Pool Noodles Are a Big Help in the Sewing Room
Baste, Store and Ship Quilts – and More!
Creative quilters have developed many uses for inexpensive pool noodles (and pipe insulation – look for either at the hardware, dollar store, Walmart, etc.). You may be surprised how useful they are in the sewing room.
The noodles are easy to cut to size with a knife and can be used for so many things. They can even be pinned into.
Use short lengths to store blocks, cut borders, binding strips, and other quilt parts. Secure the ends as needed with pins.
From Fairholme Quilters.
Store quilts not in use by wrapping them around pool noodles. This is a great way to prevent creases in the quilts. Textile Conservator, Kristin Phillips, assures us that storing quilts this way will not degrade the fabric, even without wrapping the noodle first with an acid-free paper or fabric (learn more here).
From Sew Kind of Wonderful.
Rolled quilts are also perfect for transporting to shows. A dowel can be inserted in the center of the noodles for large, heavy quilts to keep the pool noodles from bowing. Secure the quilts by tying them with a ribbon or strip of fabric.
From Kathleen Probst.
Rolling quilts onto pool noodles is a good way to ship them, too. Click here to read the full article from Quilting Daily about how to pack and ship quilts.
Three pool noodles make basting a quilt a breeze. Roll the backing, batting and top around pool noodles and unroll them as you go.
Photo found on Pinterest showing a quilt in process by Sharon Cox Vest.
The following video shows a quick way to baste a quilt using pool noodles and a basting spray.
Click here to watch the video at YouTube if it doesn’t play on your device.
A short length of pool noodle works nicely for keeping a prepared binding neat and ready to use. Plus, it’s lightweight and travels easily to class or a retreat. Simply pin both ends of the binding into the pool noodle to secure it.
Found on Pinterest.
When you’re ready to sew the binding onto the quilt, the pool noodle will sit nicely in your lap as the binding reels off.
From That Man Quilts?
Pool noodles also work for pin cushions. They are especially helpful for storing open basting pins. Use a knife to cut the length you want, then cut it in half down the center.
From Fairholme Quilters.
Or, slice pool noodles across the diameter for lightweight pin cushions.
Tip from Pat Sloan.
And, finally, pool noodles can be cut lengthwise to slide over hangers, rods and other things you might hang a quilt, quilt top or quilt pieces from (and clothing!). It’s a great way to prevent creasing.
Photo found on Pinterest.
What ways have you found to use pool noodles in the sewing room? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Source: The photo at the top of the page and the idea for this post is from Fairholme Quilters.
Using Pool Noodles for quilting is a great idea. Thank you for sharing!
I placed a short piece of a noodle over the machine’s knee-lift handle to adjust the location to a more comfortable place for my use.
Noodles are great for keeping the shafts of non structured boots from folding over.
I rolled one of my applique wallhangings onto a pool noodle a few years ago to store it and keep it from getting fold marks in it. I wrapped the pool noodle in batting cause I wasn’t sure what chemicals there might be in the noodle and I made fabric ties to tie the quilt onto the noodle.
I bring the wallhanging out from the closet and hang it up for the summer every year and it has never has any crease lines in it like the wallhangings that are hung up on hangers.
Great post: thanks for the ideas. I’ll be using them.
Great tips! Thanks.
I cut the pool noodle about 24″ and when I’m done sewing I lay on it for 5 minutes so the noodle is going up and down my spine. This will relieves stress and pain in my upper back.
Think i am going to try that!
I need to try this
I use a lg pool noodle for that also and love it!!!
A pool noodle cut to length and slid up your machine’s knee lift makes things more precise.
If using a domestic machine for quilting rolling your sides on noodles keeps the item/project at an even height.
I use pool noodles for my boots to keep them from flopping over and creasing Just cut the noodles as high as your boots. Saves space too.
Great ideas! In place of pool noodles you could use foam pipe insulators available in home improvement stores in the plumbing section. They come in various diameters and are split on one side.
I’m heading off to the dollar store for some pool noodles! Thanks for the tips!
This is great, love the videos, since we are going to be living in our camper and traveling this will come in very handy. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for sharing. Will come in very handy while living in our 5th wheel and traveling.
This should be used at quilt shows to hang quilts. I hate sewing or pinning those cumbersome sleeves on to the back of my quilt.
Love this idea and will share it with my quilting friends.
What great idea for quilting! I use noodles on the top of my SUV for cushion to carry my kayak to and fro. Time to purchase a few more.
I have starting using this system and it works great. Wish I’d known about it a long time ago.
This is great info. I’m going to modify it so I can use it with my Dream Quilter and Dream Fabric Frame. One of the most frustrating things is keep it all smooth and even. So I’ll roll like you’ve shown but instead of pinning I’ll put the end under my machine and clamp it to the frame and put the rolls in the hooks beneath. I think I’m going to love this.
Very useful idea….thank you!
Great ideas, thanks so much for sharing!
I wrap a cut length of noodle in fabric, leaving a tail of fabric about 18″ long which I line in flannel. I keep my applique blocks which are waiting to be hand stitched rolled up this way to avoid having to repress before stitching. I added ties & a handle for ease of transporting to class. Not my idea. I saw one in class but the “mean girl” refused to say where she got hers from. So I created my own pattern!
Thank you for posting a great idea to use pool noodles for quilting. I am going to try that for myself.
I cut a 13 inch piece, made a fabric tube from upholstery fabric and inserted the noodle resulting in an ironing ham for quilt blocks that need to have the seams pressed open.
Thank you for such an informative article! I need to run to the Dollar Store in the very near future!
Sounds great. I will have to try some noodles for the next quilt I have to baste. I had a thought that they may help as a neck support that I use under my pillow at night. I’m due for a new one.
What a great idea, never sought about it, were have you been?, will try as soon as I get the noodles Thank you
I roll fabric on my noodles. Let me explain: backing fabrics and batting, The noodles are not wide enough to hold a piece of fabric 118 inches wide, but if you press the fabric and fold, don’t press the fold, a few times; it works great And makes it a lot easier to see what you have. I mark the noodle with the size of the fabric I’m rolling on it and then when I cut any off from the roll I document the amount taken.
I wish I had enough room to hang the noodles.
I’ve seen today that quilters are butting two noodles up end to end, with a thick wooden dowel or even rolled newspaper inserted to join two noodles.
I split two large pool noodles and put them over my longarm frame’s batting bar. To help me load the batting I push a pin through the edge of the batting straight into the pool noodle about every 3 or 4 inches down the lenght of the batting bar. The batting does not slip around as I roll it onto the batting bar. It will roll off easily as I advance my quilt. When I get to the end of the quilt, I pull out the pins.