While visiting my children in Idaho, I took a day out to have lessons on the machine behind me.  Millie.  The idea of following a lined pattern with a laser pointer was ridiculously daunting.  Learning to 'load' a quilt, handle thread changes, etc really made me appreciate my friends who use these massive machines!
The real reason for my lessons of course was to complete a quilt that I've constructed whilst on the road traveling around the USA.  Next week I'm headed into the shop to actually quilt a queen sized quilt, (not wanting to take it with me back to NZ as it's destined for an American relation),  so wish me luck! 

For my birthday, the kids got together and decided to provide a softer seat for my travels.  This very heavy 'cushion' is actually a soft honeycombed gel that is designed to relieve stress pressure.
As with most products there are pros and cons.  Different people probably would have a variety of opinions.  Mine is as follows:
For a soft seat - such as a shaped car seat this only seemed to add pressure to the back of my legs.  (Probably due to my excess weight.)  However for a flat or solid surface I found this cushion is excellent.  

Sitting at a sewing machine while using this (on a wooden chair) was  very comfortable. The cushion is somewhat breathable, so it doesn't seem to heat up like many seats do. There are quite a few different gel cushions out there, so buy responsibly!

This particular cushion is advertised on Purple.com and is the 'royal' model.

For making temporary marks on wears fabric this is my favourite pen EVER! (Superior to chalk, or any light coloured transfer paper in my opinion).
This white ‘Clover’ brand pen contains a milky looking waxy substance. When marking, a light pressure must be used for the white ‘ink’ to flow easily.  About 20 seconds after marking a thin white line appears.  To “erase” the mark heat needs to be applied. One quick touch with an iron and poof, no mark.  
The pen should NOT be stored in an area that has the tendency to bake in the sun, or be heated overly.   I’ve found to my chagrin that the ‘ink’ of the pen seperates into a transparent liquid with a solid mass of white if left in a super hot car...
 The only time I’ve seen the wax leave any sort of mark after being ironed away,  my fabric was a stark black batik that showed a slightly darker line when the marks were ironed off.  This has only happened once to me, and the mark was easily removed with a light soapy scrub with a damp cloth.  
I’ve owned dozens of these pens throughout the years and recommended them to my students in several of my classes.  
The pens are particularly useful when drawing needle turn appliqué patterns on fabric.  Something about the waxy stuff makes needle turn appliqué easier, as the wax tends to cause the fabric to naturally bend one the drawn line.  Win win.

You just never know what you will find when in an antique shop.  Many times I've found sewing machines in cabinets, in cases, in various stages of repair.  This was the first time I've found an alternate use for retired antique machine. 
It's an adorable use of a machine that has had a long and happy career. 

This 'Needle Beetle' threader has a couple of interesting components.  The actual business part of the threader is a traditional thin wire but as wire threaders go? This one sports some serious improvements!
For starters the wire is retractable so less likely to get damaged.  When the little  button on the back of the ladybird is depressed and shoved upward, the wire emerges and low and behold a tiny LED light also turns on, making the task of viewing needle eyes and threads much easier.

There is also a handy thread cutter built in.  For needles whose eyes are too small for my hummer threader, (See previous blog) this is a great option.  If I had to choose a 'wire' based threader, this is my favourite version so far. 

While wandering around quilt shops in the USA, I saw this adorable clock.  It looks like it is made from ceramic, but is actually made from a strong resin.  
The clock is very light weight, runs with only one battery, and the little scissors swing back and forth like a pendulum.
Obviously this is not an item necessary to anyone's happiness, (but fun eye-candy for quilters)!  I was fortunate to have a friend who decided to gift this to me, so I'm looking forward to having such a lovely extra spot of joy in my sewing room when I get back home!

Another attempt at finding a thimble replacement for good old fashion thimbles.

Not everyone has the same tastes in thimbles.
I'd like to say that if you enjoy this style, you will not have to pay an outrageous price for a comfy thimble!
My personal choice is for a thimble that is both comfy and durable.  The only problem that I have with this little beauty is that the the holes are directional.  
This means that a quilting needle eye has no option but to rest at a particular angle.  Unfortunately for me, this means I often have to hold my finger in an awkward position, which makes quilting difficult.  For me.
​As this review stated initially, this might be just the thimble for you, but for me- this is not a useful product. 

In almost every shop I've gone into during the past few months I kept seeing these cute little boxes.  Eventually I decided to break down and purchase one.  Because I was in one place for more than a week during our travels, and could set up to quilt, I used the S&S for my scissors and such. Being able to find all my small tools without things rolling away or shuffling under bits of fabric was very helpful.