I have a headlamp angled to light up the backside of my project so I can see where my needle is through the holes. I find it makes it so much easier to see where I am instead of stabbing the back until I find the right spot!
I have magnifying glasses that have a light in the sides. They sit on the end of my nose so I have magnifying in the bottom half and can still see out of my distance glasses at the top to watch tv while I stitch.
This one is weird, so I apologise- I have 4 grime guards (1 for every side of my q snap) made out of my husbands (unused and washed, he doesn’t like them) underpants. I cut the leg holes into one big hole, sew it up, flip it inside out and voila. A grime guard. It’s mostly because I was too broke to pay for something I could make at the time, but tbh those bad boys hold way more fabric than a standard grime guard, so I’m never going back
I keep empty prescription pill bottles handy for disposing of old needles or bent pins. Not sure if that counts as weird. You’ve really got me thinking now, and I’m not sure I have any odd items 🙂
Those pill bottles are indeed very handy. It can be odd or weird if those bottles were from specific medications.
Like I imagine a guest coming and noticing a box of anti diarrhea pills. It can be a bit awkward but funny.
In my country medication is mostly stored in cardboard boxes that are easily breakable, I would lose all my needles if I put them in :(
First aid tape. Something about the way I flip the needle when I pull it through rubs against the first knuckle on my middle finger. After a few hundred stitches it’s red and raw. I started with band aids but they wouldn’t stay on the knuckle. The softer paper tape has a bit of flexibility and works great.
ooh that's a good idea. I've been using a bandaid for my middle finger pad cus it kept getting irritated and then even poked through a couple layers of skin.
I make a small comment because I noticed I didn’t correctly write my title post. I forgot the « use » in my question. I wanted to ask if you guys use weird tools or accessories. Sorry for the inconvenience 🧡
lol I had to put a grippy sock on the bottom of my hoop stand so it didn’t stick to my leg when wearing shorts, I have to wear bifocals and makes feel like a little old lady watching my programs (buffy/angel/bobs burgers) and I’m 100 percent ok with that lol also have to use bandaids on my left ring finger so that when I push the needle up I don’t poke myself, and icy hot on my wrist from holding the hoop
I have a standing lamp, and attached to it's stem is my clamp for my pattern, magnet to hold my scissors, magnets to hold needles, and basically anything else I want handy to keep out of reach of my animals. It looks quite wild out of context
I need to say thank you for this comment and say that when I read your comment, I had to sit and stare at the wall for a while.
I just sat there, all shocked pikachu, feeling like an idiot and wondering how the thought to put my scissors against a magnet like I do for my needle had never occurred to me. Until just now. 😅
I have pretty weak grip strength in my fingers sometimes, so I purchased a pair of hemostats to grasp the needle on occasion. I use it primarily when I am finishing off a stitch and have issues pulling the thread through the back of the existing stitches. It works like a charm. Even got a pair to match my scissors. So they are multichrome.
Hemostats are magic. I use them for all kinds of things. Best use? Fishing items out of the garbage disposal that you can't reach any other way! (I have an extra long one for that purpose.)
My dad would be thrilled if I stole his headlamp for stitching. He was trying to get every member of the family an excuse to try it out! 😂 Maybe I should finally take him up on it… Yours is so much prettier though!
As for weird things to embroider, I haven’t done it yet, but I’d love to pretty up a cloth-covered case I stole from a set of computer speakers that I’ve been using to hold extra skeins.
I’m pretty sure your dad would be happy if you try to borrow his headlamp! I find it so cute he’s trying to convince your family to try it
You can definitely make a nice custom pattern for your skeins-computer speaker boxes!!
Try the headlamp 🙂 I grew up camping before they were invented. We used flashlights. Once I tried a headlamp I never went back, as the headlamp is hands-free and adjustable. It’s a great idea to use one for cross stitch, I should try that myself!
I have a magnet that's a bit too strong to call it a needle minder. But thanks to that my needles get magnetized and I can slap them anywhere to stick like a radiator or an old metal pc back panel.
I use the S Pen from my tablet as a needle holder between floss changes. It was one of those "aha!" moments when it stuck to it once. I had put the needle on my little side table and then used the pen to mark off my stitches on my tablet and must have laid it down on top of the needle. Looked on the floor for that damn thing for 20 minutes after I got my next floss ready. Then I started moving stuff off the side table and when I picked up the pen, the needle was stuck to it. I also use it whenever I drop a needle now. I glide the pen slightly above the floor to find it.
I have a container for scraps(orts) in the basement where I do most of my stitching. It’s the box the evil queen wants Snow White’s heart in. I dont know what that says about me lol.
Flat fridge magnets as needle minders. At first I used them as a temporary thing when I've just started and didn't know if this new hobby would stay, and now it's a habit. And to be honest I am afraid to buy a proper needle minder because there are so many cute ones, I will start a new hobby *collecting*
Pet tape. My Spikings stand has a support bar that sits under my frames. I had to wrap it in pet tape because my wrist (of the hand in the back for 2-handed stitching) bumps against it and cold metal makes my wrists ache.
I used to use a travel pillow for neck support, it was bright pink and looked like a bunny. This was a few years ago when I didn't sit properly because of worn sofas. Sofas got upgraded, bunny got retired.
same. ever since i discovered i could use my originally-for-hiking headlamp for cross stitch, i haven't stopped using it.
I definitely relate to you
Omg. My life has just changed for the better. Thank you both.
I have a book light I use for the same reason, clip it to the edge of my work, and away we go
I have a headlamp angled to light up the backside of my project so I can see where my needle is through the holes. I find it makes it so much easier to see where I am instead of stabbing the back until I find the right spot!
I have magnifying glasses that have a light in the sides. They sit on the end of my nose so I have magnifying in the bottom half and can still see out of my distance glasses at the top to watch tv while I stitch.
https://preview.redd.it/6od0oa5s486d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11be08292b8dc2c1f3d8c9a90933ef31ded0e9d2
The perspective in this picture it looks like that's an area rug and your glasses are the size of the room lol
They are sitting on an iPad, but I can’t unsee it now. lol
It looks so so so cool!!! Isn’t a bit heavy to wear when you work for a long time?
They’re made of plastic and the nose pad is silicone so I actually forget that I’m wearing them a lot of the time.
Hi there. Can you provide a link to these? They look so cool!
[Amazon](https://amzn.asia/d/iAICsTj) link. I bought mine in Australia but these say they’re from the US but they’re the ones I purchased.
Thank you so much!
This one is weird, so I apologise- I have 4 grime guards (1 for every side of my q snap) made out of my husbands (unused and washed, he doesn’t like them) underpants. I cut the leg holes into one big hole, sew it up, flip it inside out and voila. A grime guard. It’s mostly because I was too broke to pay for something I could make at the time, but tbh those bad boys hold way more fabric than a standard grime guard, so I’m never going back
I never imagined I'd read anything so clever and fun. I would never have thought about using underpants. So fun 😂
Okay this is the most amazing tool I've heard of! Love your innovative spirit
Thanks. I feel I should clarify they’re boxers. It seems like it would be weirder if they were tighty whities 😂
Probably the glass vase with all the paper wraps from every DMC skein I have bobbinated?
I keep empty prescription pill bottles handy for disposing of old needles or bent pins. Not sure if that counts as weird. You’ve really got me thinking now, and I’m not sure I have any odd items 🙂
Those pill bottles are indeed very handy. It can be odd or weird if those bottles were from specific medications. Like I imagine a guest coming and noticing a box of anti diarrhea pills. It can be a bit awkward but funny. In my country medication is mostly stored in cardboard boxes that are easily breakable, I would lose all my needles if I put them in :(
I save mine and use them for floss cut offs when traveling to add to my large ORTS jar at home.
I use them to hold floss scraps!
First aid tape. Something about the way I flip the needle when I pull it through rubs against the first knuckle on my middle finger. After a few hundred stitches it’s red and raw. I started with band aids but they wouldn’t stay on the knuckle. The softer paper tape has a bit of flexibility and works great.
ooh that's a good idea. I've been using a bandaid for my middle finger pad cus it kept getting irritated and then even poked through a couple layers of skin.
I make a small comment because I noticed I didn’t correctly write my title post. I forgot the « use » in my question. I wanted to ask if you guys use weird tools or accessories. Sorry for the inconvenience 🧡
Glad I’m not the only one who uses a headlamp!
lol I had to put a grippy sock on the bottom of my hoop stand so it didn’t stick to my leg when wearing shorts, I have to wear bifocals and makes feel like a little old lady watching my programs (buffy/angel/bobs burgers) and I’m 100 percent ok with that lol also have to use bandaids on my left ring finger so that when I push the needle up I don’t poke myself, and icy hot on my wrist from holding the hoop
Add in Bones, and your stitching watchlist is the same as mine!
lol actually I just finished bones so im not watching it til I finish the new rounds of buffy and angel lol
I have a standing lamp, and attached to it's stem is my clamp for my pattern, magnet to hold my scissors, magnets to hold needles, and basically anything else I want handy to keep out of reach of my animals. It looks quite wild out of context
I need to say thank you for this comment and say that when I read your comment, I had to sit and stare at the wall for a while. I just sat there, all shocked pikachu, feeling like an idiot and wondering how the thought to put my scissors against a magnet like I do for my needle had never occurred to me. Until just now. 😅
Every once in a while, my needle minder picks up my scissors on the back and I don't notice until the extra weight makes my wrists hurt. 🤣
Same 😂😂😂 and then sometimes I'm searching for it because I've finished a thread 😂😂😅
I have pretty weak grip strength in my fingers sometimes, so I purchased a pair of hemostats to grasp the needle on occasion. I use it primarily when I am finishing off a stitch and have issues pulling the thread through the back of the existing stitches. It works like a charm. Even got a pair to match my scissors. So they are multichrome.
Hemostats are magic. I use them for all kinds of things. Best use? Fishing items out of the garbage disposal that you can't reach any other way! (I have an extra long one for that purpose.)
A smiley vase/coffee cup for old threads. I don't know of anything weird I've embroidered.
My dad would be thrilled if I stole his headlamp for stitching. He was trying to get every member of the family an excuse to try it out! 😂 Maybe I should finally take him up on it… Yours is so much prettier though! As for weird things to embroider, I haven’t done it yet, but I’d love to pretty up a cloth-covered case I stole from a set of computer speakers that I’ve been using to hold extra skeins.
I’m pretty sure your dad would be happy if you try to borrow his headlamp! I find it so cute he’s trying to convince your family to try it You can definitely make a nice custom pattern for your skeins-computer speaker boxes!!
Try the headlamp 🙂 I grew up camping before they were invented. We used flashlights. Once I tried a headlamp I never went back, as the headlamp is hands-free and adjustable. It’s a great idea to use one for cross stitch, I should try that myself!
I have a magnet that's a bit too strong to call it a needle minder. But thanks to that my needles get magnetized and I can slap them anywhere to stick like a radiator or an old metal pc back panel.
I use the S Pen from my tablet as a needle holder between floss changes. It was one of those "aha!" moments when it stuck to it once. I had put the needle on my little side table and then used the pen to mark off my stitches on my tablet and must have laid it down on top of the needle. Looked on the floor for that damn thing for 20 minutes after I got my next floss ready. Then I started moving stuff off the side table and when I picked up the pen, the needle was stuck to it. I also use it whenever I drop a needle now. I glide the pen slightly above the floor to find it.
omg this is genius! I used to have a headlamp but now I regret giving it away!
I have a container for scraps(orts) in the basement where I do most of my stitching. It’s the box the evil queen wants Snow White’s heart in. I dont know what that says about me lol.
Flat fridge magnets as needle minders. At first I used them as a temporary thing when I've just started and didn't know if this new hobby would stay, and now it's a habit. And to be honest I am afraid to buy a proper needle minder because there are so many cute ones, I will start a new hobby *collecting*
I use my hubby's head lamp he is a diesel mechanic so he has plenty. Works well for me.
Me tooo!!!
Pet tape. My Spikings stand has a support bar that sits under my frames. I had to wrap it in pet tape because my wrist (of the hand in the back for 2-handed stitching) bumps against it and cold metal makes my wrists ache.
I used to use a travel pillow for neck support, it was bright pink and looked like a bunny. This was a few years ago when I didn't sit properly because of worn sofas. Sofas got upgraded, bunny got retired.
I have used a book lamp before but this is better 👀