Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Pictures
  • Mission: Organization
  • How do you store your fabric stash? >
  • How do you store your fabric stash?

  • How do you store your fabric stash?

    Thread Tools
     
    Old 07-21-2012, 09:01 AM
      #1  
    Super Member
    Thread Starter
     
    Join Date: Oct 2010
    Location: northern California
    Posts: 1,098
    Default How do you store your fabric stash?

    There is a new thread about the size of foam board to use for your fabric stash. Probably because all of us have our own style of brain we have many different approaches to this.

    I have a large cupboard 4'x 8' x 20" deep, with 6 shelves. I put my folded fabric in sections according to the dominate color (all blues and blue-ish togeather, etc.), with the exception of a "kiddie print" stack. Smaller than a fat quarter goes into plastic drawer, also by color. Tiny squares (left over from 1" and 2" projects) have their own plastic case.

    When I am looking for a color for a quilt I tend to "reorganize" a stack as I plow through it. I might take out several pieces and put them down on the table and move them around until the "right" mix surfaces and then restack the ones I won't use. I tend to "need" to feel the fabrics as I make decisions. But I'm seeing more and more that people are using "boards" on which to wrap their fabrics. This takes time, as does my putting things back where they beong. Is it a time saver? Does it work for you? I'm thinking that if EVERYONE says yes, maybe I'll do it. But, if there are some of you for whom this does not -- did not work -- I'd like to hear from you also.

    Last edited by Sierra; 07-21-2012 at 09:04 AM.
    Sierra is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 09:16 AM
      #2  
    Super Member
     
    luvTooQuilt's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jul 2010
    Location: A Hop from Heaven, a Skip from Sanity and a Jump from the Good Life....
    Posts: 6,665
    Default

    I don't use the foam 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 prints, asian, etc) and solids, blenders, and the rest are seperated by color on bookcases

    Batiks are in a see thru sterilite three drawer separated 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 see thru 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 see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    Strips longer than 10 inches but less than WOF has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    2 inch strips are hanging on the back of the door
    1.5 x wof has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    2.5 x WOF strips has a a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    3x WOF strips have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    5x WOF strips have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    all other strips x WOF are separated by colors and has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    Crumbs have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    Scraps less than a fq but larger than 6x6 has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own- these are waiting to be cut with my Accuquilt
    2 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    2.5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    3 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    3.5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own

    4 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    4.5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    And my selvages are kept in recycled plastic Ice cream tubs by length..


    And that's how my room is organized..

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

    My 1930's fqs section- (just one of my fq sections)



    Fabric corner- bookcases and shoe cubbies



    A few of my Sterilite drawers-


    Last edited by luvTooQuilt; 07-21-2012 at 09:30 AM.
    luvTooQuilt is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 09:28 AM
      #3  
    Super Member
     
    mom-6's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Feb 2010
    Location: Texas
    Posts: 6,395
    Default

    I have a similar system to yours although mine is open 12" shelves on the wall and I keep all sizes of a similar color together (except scraps). I separate the fabrics by type as well, corduroy, home decor, fleece, flannel, tapestry, velvet/suedecloth, brocade/satin, batik, regular cotton.

    And like you I reorganize the stacks every time I'm looking for fabric to use for a particular project. Isn't it fun!!!

    In general I do not use boards. I do have the rolls for the velvet. If it is 3 yd or less I prefer to fold it in half lengthwise, then do that again, and finally fold so that it fits the shelf (however many folds that takes). It seems to me like the boards would take up space that I could put more fabric in. LOL!
    mom-6 is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 09:32 AM
      #4  
    Super Member
     
    luvTooQuilt's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jul 2010
    Location: A Hop from Heaven, a Skip from Sanity and a Jump from the Good Life....
    Posts: 6,665
    Default

    Oh yea- ignore the mess .... I was in a middle of cleaning when those pis were taken..
    luvTooQuilt is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 10:35 AM
      #5  
    Super Member
     
    Scissor Queen's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jul 2009
    Location: Southwest Kansas
    Posts: 4,820
    Default

    I had stacks of folded fabric for several years. I really hated it. I have anything longer than a yard wound on fabric boards. Anything a yard and shorter is in two dressers. It seems to take about the same amount of space for the mini bolts as it did for the stacks. I have wound as much as 16 yards on one of the mini bolts.

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]350447[/ATTACH]
    Attached Thumbnails dscn2608-sm.jpg  
    Scissor Queen is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 11:04 AM
      #6  
    Super Member
     
    luvTooQuilt's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jul 2010
    Location: A Hop from Heaven, a Skip from Sanity and a Jump from the Good Life....
    Posts: 6,665
    Default

    Scissor queen-you win!!!! Lol mine will never be that neat and clean ever !!!

    how much did it cost for all the boards you used ??
    luvTooQuilt is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 11:14 AM
      #7  
    Super Member
     
    Scissor Queen's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jul 2009
    Location: Southwest Kansas
    Posts: 4,820
    Default

    Originally Posted by luvTooQuilt
    Scissor queen-you win!!!! Lol mine will never be that neat and clean ever !!!

    how much did it cost for all the boards you used ??
    I have no idea how much all the boards cost. I started off with the Clotilde boards and they're expensive. So then I found the person here on the board that sells the coroplast boards and ordered from her twice. The rest of it is on foam core boards from Dollar General.
    Scissor Queen is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 12:18 PM
      #8  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Location: Ontario, Canada
    Posts: 41,535
    Default

    The advantage of the mini bolts is you can just pull them off the shelf without messing up the other bolts. I did have my yardage neatly folded in stacks but I would get the rest of the folded fabric messed up if I wanted to pull one out. They are also easier to see what you have storing upright on the mini bolts.
    Tartan is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 01:50 PM
      #9  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Nov 2010
    Location: Morganton, North Carolina
    Posts: 2,882
    Default

    Originally Posted by luvTooQuilt
    I don't use the foam 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 prints, asian, etc) and solids, blenders, and the rest are seperated by color on bookcases

    Batiks are in a see thru sterilite three drawer separated 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 see thru 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 see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    Strips longer than 10 inches but less than WOF has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    2 inch strips are hanging on the back of the door
    1.5 x wof has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    2.5 x WOF strips has a a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    3x WOF strips have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    5x WOF strips have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    all other strips x WOF are separated by colors and has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    Crumbs have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    Scraps less than a fq but larger than 6x6 has a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own- these are waiting to be cut with my Accuquilt
    2 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    2.5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    3 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    3.5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own

    4 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    4.5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    5 in sq have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own
    And my selvages are kept in recycled plastic Ice cream tubs by length..


    And that's how my room is organized..

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

    My 1930's fqs section- (just one of my fq sections)



    Fabric corner- bookcases and shoe cubbies



    A few of my Sterilite drawers-



    WOW!!!!! Can you come to my house? I'm still trying to sort out my shop, and could REALLY use your organizational skills....your space is FAB-U-LOUS!!!!
    wuv2quilt is offline  
    Old 07-21-2012, 02:05 PM
      #10  
    Senior Member
     
    kensington's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jun 2012
    Location: Missouri
    Posts: 391
    Default

    LOL... I don't have enough fabric to worry about, not compared to all of you. I have a bag, that holds all of my Christmas Fabrics, all 1-2 yard cuts.

    Then I have a stackable tray system that holds all of my scraps and my FQ's. Then I have a collection of Patriotic yardage cuts, that are stacked in a bin, and a bin filled with made blocks .... That's it.

    No more, no less. I am amazed each time I see how much fabric most quilters have. Amazed.
    kensington is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    happy_lady
    Main
    84
    07-26-2012 04:00 AM
    elkridgequilter
    Main
    123
    08-08-2010 07:46 PM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is Off
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off



    FREE Quilting Newsletter