away present. I should not be emotional over an iron; but I am. And not because of who gave it to me; but because it's possibly the second longest "lived" of my possessions next to the red wool coat I've owned since 1989 (and still wear).

I'm trying to talk myself into being reasonable. "Buy a $40 iron, Lesli." "No one in their right mind needs a $170 iron, Lesli." "See what the reviews say, Lesli? Oliso irons die quickly. Just go with the cheapo, Lesli." Anyone else want to join on the Stop Lesli from selling her kidney movement? LOL

>6 lesmel: Please do not sell your kidney; you'll never be able to get another one as nice as the one you already have.

I have to admit that, if I needed to replace my current iron, I would look first in the local second hand stores. One hundred and seventy dollars seems just insane. I'm unafraid of spending money, but there's a limit on what something is actually worth.

Failing the "find a lightly used one" remedy, without question, you should try the inexpensive one. Pity you're not nearby; I'm sure I just saw a couple of like new irons at my home away from home, the local second hand store.

Please keep your kidney. :-}

>7 Lyndatrue: I thought abt second hand shops. There is one in town. Hmm maybe a pawn shop would have an iron. Do people pawn irons?

>8 lesmel: You honestly never know. You wouldn't get very much at a pawn shop for an iron, and they may not be willing to take such a thing, but I promise that second hand shops are just an excellent resource to things like small appliances.

I think that if you use it a lot, get the best you think you can reasonably spend. Although the one your grandmother gave you last so many years, a new one will not (planned obsolescence). And check reviews if you can. And since I'm a quilter too, I want as pointy a point as I can get.

A light box has been my major want for a couple of years now. It is used for transferring pattern drawings from paper to background for appliqué, embroidery, or in my case linen or burlap. Yes, I could tape the pattern to a window on a sunny day, then tape the material over it, and hope it all doesn't slip while I patiently trace, but after having used one of these boxes, it is just not the same. I hook rugs and the weight of the backing on a window for a larger project is too much. If I had room, I would hook up a light under a glass table, but there is nowhere here to do it. Bring on the light box! The contrast is amazing.

I regret leaving my light box with the last kindergarten I worked in. I couldn't see myself using it again. I wish I'd had a crystal ball!

Ooh, yes, I've wanted a light box so much. I do have a coffee table with a smoked glass top which would be easier to use than anything I've had before, but better to have clear glass. I'm never happy with any of the main transfer methods, would so much rather draw right on the fabric.

I keep looking up DIY light boxes; but then I see the prices of the lightbox pad things on Amazon and I'm like...WAAAAAANT. Only thing is I'm greedy, I want something that has 17 x 14 (I would "settle" for 14 x14) lighted space and everything I see is 8.5-9 x 12.5ish

>11 SassyLassy: I have a lightbox and thought I would use it so much and I haven't. It wasn't a terribly expensive one. However, I'm going to use it to check out some slides my ex-in-laws gave me!

I think I have all the tools I need and no longer covet more (although I used to fantasize about having an expensive long arm quilter; until I calculated how many quilts I would have to make and quilt per year to make it worth paying thousands for).

OLD but PRECIOUS: I still use a couple of old orange-handled, left-handed Friskers scissors (left-handed handles AND left-handed arrangement of blades) and a few less desirable back-ups (left-handed handles but right handed arrangement of blades -- what were they thinking?)

The last two things I've coveted and bought was one of those felted wool pin cushions, and then a magnetic weighted pin cup (sort of the size of a large metal jar lid with a weight/magnet underneath). I like it better than the other magnetic pin holders (plastic with a slight hollow in the top).