The Kitebuilder.com Forum

[kiteguy]

I read on the forum where people kept getting thread ends wrapped around their vaccumn brush, on their socks, etc.

Well, here is one solution that will make your life easier. (Less messy?) The idea was passed to me via my wife. Where she got it, who knows?

Just take a lunch bag size paper sack and fold down the top 1 inch to make the top a bit stiffer so the bag stays open better.

Now tape it to your sewing table with a couple short strips of masking tape.

OK, now when you clip off those thread peices, don't pitch them on the floor, pitch them into the bag. When it starts to get full, just wad it up and pitch it in the trash. Then make a new one.

Now not so much thread all over the place, although there will be some that gets away. That is just the nature of the stuff.

Here is a photo to show what I am talking about. yea, yea, I know it is on my computer desk. Me, the camera, and the bag were upstairs and I did not want to make another trip down to take the picture. I am tired! Will not bore you with THAT story at this time.


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Kites + Kids = Education

[Steve D]

And we all thought it was attached to your computer desk to catch the munchie wrappers!!

[Kitesquid]

The paper bag works good, and at kite retreats we usual tape a full size gargabe bag at hte ends of the rows of tables too!!!!


My wife bought me a thingey that clamps to my sewing machine table and has a small plastic bag for thread and it has a cup holder too.

I saw it a the Blue Moon Kites manufactureing faciltiy in North Carolina, and I liked it so much I told MrsSquid that it would make a swell birthday gift.

My wife told me it is a "Side Kick" from "Creative Memories"



it works good, as it keeps my beverage lower than my kite project and tools, so if I spill my coffee, my sewing machine does not get hit!!!
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

[wdrwilson]

Hi Squid,

You could put your glass jar in it and use it as a place to keep your hot tacker...


--Bill

[imagin]

Hey, you've got me thinking now. That could be a good solution for hot tacker or cutting iron holder. And if those things are not available here, I have a wire pencil holder sitting right here in front of me from Staples. Wouldn't take much to rig it up the same way.
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Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.

[Kitesquid]

The cup holder part is aobut 3" tall (I am guessing as it is at home and I am not) so it could hold a tall pickle type jar, but I would bunji it inplace as it would be top heavy, but it does open up more workspace!!!!!!

Great Idea!!!!!!!!

the jar woudl have to be the diamater of a coffee cup or smaller, and tall enough that so your hot tacker's hot parts are covered by the jar. I think I saw pickled onions or pickled Aspagus in such a jar... Maybe some of those candle in a jar things.....

You have me thinking....


BTW, I dont hot tack much anymore as I dont like the little holes it leaves behind, and it forces you to sew over them, thus restricting your ability to "adjust the art on the fly" feature....... If you know what I mean.
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

[Kitesquid]

[Don Lord]

I have only just now got to this thread. I thought that the paper bag attached to the edge of the table was a fantastic idea-when it was first demonstrated to me at the Oregon Kitmakers Retreat last year by Scott Spencer in his Star Facet Kite class. (Well, that was my first retreat). Now I wouldn't work without it. Saves all that picking up of loose threads, which tend to travel all over.

[knotronda]

You guys are too much fun!! The other thing you can do with your scraps and thread cut offs is to make a scrappy tail. Take a sheet of typing paper or old newspaper, place a cord or ribbon down the middle, then toss your scraps on top, fold the paper over the scraps and zig zag down the cord. Anything that is too wide can be trimmed later and placed back in the scrap pile.

I hope the above makes sense. Play around with it. I have gotten some wonderfully interesting tails from doing this and I also end up with a visual memory of an event or project. These also make great raffle items.

knot(ty)ronda

[kiteguy]

Great idea, and definately a keeper. I have pasted it into my tips and tricks folder. Getting quite a bit and when it is big enough I will print out a "book" for my "library".

Thanks for your contribution.


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Kites + Kids = Education

[knotronda]

Dave,

You could also place the cord on top of the paper so you can see that you are catching the cord with your zig zag stitches. Just tear the paper away when you are finished and trim to the width you want. By the way, the paper keeps the lose threads and fabric from getting into your lower bobbin area.

Just thought I would mention a different way (and probably easier) to get the job done.

knot(ty) ronda

[Kitesquid]

If you realay want the scraps of fabric to be in certian places, LIGHTLY spray the paper with a little spray mount....
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

[knotronda]

Not just another pretty face!! Notice he said "Lightly" spray the adhesive. You don't want the tail to be sticky. Otherwise, you will end up with a pretty kite weight if the tail lands in sand.

knot(ty)ronda

[Kitesquid]

I was also thinking that you would want to remove the paper BEFORE flight....
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

[knotronda]

Oh I don't know. The paper could add an additional element you had not considered. (like litter)

It's time to get serious. Show us your creations.

gotta go, dinner is ready.

knot(ty)ronda