Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
How to organize sewing space - out of control fabric, UFO's >

How to organize sewing space - out of control fabric, UFO's

How to organize sewing space - out of control fabric, UFO's

Old 02-08-2011, 08:35 AM
  #11  
Super Member
 
missgigglewings's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Seguin and Universal City Tx
Posts: 1,969
Default

About every 2 weeks I get an urge to organize, clean, purge and sort! When I have spent all day doing all of that I can't find anything!
missgigglewings is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 08:47 AM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
LovinMySoldier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 833
Default

Originally Posted by np3
I am so different from most of you!!! When I decide something needs to be purged or organized, it all comes out of the closet/cupboard/hiding place. I put it on a bed/floor/whatever. This lets me see how much I have and I can decide on the best method of organizing. If it isn't all out of the way, there isn't room to start putting it back on shelves or in totes. I label my shelves/totes and then start putting things back. Nothing goes back in until I know that it is the place where it needs to stay. I get so excited about how it is coming together that I don't mind the bed or floor being piled high while I am getting it done. Just me I guess!!!!
My thoughts as well!!!!!! You can't start to reorganize if you have no where to put the stuff. I pull it all out too! If you are lucky enough to have your own sewing room you can just shut the door when you are done for the day. I don't. So when I pull it all out it motivates me to get it all put back away so it isn't all over the bedroom!
LovinMySoldier is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 08:51 AM
  #13  
Super Member
 
Wine Woman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,218
Default

I have moved my sewing room from my guest room into my family room so I have literally touched everything again. I had rolled my material on coroplast boards previously and have them behind glass doors. The material is easy to see and easily accessible. My smaller folds are in a shelf that was intended for shoes. Both groups of fabrics are color coded and it looks beautiful. I don't like to dig for something when I'm looking for it. Everything is easy to get to. The closet was shelved (it's one thats under a staircase) and peg board was hung on one wall for scissors, rulers, only things used when sewing. Everything has a marked area-I like to use the boxes from Ikea. On the outside it's easy to label. Notions, quilt patterns, scraps, crumbs, thread etc.
Wine Woman is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 09:14 AM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Pamela Artman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Michigan U.P.
Posts: 963
Default

I have become very organized over the years and having my sewing room organized has brought me so much pleasure! I'm working on a friend's sewing room now and I've been told I should hire myself out to organize sewing rooms. Boy, I would LOVE that as a career! Set aside time every day to work on organizing and do a little at a time. But stick to it! Here's how I keep organized. I started buying plastic project cases (ArtBin flat boxes with handles) one at a time, every week with a JoAnn's coupon or a few when they'd have 50% off plastic storage. These stack nicely and I use them for all my UFOs. I have 18 of these and believe me, they are all full! I can grab one and take it with me when I travel or sew with friends. Next, I bought clear plastic drawers that stack for all my fabric scraps that are cut into different size strips and squares. I have three sets of three drawers, so nine drawers of scraps. Cutting my scraps took a long time, but I kept a basket on my cutting table and cut a few every day. Next, I stole a wire shelf from my bathroom that holds baskets and all those odds and ends go in the baskets. I have a basket of zippers, men's ties for a future quilt, orphan blocks leftover from other projects, etc. Also, I bought a canvas hanging shelf that hangs in the closet from the rod that also holds misc. items. I use lots of zip lock bags for small or loose things. I have a small plastic drawer set on my sewing machine cabinet that holds pens and pencils, tape measures, my bobbin box, post-it notes, pins, snips, etc. - small things that I use all the time. I use a lot of plastic baskets on every surface for things that I use there, like one on my cutting table for my rotary cutters, one for small scraps as I cut, one on my sewing machine cabinet for small squares or triangles that I use as leaders and enders (which makes another quilt as I sew on other projects.) I have three tall bookcases, one for quilt books, two for fabric. I have all my patterns that I've pulled from magazines over the years, inspiration pictures, etc. in page protectors and put in large 3-ring binders, filed by type (baby quilts, stars, curved, log cabin, 9-patch, 4-patch, etc.) My fabric is sorted by style first, (homespuns, 30's, civil war, florals, borders, baby, flannel, batiks, xmas, etc.) and the rest by color. All are folded to the same size, stacked on shelves. I have a separate small shelf that hangs on the wall for my fat quarters. I keep batting, ironing board, my travel case for my sewing machine, hoops, etc. in a closet. And I keep a tv tray next to my sewing machine cabinet to hold my radio and stuff for my current project. The most important thing for me is having a place for everything, using plastic baskets, boxes and drawers so I can see everything and I know exactly where to find things. Good luck!
Pamela Artman is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 11:54 AM
  #15  
Member
 
QuiltNGanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Virginia
Posts: 58
Default

Hey. I have recently reorganized and moved my entire sewing room. I found that if I rewarded my self with time quilting following a organizing session and kept the times limited it worked well for me. I bought plastic bins for my WIPs and for my stash. I have one area that stores the bins of WIPs which contain fabric, pattern, thread, etc for the project and another area in which the smaller fabric cuts are kept in bins. Larger cuts are kept folded on a shelf. I have a bookcase for binders, books and such and several different sized rolling carts for supplies. That way for instance my embroidery stuff can be rolled close to the machine when I need it and stored under my cutting table when not in use. Easy to access and easy to put away. I will also say that my enjoyment of quilting has taken off since sorting and organizing and that I have had a spurt of new projects finished. Best of luck.
QuiltNGanny is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 11:58 AM
  #16  
Power Poster
 
BellaBoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Front row
Posts: 14,646
Default

The most important thing I have learned to do is LABEL every box, bin, tub, package, drawer and tote.
BellaBoo is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 12:07 PM
  #17  
Member
 
grandmaofeight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Interlachen, FL
Posts: 30
Default

All the suggestions are great. I had to move my sewing room out of my guest room and am moving into a converted shed. I have bins of fabric and "stuff" in every closet of my house, under beds, and stacked in corners. My goal is to have a well organized "Quilting shop" of my very own. Thanks for all the tips!!
grandmaofeight is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 12:36 PM
  #18  
Super Member
 
Kappy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,284
Default

Do you vacation in Minnesota by any chance hmmm????
I'd gladly supply the coffee, hot chocolate, tea, pop, and goodies..I had to sit down and rest after just reading how you get organized! LOL Good for you, I have such good intentions and then......
Kappy is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 01:06 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
NDQuilts's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NW Pennsylvania
Posts: 327
Default

I have found that keeping one container beside the sewing machine with packaged ufos is great. I am more likely to reach for them than something new. The container holds more than one project, so when I get bored, I switch. It also creates a limit - if it is full, I need to finish/purge something to create space for a new project. When switching projects, make a quick note of where I left off in a pattern and put all the pieces/pattern in a plastic sack and into the bin for later.
NDQuilts is offline  
Old 02-08-2011, 01:57 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
ladyredhawk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: kingston, OK
Posts: 968
Default

I buy the see through shoe plastic containers at the family dollar store some times I have found the for .50 to 1.00 each and thats so much cheaper than the storage boards and i'm on oxygen so every thing gets covered in a fine dust along with the normal dust and I don't go around dusting all the time so this storage system is the way for me to go. If you stack the material you can see each color you have. ty, Tommye
ladyredhawk is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
DonnaC
Mission: Organization
40
02-25-2014 04:06 AM
Gennynut
Main
77
03-18-2012 08:52 AM
LucyInTheSky
Main
44
12-02-2009 02:22 AM
ChattanoogaRocks
Pictures
10
06-30-2009 09:34 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