Tools of the trade

 The right tool for the right job means a lot when working. Even if a tool only has one use or many, if it works for what you need and you have it when you need it, it is a good tool. Below are several traditional and nontraditional tools I use in my embroidery. 

There are several tools I use in my work. The first photo shows my telescoping magnet wand on the left and my had drill on the right. The magnet I use several times a week. I find nothing more frustrating than having everything set up perfectly to work and then dropping my needle. The magnetic wand helps me not need to undo my frame to fetch my needle. I can quickly grab the needle off the floor so that I do not lose it, step on it, etc. If I lose a needle, I can sweep it across the floor and locate it. 

The tool on the right is a hand drill, and I rarely use it when beading. Beads used in embroidery can be tiny, and some are so tiny that the smallest available needle might not go through. I use the hand drill to widen the hole just a little more to allow the needle to go through. This tool works the best on glass beads that do not have a coating on the inside. 

On the left of this photo is a twizzler. It is a tool that has one purpose. It aids in tightening/loosening wing nuts. Most scroll frames and stands in embroidery use wing nuts. The tension in fabric impacts the quality of the embroidery. If I need to move my material to continue stitching, I use a twizzler. Wing nuts, when very tight, are not easy to move. This tool saves my hands through the shape. The wing nut fits into the cavity, and the form allows me more leverage to tighten/loosen the wing nut. Essentially, it acts similar to a socket wrench. 

  The object on the right is a bobbin winder. I only use it when I order new skeins of floss, and I use it to wind the floss around the bobbin. It allows me to do it quickly and control the distribution of the floss on the bobbin. It is essential to keep track of your floss and organize it. Bobbins help me do that. There are other methods, but I find this works best for me. I have a label that goes on the bobbin to keep track of the floss number, and I find it easier to organize the floss. This bobbin winder saves me time and gives me a better arranged bobbin than doing it by hand.  

The next photo shows three pens I use. The pen on the far left is a green sharpie marker with a fine tip. I use this pen to mark the areas completed on the patterns. It helps in tight spaces that are easy to lose track of and marks where I've stopped for the day. I change the color depending on the pattern. I am using a green marker, but it will vary depending on the colors used in the design. I always use a color that will stand out from the pattern. 

The pen in the center is a red sharpie marker with a fine tip. I use this to mark out the centerline of my pattern on the paper, and it helps me see where I am in connection with the fabric grid. Marking it in red makes it leap out from the other lines in the grid. I only use it once per pattern, but it makes a big difference in working.

The pen on the far right is a water-soluble fabric pen with a fine tip. I use it to mark the grids on my fabric before I stitch them in to make sure the count is correct. I also use it to mark the location of mistakes that I need to go back and stitch correctly. Once completed, the embroidery gets sprayed with water, and the marks disappear. I found this particular marker in a quilting section of a sewing store, and it stays on the fabric until exposed to water. Other markers disappear after a short time, but I find those less useful. It is essential to test your material before using the marker on a final piece as it may stain.   

The final photo is of the front and back of my thimble. I use a leather thimble to give me a better feel of the needle's placement than a metal or silicone thimble. It protects my finger as needles can go through your skin quickly. I found this one in a quilting section again. It had a piece of fabric attached at the base to grip your finger, but I took this out since it got in my way. Do not be afraid to look in other sections of a sewing store for tools that may help you. Many quilting sections or notions will have many things that may aid you in your stitching.