sisLH

I've been going thru all my fabrics and deciding how to store them. Do you most of you separate by color tones? I started doing that but then noticed that I have so many that are matching patterns but in different colors. I don't know if I'd use these by 'color' or if I wanted to put them together in something and had them separated by color, would I remember that I had a matching pattern??
Also, many are several colors where it's hard to determine the main colortone.
I also have many that I know I want in certain quilts so those I think I'll keep together for now. And I've decided to keep all flannel together no matter what the colors, and all denims together.

jmabby

I store mine by color and by mfg/collection; the pieces without one definite color I store in a multiple color bin

Scissor Queen

I separate mine by length of the cut and then by color. I can see what color it is. When I'm looking for at least 3 yards of a red there's no point in pulling out a 2 yard cut. And it makes it faster to find the right 2 yard cut of green if all the 2 yard cuts of green are together.

amma

I have mine sorted by batiks, childrens, landscapes, hand dyes...
Fabrics I consider to be blenders are all together by color.
Matching patterns different color I would put together too... as well as fabrics I think I may use together in future projects.

But really, sort them out to what makes sense and works for you. You are the one who will be shopping there :D:D:D

Annaquilts

I put it together with other fabrics I would use them with. So 30s with 30 s, civil war with civil war, Hawaiian, I spy fabrics, batiks, certain lines or designers, FQ, etc. When I want to do a project I grab the storage container and go through it taking out the fabric I need for a certain project to get started. I also make my own kits of a pattern and fabrics to get started on that pattern.

thepolyparrot

I keep the ones that I know will go into a quilt together. I keep the pattern and rotary cutting instructions with that batch, ready to go.

After specific projects, I sort by type or novelty: wide backings, Civil War repros, 30's repro's, solids and tone-on-tone for applique, baby, juvenile, Christmas, Autumn, gardening, sewing, Texas, etc.

Within those groups, I sort by color.

BellaBoo

I sort by dark and light. No mediums. Mediums will get you all messed up because they can be light or dark so you have piles and piles. I just toss mediums in either the dark or light pile. I sort my fabric on folding boards by dark and light. Much easier then by color.

KarenK

I predominantly work and store by color. Fabrics that are hand dyed, hand painted, 30's, batiks or Asian are stacked separately on a shelf. Fabric selected for specific projects are kept together. I've tried many different sorting systems and this is the best one so far.

It seems we each have to figure out the system that works best for us.

luvTooQuilt

I keep everything but selvages.. This is how my room is organized..

These are in 30 gal tubs no matter what size pieces they are:
Holiday- each holiday (xmas, 4th, halloweenie, easter, etc) have its own tub
Flannel
Vintage fabric (35in xWOF)- all goes in one tub
Authentic 30's feedsacks

All my Bolts (3+yards) are on the bookcase and in walk in closet.
All my 1-2 yards cuts are ruler folded, then separated by theme (floral, kids prins, asian, etc) and solids, blenders, and the rest are seperated by color on bookcases

Batiks are in a sterilite three drawer unitl seperated by light med dark..
Fqs are separated by color, floral, novelty in it's own sections on wall cd racks, closet maid 24/36 bin shoe organizers.. Each area has its own 'theme' so i can find what I'm looking for.

My scraps are in specific see- thru bins, tubs and drawers depending on size..

Each Accuquilt Die cut shapes have a sterilite drawer all of its own- I do have most if not all the dies already.. lol..
strips less than10 inches but longer than 5 inches of has a a sterilite drawer all of its own
Strips longer than 10 inches but less than WOF has a sterilite drawer all of its own
2 inch strips are hanging on the back of the door
1.5 x wof has a sterilite drawer all of its own
2.5 x WOF strips has a a sterilite drawer all of its own
3x WOF strips have a sterilite drawer all of its own
5x WOF strips have a sterilite drawer all of its own
all other strips x WOF are separated by colors and has a sterilite drawer all of its own
Crumbs have a sterilite drawer all of its own
Scraps less than a fq but larger than 6x6 has a sterilite drawer all of its own- these are waiting to be cut with my Accuquilt
2 in sq have a sterilite drawer all of its own
3 in sq have a sterilite drawer all of its own
4 in sq have a sterilite drawer all of its own
5 in sq have a sterilite drawer all of its own


And that's how my room is organized..

I followed Bonnies method.. www.quiltville.com.

Yarn or Fabric

I'm weird - I have all my florals in one section, no matter what the main color is - if it's floral, it's there.

All of my novelty fabrics are sorted by theme.

All of my colored fabrics are sorted by color.
I know I'm an oddball. I just like to keep my florals separated since I'm not a big floral person - which is funny since I have a ton of them. I tend to use them as backings for things that people won't see like wall hangings and table runners lol. I just don't like those old fashioned or girlie girl florals much.