Organizing my fabric
 

Hi
I was just chatting with some gals about organizing my fabrics in a neater more user friendly way. I am rolling them on cereal box fronts and backs. I was questioning whether I should cover them in plastic first due to possible acid problems. Well the general consensus was that I should consult google. Then I told them I was lucky enough to receive about 30 pieces of plexi-glass about the same size as the boxes From my sister who bought a shelving unit for Goodwill I think but didn't need the dividers so maybe I should buy the cheapest grade of plexi I could and have them cut it to size at like Home depot or Lowe's. Then someone else said you could get corrugated plastic at a sign company for around $5.00 and it's easy to cut. Anyway I told them I would come here and post a before and after photo. so they could see what I'm talking about. Then I'm going to look at everyone else's ideas and I might just change my mind again. Have a lovely week.
Blessings
TeeTee

great organization

Well, that looks a lot neater! I fold my fabric to the height of the shelf. I do not use anything in the center of the fabric. I have a decent stash accumulated and would not want space used up by something other than fabric.

Great job!!! I use comic boards which you can purchase on amazon. They work great.

I just ruler fold my fabric and put in drawers on the folded edge, that way I can see at a glance what I'm looking for without risking the stack falling, each drawer is sorted by background color.

I went to the local comic store and got the comic boards but you can also go to any fabric store that is getting ready to dispose of the fabric boards and also Walmart. First thing I do is head back to the fabric dept and grab what is there. it's free. If you have any corrugated boxes that you're about to recycle, use them. You can cut them down to size you want. Use a box cutter or an Exacto knife. Have an old photo frame that you can't use the back any more use that. Boxes that hold your reems of paper for your computer. If you're not storing anything in them use those. My DH now cuts up the boxes that anything comes in to his office rather than throw in trash. he knows just about what size I want 8x10. Tell your neighbors you'll take their boxes if they don't want them. Some gift boxes that have out worn their use. If it's firm enough and you can cut to size use it. No one will know how ugly it is until you are almost done with the fabric.

I ruler fold mine to avoid the bulk and the expense. One tip: measure the fabric BEFORE folding and immediately write down the amount. I use index cards cut in half. When your fabric is folded, staple the paper or index card onto the front. This way you will never have to guess (or unfold, measure and refold!) when selecting a fabric. BTW, if you wait to write down the amount until after folding you may have to remeasure...ask me how I know!

Much neater..looks nice.

I bought acid free foam core boards at the Dollar Tree for $1/sheet. I then cut each sheet into pieces 5"-6" wide and 11" long. I got 9 or 10 boards per sheet. I bought 40 sheets and used everyone of them! Just recently I purchased 10 more and now I have almost all my fabrics on boards and stacked nicely on my bookcases I bought at target.

I have tried all sorts of ways over the years. My stash is too large to use any boards or such in it. I ruler fold it and then stack in cubies, shelves, and bin drawers. I can see what I have and all space is used.

Great job.....

great idea

I like being able to see what I have - just don't have the room to do it so mine is folded and in drawers. We just have to to what works for us!

I am a minimalist and would prefer to spend $ on fabric. My stash size varies a lot from nothing to maybe 20 yards. I just ruler fold mine. Easy, nice looking, fast, and no worries about too many or not enough comic book boards.

Please check some of the other threads on the subject of using cardboard,cereal boxes, etc to store fabric on or in. I believe you'll find alot of people have discouraged their use because of the strong possibility of the acid in the paper. They use corrigated plastic (available at sign shops or the comic book acid-free boards). When I started to do my fabric on the corrigated plastic, I just bought as I could afford. So it's an ongoing project but well worth it to know that my fabric will not discolor.Until then my fabric is folded using a 6"x24" ruler.
Something else you might want to keep in mind is trying to avoid storing your fabric where direct sunlight might hit it so as to avoid sunlight fading. I've had both these problems in the past-fading from sunlight & acidic cardboard which was the bolts the fabric came on that I didn't remove right away.

Experience is the best(or worse) teacher.

Yeh! A creative use of trash.

Comic Boards, Comic Boards, Comic Boards! Large quantity packages (of 100?) at comic book store about $10.

There are a number of threads on the QB that have pictures and Tuts on setting it up. Here's one I started
http://www.quiltingboard.com/mission...s-t179823.html
(see the shelving units?)

I LOVE looking directly at all my fabric when I'm trying to use up my stash. When I first set everything up, I was not able to get all the fabric into 2 large shelving units and had a stack on the side. NOW that stack is included in the shelving units and there's wiggle room. That means I'm using my stash and IF I wanted to buy more fabric, I could without guilt because I have been using what I had and now I have room! Hahaha!

You'll love being organized.

Nan - Indiana

Organizing fabric part two
 

Thanks for all the comments guys!! Just thought I'd post a couple more pictures of how I"ll be putting my crates. and I think I will take the ones that have cereal boxes and wrap them in plastic wrap but first check out these things I told you about that my sister gave me. In the picture they look incredibly dirty but they aren't. I couldn't figure out a good way to photograph them. And I either see Comic book boards in my future or corrugated plastic. But these are great to get me started. I will be moving in June. My husband is a Methodist Minister and we are getting moved this year. I will get to see our new house on Monday. Won't know what I'll have room for until after I see it. I might even have to downsize. :~{ Boo Hoo . I'll let you know next week.

Many Blessings
TeeTee

P.S. The Fur Baby in my profile picture is Merlin he is my Guardian Angel/ Service Dog. He is 4 years old and I have had him since he was 8 mos. old. We are pretty much velcroed together. He goes everywhere I do except church and some doctors appointments that may involve xrays or exams that may upset him. He even goes with me to church on bible studies just not Sunday morning. On the 28th of this month he will be making his second trip to Disney World. I don't know what I would do without him. He was truly a gift from God.

i to use the cardboard bolts from the fabric stores. i cut them to sizes that let me know at a glance how much fabric is on each bolt. 11 1/2 x 7 is 2 yds or more, 3 1/2 x 8 is up to 2yds and 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 are my fqs. if i have 4 or more yds i put it on the whole bolt from the fabric store. i enjoy the way it looks.

I love the ruler folding method. I had my extensive stash on cardboard from fabric stores. Came to the conclusion that used up a lot of my space. Redid the whole stash to ruler fold and was able to store lots more!!!

I think it has to do with how much room you have. I collected empty bolts from fabric stores, but they take up a lot of room. I also bought foam core (already cut) those where nice, I had some particle board cut at Home Depot to the size I wanted (around 8" X 12"). Since I keep buying more fabric than I am using, I have decided to re-think. Now I plan to ruler fold my fabric and just divide into color groups. I have cabinets but I have not decided whether to put then in an open plastic box or just on the shelf. Good Luck

YOU'RE not alone in that dept.