submitted by Connie Murdoch
from Threads #106

Dental floss threaders make wonderful looper threaders for your serger; and a little dental mirror on a handle makes it easy to look under the machine to see the correct needle hole. But my favorite is the dental pick hook-on-a-handle. Now, when I’m quilting and want to get tricky points to match, instead of using pins or my trolley needle (a removable fingertip with an attached awl) — neither work — I pierce through the fabric layers I want to match with the hook. I am able to keep the seams lined up by holding the points down against the bed of the machine with the hook. When sewing, as the hooked section nears the presser foot, I remove the hook without disturbing the layers and have perfectly matched points.

Since discovering this tool, I have used it for multiple sewing tasks where pinning layers of fabric isn’t successful. I especially like the way it holds down the ends of zipper tape, or anchors trim in place after the ends are folded under. Pins sometimes cause ripples and folds in my sewing but the hook doesn’t. Give it a try. I think you’ll like it!