My Fave Bag Making Tools - Sewing Machines and gadgets.

Wooo Hoo! I have been interviewed in this months UK Handmade Online Magazine. Please check it out, the mag is full of the crafty goodnes that we all love and it's FREE!  If you want to read my interview, I'm on pg 52.  Thanks Christine!

Thanks for being interested in the gadgets and wing-dings that I like to use in my bag making endeavours.  Rather than replying to your emails about my recommendations I'll post them on here instead - should have done it ages ago!

So today it's what tools I use for sewing.  I'm not really a sewing gadget freak, I tend to use items in the house and whatever is to hand (as opposed to whatever hasn't been mislaid - where does all of the lost stuff get to?)  Anyways, here's my Sewing kit list:

1. My main sewing machine is a Janome Memorycraft 3500.  We've been together since 2001 in that time she never gotten ill or in a strop with me (considering what I regularly put her though that's incredible!).  At the moment I am also road testing (on loan) a Janome Memorycraft 6600P which is just very sexy - enough said.
2. My overlocker/serger is a Babylock Imagaine Wave.  I don't get to use it enough, but each time I do it makes me happy.  The last thing I made with the ovlerlocker?  See bottom of post.
3. I store my threads and small notions in this Artist's Carry All.  It's not very pretty, but it's very portable which is great as I tend to sew where the sun is shining in the house.  I love the idea of a pretty looking wall rack with my threads all displayed in colour code, but it just aint ever gonna happen :(
4. Cutting tools: My rotary cutter is a 60mm by Olfa, if you have a rotary cutter do get a blade sharpener, it'll save you money; Fiskars soft grip pinking shears are a bit too large for my small hands but they are very strong and can cut though loads of layers; Fiskars needlework scissors are constantly in use, sharp to the tip and great for poking WIP; Fiskars scissors sharpener, gotta have a sharpener in the tool kit, its essential; as for dressmaking shears they have just died so I'm in the market for another pair, any suggestions for a high quality pair would be much appreicated :)
5. Cutting mats: I have a 36 x 24" by Olfa and a 23 x 17" by Fiskars.  I prefer the fiskars mat because it has full length 1" markings on one side and 1cm markings on the other, also the Fiskars mat is thicker so hopefully it will live longer.
6. As for the smaller tools please look here.

Bean's beanbag bed overlocked in a jiffy from a bargain remnant.  This wonderous cat bed however, must have taken a little bit longer.

What bag making tools do you like to use?  We'd all love to know what your secret gadgets and notions are.