Bean Bags

One way of holding books open, holding crafts in place, sewing, or other tasks that generally require one hand to hold  and one hand to operate, use a bean bag.  I made one on the sewing machine, but it was difficult, so I would recommend buying some (maybe at a toy store?) or having a friend make some for you.  I used dried beans in mine and packed it very full in order to get as much weight as possible.   It is about 5 inches by 7 inches. You could have them made in various sizes and "squishiness" in order to accommodate your needs.  Double stitch the seams about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart to keep the beans or rice from popping out.  Any other ideas for holding stuff?