Fabric storage...plastic bins or folded on the shelf?
 

I have been reading about some of you folding your fabric and placing on a shelf so that you can see what you have. I would be concerned about the fold fading from the light. Am I wrong? Do you have the fabric behind a sheet or doors? On the other hand..are the plastic "fumes" in my rubbermaids going to damage my fabric.
I only ask because I have enough fabric to last 58 years.

Carole

Right now plastic storage boxes are my only choice as I have a built in cupboard. Shelves are too deep. I've seen some amazing shelf storage some board members are blessed with though!

Your stash sounds like some place I'd like to come & play. HeeHee. I keep all my good cotton quilting fabric in cabinets behind closed doors. I don't want it to fade either. The fleece, flannel, velvet, etc. I keep in plastic bins. I'm not sure about long term storage in them. I will be curious to see what others will have to say.

Hard plastic bins do not outgas, so are safe for fabric storage. You just want to be sure they are not so airtight that moisture becomes trapped inside; a little air circulation is good. Some of my fabric has been in bins for years with no damage, so I don't think moisture is a problem in my area. Quilters who live in highly humid areas may want to drill holes in their plastic bins so there is a little more air circulation in them.

I use both

I have my fabrics on bookcases. The room only has 1 window and the cases are on the same wall as the window. I don't open the blind in that room very often as I would be looking at the neighbors house up close. If I do open it it is only open while I am in there.

All my quilting fabric, with the exception of my flannels, which I don't use very often, are 4" ruler folded, and put into drawers by background color, I lay the folded fabrics on their side, so I can see exactly what I've got in the drawers. You only have enough fabric to last you 58 years? I probably have enough for 100 years. LOL

I keep most of mine in plastic tubs. I have big south and east facing windows in my sewing room.

I toss a dessicant packet into my fabric bins, the kind that come with electronics, shoes, and lots of stuff. Some people use the small ones that come with some medications, too.

I have no available wall space and no closet in my studio, plus I live on a dirt road. Bins are the only option for me so it's a good thing I like them better than shelves. I use relatively small ones, the clear 27 quart size.

58 years ?? Ummm...You got it down to a science. I have mine stored in plastic storage containers and kept them in a closet. I added 3 extra shelves under the clothes rod shelf. I can store 16 large containers and 4 that are shorter in height. They are clear so I can see inside.

I keeep mine in plastic storage totes. I too have enough for about 58 years too. My dream is to have my own sewing studio. How wonderful that would be! But, since I haven't won the lottery, I make do with storage totes all over the house.

Plastic it is! No "sewing room" available, so have to store in plastic.

I have bins, too. I would be concerned about dust if my fabrics were left on open shelves, especially since this is a long term "collection."
:-)

I have one cabinet that has solid wood doors on the bottom that I store fabric I will be using shortly, on the top is glass doors and I put projects I'm working on now. The rest (most) of my fabric (you know those you just had to buy but no pattern/quilt yet plans for them and let me tell there is a lot of fabric) are stored in clear plastic extra large tubes with a dryer sheet or two placed in them in another room, where no outside light reachs them. Have had fabric stored in them for 10 plus years and last month I decided to do an Easter wall hanging, instead of going out to buy fabric for the project I pulled it out of the plastic tubes. The fabric was the same as if I had just ran out and picked out new fabric.

Plus I have a cat and a couple of dogs so the fabric stays fresh!

I keep my larger pieces folded in a cabinet but I keep the curtains drawn in my sewing room 100% so nothing should fade.
My scraps live happily in plastic totes. Go for whatever works best for you.

I am in the process of storing my fabric in bookcases. I have them in plastic bins right now but I still find that I can't see what I have plus the bins are heavy for me now and naturally the color that I need is always in the bottom bin. My plan is to hang a flannel backed tablecloth across the front of the bookcases, flannel side out and use that as a design board because my sewing room is small and don't have space for a separate design board.

If you can't see it properly you need to go shopping.
Keep mine behind glass in my mother's and my gran's china cabinets.
They had their best china and orniments in them I have my fabric.

I have the majority of mine folded on shelves on the opposite side of the room from the windows. The only time I had a problem with fading was several years ago when I had left some vintage navy blue background calico directly in front of a west window for a year or so.

I've been buying those large ziploc bags and using them for storage. and when I cut the pieces for the quilts they stay all together till I'm ready to sew.

i have mine ruler folded and stored on deep shelving in a closet. only the ends of the fold are visible, and sorted by color. so i can pretty much see what i have.

I am like QuiltnNan but I have folded mine on acid free comic boards. I really like the outcome but it is time consuming. Especially when you have the volume of fabric I do but I love the results.

I use both. 1yd pieces and larger are on a 15" deep set of shelves and FQs and half yd pieces are arranged by color plastic storage tubs stuffed under my cutting table. Although my room has 2 windows the room is an "L" with the windows at the bend. The shelves are out of the light.

Mine are on open bookshelves that line one long wall - except for the 2 end ones, which has sets of glass doors. I don't have to worry about fading, because of where the window is, plus its pretty shaded from a large maple tree. I also keep a sizeable stash in small and large plastic bins underneath my cutting counter, behind a curtain. As long as you're aware of what direction your light is coming from, and stop direct light on your fabrics, either way works.

Oh my, I must be the only one that uses totes but not folded....just thrown in. Have you ever heard of a chicken scratching? That's what mine look like inside the tubs. :) I have tubs for lights, darks, solids, and scraps. When I need something, I scratch through to see what I can find. Works for me!! :)

I have mine all folded on shelves. I only have one room with direct sunlight and I keep a curtain over it so it's filtered. The only problem that I just discovered is that the bottom shelf is very dusty, not from the dust but from where my dogs come in to see me or let them out. The rest of the shelves are fine. I thinking about using a clear thru shower curtain or just yardage of fabric to cover it (after washing). I like being able to see what I have so that's why I had to get it out of the bins. I was amazed at what I have. The very minimum is that I'll put plastic over the bottom shelf.

I also have mine folded 6" ruler style on shelves I had my husband put in the closet of the bedroom I took for a sewing room. I do have some "inherited" fabric in plastic bins that I have been meaning to go through and figure out what I want to keep and what I want to donate. I am more concerned about dust than fading. For some reason, lol, I have a dusty house, could it be the lack of dusting or the chocolate lab, well I blame him....

I keep all mine folded in a closed closet or in bins. Light will ruin it eventually. I have many pieces of yardage that will have to be sub-cut due to light fading! I've bought it at quilter sales, yard sales etc. and bring it home to wash and see much of the fabric is ruined do to folding it and putting it where the light hits it. It sure looks pretty all stacked and in the open as I see many people do...however, unless you plan on using it quickly it's not good long term.

I have a book case.--11 1/2 deep--29(30)''wide, and 72" high. When I buy fabric, I fold my material roughly the width of the shelf width(10"-11 1/2". I put it on the shelf like it is on a bolt of fabric. And I still see what Ihave.

I have kept some fabric in bins... but find that I forget what is in the bins. I am far more likely to use what I have if I can see it. The only exception would be fabrics purchased specifically for backings, those I keep in a bin.

I keep my stash in plastic - we have 2 cats & 3 dogs so there's always a ton of lint and fur in the air and I want my fabric to stay as fur-free as possible! (of course the instant I lay anything out a cat magically appears on top of it, but that's another issue!)

I use plastic Sterilite drawers for my quilting fabric and I LOVE them. I have a few bigger totes for non-quilting fabrics (like all the fabric I bought to make those curtains I'm probably never going to get to, and some vintage fabric I'm scared to "use up") and then I have a small group of 16-qt totes that are "project" totes; each one holds parts of a specific project and are rotated through as I work on stuff.

I use both!

I agree that the light can quickly ruin fabrics and you are smart to want them enclosed. Hubby set up my closet into a great configuration for me. Here is a picture of mine when it was first finished. There are wall hung white cabinets above my sewing are now that also holds fabric.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ar-t61710.html

I hope this helps you a little with ideas.

I have mine folded on comic boards in a cabinet with doors ... so they are out of the light.

You sound like me. I have approximately 30 rubbermaid containers filled with fabric and some fabric on shelves. My husband would die if he realized how much I have and have spent but he takes me shopping and asks if I want to stop at a quilt shop when we pass one. I haven't noticed any smell from the rubbermain containers

forgot to mention that I store my purchased kits in separate containers and my other fabric if purchase for a special project together and the others my color and write on tape what is in the containers so I know when looking for something

58 yrs! Wow! Thats alot of fabric! I use both also. at our local dollar store they sell these things you put in closets bins ect for preventing moisture.
Love to see your stash

The only plastic that does not outgas is the hard brittle vintage plastic. The totes that are made today are softer, and do outgas. I do not think that the outgassing will hurt the fabric, other than the fact that there is no air circulation. Have not had a problem in humid Delaware YET. (Gotcha sentence). My totes of fabric (only 6 or 7) are stored in rooms where there is central air conditioning. I store my favorite fabric on shelves in a closet wrapped on forms, it makes it easier for me to "shop" from my closet rather than from my lqs.

I keep my yardage folded and stacked on plastic shelving units. Pieces that are less than a yard, but 1/8 or greater, are kept in drawers under my cutting table (it is an old dresser). Anything smaller than 1/8th of a yard is cut into 5 inches squares or 2 1/2 strips and kept in plastic shoe boxes. I will never live long enough to use up all my stash! None of mine, by the way, is exposed to direct sunlight.

I use plastic bins, too, but I hang larger pieces on hangers in the closet. I have used cardboard bolts, too, but I find the hangers easier to paw through without making a mess.

I fold my fabric and have it stored in a cabinet with door on it. I have some small collections stored in plastic tubs.