Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Main
  • Fabric storage...plastic bins or folded on the shelf? >
  • Fabric storage...plastic bins or folded on the shelf?

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

    Old 03-11-2013, 09:29 AM
      #51  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Feb 2011
    Location: Lowell, MA
    Posts: 14,083
    Default

    Ah, a fellow fabricoholic (well you know what I mean). I stored the majority of my fabric in plastic totes, most in clear totes so I could see what I have, but since the sewing room was in the basement, I wanted to keep the fabric safe from little critters (the small 4-legged kind) and from getting mildew,smells,whatever. Plus I could stack the totes, otherwise I would not have been able to move. Unfortunately, I had to give away over half my fabric when we moved to an apt. Every so often now, I will take a tote down from the stack,go through the fabrics, admire them, hold them, then re-fold them and I could then add a few more yards to the tote, plus pull out the fabrics that talked to me so I could make dresses for my DGD and more quilts. I'm glad I didn't let my DH talk me into giving away more fabric, because I haven't bought a lot of fabric since we moved, and then it was mostly to supplement the project I was working on.
    MargeD is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 09:32 AM
      #52  
    Super Member
     
    Luv Quilts and Cats's Avatar
     
    Join Date: May 2010
    Location: New Hampshire
    Posts: 3,699
    Default

    Right now I use clear plastic bins. But if I had my fabric on shelves I think I would cover them somehow because the rooms I use to store my fabric do get sun part of the day.
    Luv Quilts and Cats is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 10:37 AM
      #53  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Aug 2011
    Location: Missouri
    Posts: 1,250
    Default

    Fabric needs to breath, so fabric should never be stored in plastic containers. Fabric outgasses formyaldhyde which builds up in plastic containers. Prewashing fabrics does help by removing the formaldhyde, but still does not allow for the fabric to breath.
    Pieces2 is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 11:03 AM
      #54  
    Power Poster
     
    Jingle's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Dec 2009
    Location: Outside St. Louis
    Posts: 38,213
    Default

    I have a new sewing room and I have mine folded with a ruler and in closets with doors. Before I had folded in a 4'x6' cabinet with doors and rubbermaid bins. Never had a fading problem. Not alot of windows.
    Jingle is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 11:05 AM
      #55  
    Super Member
     
    CarolinePaj's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Mar 2010
    Location: Suffolk, UK
    Posts: 3,521
    Default

    Just 58 years!!!!! Lol lol lol

    Hugs

    Caroline
    CarolinePaj is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 12:05 PM
      #56  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Mar 2008
    Location: AZ and CT
    Posts: 4,898
    Default

    I have mine folded on foam core, so it can stand up. I keep the window shades down, so there's not a problem with fading. I have a 2nd, smaller room where I do my sewing where the windows have no shades. I claimed these rooms when the kids deserted the nest in CT. In AZ, my folded fabric stands up on shelves in a closet - thus no prob with fading.
    JoanneS is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 12:32 PM
      #57  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Feb 2009
    Location: Indiana
    Posts: 3,607
    Default

    I don't know about the fading part. Mine is in a china cabinet I bought at Goodwill. My quilting room is in the basement so no natural light. My fabric was stored in many totes. When I took it out of the bins I really started using it. I hated going through the totes to find the right fabric. It is ruler folder and I love it that way.
    mcdaniel023 is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 12:34 PM
      #58  
    Senior Member
     
    Nancy Ingham's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Location: Shipshewana, IN
    Posts: 775
    Default

    [QUOTE=ghostrider;5917726]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.

    Ditto...seems to work very well!
    Nancy Ingham is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 03:14 PM
      #59  
    Super Member
     
    caspharm's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: Nevada
    Posts: 6,958
    Default

    I have mine in hinged plastic totes from Costco. They are not airtight, but they do protect the fabric from dust. They are transparent, but not exposed to direct light.
    caspharm is offline  
    Old 03-11-2013, 06:41 PM
      #60  
    Senior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    Join Date: Jun 2011
    Posts: 965
    Default

    Thanks everyone for all of your input.
    I would post a photo of my stash but I did on another thread and I tossed and turned all night after posting it thinking someone who knew me might see it.......so I can't post it again )
    I like the idea of the bankers boxes for some of the fabric as it makes them a bit lighter to lift. I think I might be damaging my internal organs lifting all of those totes.
    Now I will sort ..........
    Thanks again everybody! Nice to know that I have some "sisters" on the board.

    Carole
    Chester the bunny is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    cjr
    Main
    4
    09-16-2012 05:43 PM
    shirleyd
    Main
    22
    06-10-2012 07:17 PM
    carolaug
    Pictures
    9
    05-23-2012 11:36 PM
    Scraps
    Links and Resources
    8
    04-19-2012 04:53 PM
    cmg625
    Pictures
    63
    10-31-2011 10:03 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 On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off


    FREE Quilting Newsletter