Hello, I'm new to the board but have been watching awhile. I was very inspired by the thread on organizing your sewing room as mine desperately needs it. Can't remember who used cardboard to wrap their fabric neatly, and it looked great on the shelf, but then another member said that cardboard could be harmful to the fabric as it is acidic. I went to the links to see about the products for sale and that's not in the budget right now. So back to the cardboard, would using acid free plastic sheet protectors from an office supply store like Staples be sufficient in protecting the fabric? I had DH cut up a cardboard box into 8 1/4" x 10 1/2" pieces that fit snugly into the paper sheet protector. Any comments?

I would hate to tell you that the acid free sheet protectors would not harm your fabric, because I am just not sure.....

You can always use the cardboard to fold the fabric, then remove the cardboard and store your fabric without it. I fold mine without cardboard so that there is a nice folded edge on the front and all pieces are the same size.

When I bring home new fabric, I wash it, iron it, and wrap it around my ruler to fold it. Then I slip the ruler out and have neatly folded fabric. Then I toss it in a tote so I can't find it later. lol

Does your fabric lay flat on the shelf? I would prefer my larger pcs. to stand vertically on the shelf like at the quilt shops, hence keeping the cardboard inside the folded fabric.

Hi, and welcome to the board.

They sell $1 clear plastic cutting mats at the dollar stores...maybe they would work? You might even get two pieces out of each of them...

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: sounds like me.

I have found that if I wash more than one piece at a time in washer, they ravel and get twisted and tangled up with each other. Any one else have that problem. Any hints as to what I did wrong.

When I first started quilting, I had a pretty meager stash and hadn't gotten my sewing very well set up for storing large amounts, so at first I washed, ironed then folded my yardages and hung in a closet. But as time went by and my stash grew (sometimes I think out of my control!) I made use of a book shelf my Dad made years and years ago. Now I wash, iron, fold in 1/2 lenthwise and then again and wrap around my long 6" wide ruler, then fold in put on the shelves. In a perfect world, they would be organized by color, but I find myself pulling things out and not getting them back to exact right spot.

I now have shelves full, a dresser full, and a few odd pieces in plastic tote boxes in a closet. Mind you, I live alone and have 3 spare bedrooms to store things! Not sure what I will do if/ when I have to move to some place smaller. Guess I better get busy and sew up all the fabric before then!

marymargaret

I was at Joan's awhile back and they gave me some of the old cardboard pieces that the bolt of fabric comes on. I was told that they just throw them away, what a shame.

Also if I buy fabric and buy rest of the bolt I always ask them to roll it back on the cardboard for me and they do. As they just throw them away.

This way we can recycle and help organize our fabric.

Karen

You didn't do anything wrong -- it happens. For small cuts or fabrics I know won't get too ravelly I clip a corner off of each edge. For larger cuts I serge the cut ends to avoid all ravelling. HTH.

Is the cardboard they use at the fabric stores treated? I'm sure they would give away the stuff they throw away but I would want to be sure it would be OK for long term storage.
Wendy

I am not sure. Sry I am of no help on this subject. My fabric is just in big fabric tubs. It started out folded and organized nicely....actually I redid it at the start of the new year, but it is now all messy so usually I have to RE iron before I start a project lol. Oh well. I love the smell of fabric and my spray anyhow LOL.

I'm not sure about the twisting, but if you cut a small triangle off of each of the corners of the fabric it will help keep it from raveling a lot. If I have a large piece to wash, to keep it from twistine, I put it in a mesh laundry bag and that keeps it from going crazy in the machine.

Thanks for the tips, I was wondering how to avoid all that raveling. When you get a 9" cut of fabric and then wash it and it ravels you get LESS than the 9" piece you need. This should help with that.

Personally, when I buy anything that is 3 yards or bigger I roll it on the cardboard cores - like in the quilt shops....I like to see my fabrics on display...small pieces like FQ's, and misc. cuts go in a cupboards or containers....
I just moved out of my house in October and so I lost my sewing room - it's not like this now...the larger pieces are all hidden in a closet - and the smaller pieces and FQ's are all in plastic bins.....I'm in a small appartment - and sharing - til I figure out where I'll go next...so I needed to adjust to the new space..but, when I get my sewing room back - I'll definitely have my shelves for my larger pieces/rolls...I love it....
I've never had a problem with cardboard, etc. - none of my fabrics ever got ruined......

I am using the cardboard..you get the cardboard bolts for free from Joanns just ask for them..they are glad to get rid of them..i figure if all fabric is on cardboard bolts in all fabric shops, mine will be fine. it was not in my budget to buy the other stuff either..
i got my trusty ruler out, and used a box cutter..got 4 out of each..

I just fold mine with my 6x14" ruler and it looks like it is folded over cardboard and is beautiful. I fold selvage to selvage and then fold in half again, which makes it about 11" wide and some people fold that over again. I leave it 11".

On one of my travels to Paducah.....I went to the Eleanor Burns 'tent' sale. They were emptying bolts of fabric so fast, and tossing the cardboard 'sleeves'. I asked if I could have some...they let me...my boyfriend cut them in half, and I used them! They worked great! Maybe you could ask a local quilt store if they throw their empty's out?

I've ironed, folded my fabric on plastic canvas sheets. Bought 6 large ones at Walmart for $4.28, cut them into fourths and they work fine and are a better value than other plastic products. Here's pictures of my bookcase "fabric store". These are my 1 yd or greater pieces.

I like to put smaller piecesof fabric in a pillow case, tied with a hair scrunchie before I wash. Keeps all the loose threads contained and out of the drum of the washer, too. Just a suggestion

More pics.

Great idea! Very pretty fabric stash.

I went to the salvage store that seems name brand fabrics for little money and asked if they had the cardboard that they wrap the fabrics around. The were kind enough to give me what they had for free. I would assume this product would be safe since the "big name" fabric companies use them to wrap fabric.

Thanks for all your answers, PineyRiverQuilter--your personal fabric store is fabulous! This is how I want to arrange my fabric.

I did go to the Dollar Store and picked up kitchen cutting mats, two for a dollar, and because they were 11' x 15", I cut them in thirds, rounded the corners, so they're 5" x 11" now. Six pieces for a dollar! That's a bargain! They're probably not as rigid as the plastic needlepoint canvas, but I was able to fold a two yard plus piece of fabric on it easily. Thanks for that heads up tip. I even bought an extra set of mats to use for chopping in the kitchen!!

I heard this to and do it to every piece of fabric I wash, not sure why it works but it really does and also I can tell if a fabric has been washed or not...

triangles cut away from corners = washed
uncut corners = unwashed

When I tell people I do this they look at me like I have two heads, but it really does work.

I use pinking shears on the edges of the fabric before I put into washer and there is no fraying, threads or anything.

I fold mine with my ruler also (6"x 24"), and they are all uniform in size. I store mine on shelves.

that's what I would do, remove it after folding.

Fold around cardboard and then remove the cardboard for storing on your shelves. I fold my yard or longer lengths accordian style so that I can unfold just the amount I need without having to refold the whole thing again. :mrgreen:

pretty stash, and great idea.

I fold the fabric - large or small - over and over and over down the selvage - about one yard wide - and then safety pin the top and bottom selvages several times before I wash. I put the raw edge pieced to the inside for more security. Seems to work quite well with less raveling and NO twisting.....just a thought.

this is reply to washing fabric & tangles. if you snip off a 3/4" triangle from each corner.(4), the bias cut will not ravel across the fabric. if washing yards of one fabric, fold into layers 18" wide, pin on edges with lg safety pins, wash. it will take longer to dry, but will be managable.
smitty

I use a sheet of plastic foam you get at Walmart for about 3.00 and get about 3 good size pieces out of it for folding fabric over.

I haven't tried this, but you might try going along the cut edge with pinking shears before you throw them in the washer.

Great idea! Thanks!!

grmqlts: I use a lingerie bag to wash my fabric. No more ravels and tangles.

I read somewhere that comic book protectors work great for folding fabric and really cheap.

If I have 3 or more yards I roll it back on the cardboard from the quilt shop and stand it up straight. I only for 2 or less yards.