MAGPIE'S MUMBLINGS

A blog about my interests, which include fabric landscapes and various and assorted other artsy pursuits and sometimes known to contain mumblings of a random nature.

Friday, December 06, 2013

The REAL studio tour!

Today, for a change of pace (and a bit of fun), I'm taking part in Week One of Vicki's Real Studio Tour. This will be a three week event with the third week being a post about the TRUE look of our working studios (no fair cheating and cleaning up prior to taking photos....ooooh.....scary!!  This week we are asked to do a blog post about our favourite tool or tools we use in our studios that we re-purpose. 


I actually have two tools that I couldn't live without.


1.  A small pair of pliers which is absolutely
invaluable to pull needles through heavier
fabrics. Most of you know that I love
working with recycled denim and I couldn't be
without my trusty pliers when I am trying to 
handstitch.

2.  This one is perhaps utterly silly, but
I use it every single time I need to
stuff anything.  It's quite simply a piece
of wooden doweling - 1/4" thick.
By complete happenstance, the end
(to the left in the picture) was slivererd off and it now is the most perfect shape to get stuffing into little areas.  Over the years (and I've had this for probably close to 30 years!) it has worn beautifully smooth.  It's the perfect length too.  It's one of the irreplaceable tools I have!




9 comments:

  1. Good tips here - I will certainly be trying out both of them - I have two dolls I am looking at making and the dowel idea will come in very handy. The pliers - great idea for someone with dodgy finger joints!

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  2. Both are very handy tools. I'm am planning a few recycled denim projects in the new year and will keep my pliers handy :)

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  3. Yes,indeed. I have my hubby's pliers and I threw myself down in front of him when he wanted them back! lol

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  4. If you want to try to update your link I think you can go click on it and select another photo to attach. Or you can delete that link and add a new one. There should be a step where you can select the photo you want to display. Good luck!

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  5. I keep a pair of (needle nose) pliers in my notions collection too. You just never know when it will save the day.

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  6. Pliers are handy! Love that you have used and worn the dowel to perfection!

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  7. Both of these are terrific tools to have about -- as a matter of fact, I have a dowel that looks very similar to yours in the canister on my sewing table!! :)

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  8. We should share this sort of stuff much much more - two really valuable tools for your needs MA.
    Love the idea of the stuffer as I'll be making up my Miss Rabbit for Miss Jessie soon and there'll be a whole lot of stuffing going on!!!
    :))

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  9. love your little wooden thingy. I suspect we could all do with one of those

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