I have been having an exhausting week at work, the kind where I come home and can only think about crafting in my head and can’t actually bring myself to do anything. However today I worked from home. I think one of the best things about working from home is that as soon as I’m off work I can work on a project if I’d like, rather than dealing with a commute first that adds to the tired feeling. Today, I’m working on my current sewing project.
But I’m not here to complain about work! I’m actually here to marvel over the little things in our crafts that make a big difference. I have had the same ball head pins for years and years. As they are wont to do, they’ve slowly disappeared or been thrown out over time, so I was left having to resort to supplement my pins with a package of tiny pins I’ve always hated. The shaft was too short, the heads were too small, and they generally made me cranky every time I had to use one. And, well, that’s a lot when you sew. Awhile back I bought another pack of pins at a craft store only to get them home and find they were too dull, so I was left back in the same position.
Meanwhile I was seeing beautiful pearly looking pins all over the crafty blogosphere in people’s sewing projects and looked at them with envy. So pretty! And obviously functional for apparel sewing, something my last purchase wasn’t. Why didn’t I have any of those? I had pin envy!
So finally I remembered when ordering fabric recently to see if they sold pearly pins like the ones I’d seen. And they did! And they were hardly anything fancy, at under $5 for a box of 100 at Denver Fabrics.
Well they arrived this week and I am in love! How can I possibly be so enthralled, so happy to pick up each of these lovely pins each and every time?
I mean, they’re just pins. Pretty pins, but pins nonetheless.
But they make me smile, and I am happy to grab for one of them when I need to use them. They don’t make me cranky. Far from it! It’s amazing how one simple little thing like that can really help your craft, isn’t it?
(Recognize the project yet? I’m really excited by it!)
So I ask you, my dear readers—what crafty tools or supplies have you found that really make a difference in your craft or just bring a smile to your face whenever you use them? Do share!
The only pins that I use – Welcome to the club! I can’t wait to see the finished project.
I have just started crafting recently so i don’t have too many cute things i use for it, but i totally understand why you’re so excited! its the little things in life that make women happy 🙂
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I must say I am a total fan of the pearl headed pins for sewing with ~ I also like my needle mouse that I sewed up to hold my needles, my teacup pin cushion {yes, it’s as cute as it sounds!} and my ever necessary cup of tea besides my sewing machine.
Besides the pins none of those things actually help me craft/sew but they sure put a smile on my face! : D
xox,
bonita of Depict This!
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Ooooh! I know exactly what you’re working on without even clicking on the link! Can’t wait to see it.
I love how such simple things can make one so happy. I remember when I first upgraded my cheap, short pins to these nice ones too; they really make a world of difference.
I love pretty pins too! Mine are pearl headed ones as well. When I was younger my mom made me take sewing lessons and after class I would go around “collecting” the different types of pins other people had left behind. The instructor thought I was rather odd hahaha
Oops, I completely forgot to answer your question in my prior comment.
Nice knitting needles really go along way for me. But for me, quality baking ingredients really make all the difference. And now that I have a cake-tuner/cake-spinner I’m not certain how I survived without it.
love them 😉 I use these to although yours seem larger than mine i do have the plain silver ones to but its the others i choice each time ;-)) dee x
I don’t think I have anything really BUT I really need new pins, as mine are so old the heads are starting to break off, very sore if you happen to be pushing it at the time eeek!
So I’ll look out for some pretty ones, although can’t get them from the same place as in the UK!
Ooo I love the look of this project! you’re making me long for my sewing machine! 🙂 I also love having pretty pins, I always end up pinching pretty ones from my mum, she has heaps! I also get very happy whenever I use my tailor’s ham to press seams, I can pretend that I’m a real professional and I know what I’m doing 🙂
Ooooh! Brightly-colored pins have always been a weakness of mine. 😉 (Also useful because that way when I drop them, I can see them!)
I think for me something that makes me smile every time I use it is my vintage Dritz bound buttonhole maker. It’s not a pretty or cute notion, but certainly makes my sewing easier and is fun to use! 🙂
Well, we definitely don’t want you to be cranky because of sub-par pins! Aren’t awesome notions the best thing ever? They make me smile, too.
Very pretty! I agree with Liz, who said she likes knitting with nice needles. Me too – particularly wooden ones or vintage plastic ones. I spent £10 on some rosewood needles and they were worth it, the only problem is that my cats love to chew wooden needles, but at least the rosewood ones are tougher than bamboo!
Oh those pins are precious! When I took costuming, I’d always use the pearly ones.
Hmm when I knit, I prefer to use my bamboo needles to anything else.