Replies

1. 
   Ckbklady | May 14, 2008 07:57pm | #1

   Great idea! I love using those magnets, too. I've found that you can also glue fabric over the front of them to cover up the advertisements and even attach little pockets for sewing needle packets. I keep these on the fridge since I sew in the kitchen. I'd rather look at calico flowers than plumbing advertisements any day!

   :) Mary

2. 
   damascusannie | May 15, 2008 12:17am | #2

   Because I sew with antique machines made from steel and cast iron, I can use those magnets for seam guides. I can't get enough of 'em!

3. 
   Josefly | May 15, 2008 02:40am | #3

   I love those magnets. I use one 4" x 4" magnet right in front of my sewing machine (portable machine, not in a cabinet, just sits on top of a table) to catch the pins I remove just before stitching over them. I can slip the pins out with my right hand and just slide them toward the front edge of the machine and let them fall off onto the magnet, without stopping the stitching or taking my eyes away from the seam guide. I love damascusannie's suggestion, too, about using them as seam-guides - I hadn't thought of that. I don't have markings on my throat plate for a seam allowance wider than 6/8 inch, so I usually put scotch tape on and mark it at the 1-inch width or other width I need. But the magnet will work much better on the metal bed of my old 60's Singer.I've painted over the ads with acryllic paints, and my refrigerator serves as our memo board. I've seen them painted over and stuck onto cars just for a small decoration. Speaking of the phone books that come with the magnets - does it seem to anyone else that we get far more of them than we used to? Seems like we get several different sets of them every year.

1. 
   Ralphetta | May 15, 2008 04:28am | #4

   I've never received magnets with my phonebook. The white pages are about 1 3/4", so it's a good sized city. I would like to hear what parts of the country get them.

1. 
   VKStitcher | May 15, 2008 03:51pm | #5

   The magnets on our phone books this year were advertising a law firm and an urgent care center.  We get separate books for white & yellow pages, so the phone company has more opportunity to sell ad space!  Wonder how much the 4x4 magnet ads go for?  We also get phone books from a couple of other independent companies--again, everyone wants to make a $ selling ads.

   Do you get the 3x3 sticky-note ads on your newspaper?  They're on the Raleigh paper, right over the main headline on the front page.  I think they're annoying.  Most of the time they come off OK, but sometimes they rip the page.

1. 
   Ralphetta | May 15, 2008 07:22pm | #7

   We get 2 phone books and yes, we get those sticky ads on the paper in Kansas City, MO.

1. 
   twreeder | May 15, 2008 07:27pm | #8

   Sticky ads are on the paper in Indianapolis.  Anytime I expect the front page of the paper to be one big ad.

2. 
   sewfar | May 16, 2008 12:59am | #9

   We get the annoying sticky ads too. The cutest magnet ad I get is from Realtors, usually attached to their little free calender. They are in the shape of little houses. I cover the realtor's smiling face with calico and I am populating a village on my fridge.

   Edited 5/15/2008 6:00 pm ET by sewfar

2. 
   cafms | May 16, 2008 05:47pm | #10

   We get the sticky notes on the paper and the magnets on phone books in Jackson, MS, too. 

3. 
   sewchris703 | May 26, 2008 05:21am | #15

   Those magnetic ads are great for making photo refrigerator magnets for family--expecially grandparents.  I keep them, glue on the school picture and trim to size.  Practically free gifts.

   Chris

2. 
   Josefly | May 15, 2008 03:58pm | #6

   We get them in Atlanta. They're usually stuck on the front cover of the book.

2. 
   Teaf5 | May 17, 2008 06:48am | #11

   Keep those magnets away from any computers, pacemakers, or computerized sewing machines!

   I love these other ideas, though!  Although we don't get them with phone books, it seems nearly every business in town uses them for advertising, and they can't be put in the recycling bin.

   Our phone books come with covers that are printed with so many advertisements that the book looks like junk mail.  I use wide blue painters' tape to mask them off so that I can find the phone book when I need it.

1. 
   Josefly | May 17, 2008 05:16pm | #12

   Good warning about the magnets and electronic equipment. My old mechanical, metal Singer does have some advantages! I had no idea about the threat to pacemakers!

   Edited 5/17/2008 10:17 am ET by Josefly

1. 
   Teaf5 | May 20, 2008 04:01am | #13

   Our university-issued magnetic nametags came with a warning about pacemakers, but not about computers; for the first month we had them, everyone was losing files....

1. 
   Josefly | May 20, 2008 04:53am | #14

   Oh, how awful. My grandson gave me a bracelet made with magnetite. It kept getting stuck on things, steel doorknobs, the car-door handle, other things that I scarcely knew were metal. Thankfully I didn't wear it while using my laptop, and I've just stopped wearing it at all, afraid I'll forget and mess up my files.