Mid-Size Pieces of Fabric...Organizing
01-01-2022, 08:05 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Tavistock, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,056
Settled in
Moved into an apartment at start of pandemic and settled second bedroom for sewing room. This is what I've decided will house my supplies - used a shoebox of mini charms plus shoebox of triangle offcuts early in 2021 for four lap size quilt tops (posted in pictures).
yardage is folded selvage to selvage then wrapped around 6" x24" ruler then folded in half and placed on shelf (IKEA 15") with fold out - sorted by colour. Also have a shelf of panels - which I need to purge or use soon - and a shelf of backings. Left drawer stores precut squares and orphan blocks larger than 6 1/2". Right bank of shelves stores supplies and notions, shoeboxes of knitting supplies, various charm sizes, strips/bindings and triangles. Also have space for another box for mini charms and Christmas scraps. There is a box of mini triangle offcuts (for some mindless sewing) for mug rugs/placemats.
Sewing and quilting projects, mending, patterns, flannel strips, flannel yardage - all in totes under cutting table. Have determined that my cutting table is too long but it will do till I figure out what size would work better.
Pictures are from work in progress. I have a smallish tote of scraps to cut up/sort and a very large tote of t-shirts to work through yet..... I'll post pictures when I'm farther along... BTW the shelves on the right are in now....
It's never ending but fun!
yardage is folded selvage to selvage then wrapped around 6" x24" ruler then folded in half and placed on shelf (IKEA 15") with fold out - sorted by colour. Also have a shelf of panels - which I need to purge or use soon - and a shelf of backings. Left drawer stores precut squares and orphan blocks larger than 6 1/2". Right bank of shelves stores supplies and notions, shoeboxes of knitting supplies, various charm sizes, strips/bindings and triangles. Also have space for another box for mini charms and Christmas scraps. There is a box of mini triangle offcuts (for some mindless sewing) for mug rugs/placemats.
Sewing and quilting projects, mending, patterns, flannel strips, flannel yardage - all in totes under cutting table. Have determined that my cutting table is too long but it will do till I figure out what size would work better.
Pictures are from work in progress. I have a smallish tote of scraps to cut up/sort and a very large tote of t-shirts to work through yet..... I'll post pictures when I'm farther along... BTW the shelves on the right are in now....
It's never ending but fun!
01-01-2022, 12:49 PM
#12
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 123
I have a stack of plastic drawers (6 drawers) where I keep my cones of thread, and my fat quarters and smaller (nothing less than 4 1/2 inch squares.) Arranged by color. These pretty much will fit in one drawer, as I usually use fabric from yardage. It is easier to find what I like, instead of buying a stack of fabric pre-cut and finding that I don't like a lot of the patterns/colors.
I did break down and for the first time buy some jelly rolls on sale. they will fit in nicely with the queen sized log cabin I have planned. I was able to see all of the fabric in the roll before buying and they will all fit perfectly. I have them stored in with the rest of the fabric for the log cabin in my cupboard.
For larger pieces of fabric 1 yard and up, I keep the fabric folded like it is purchased, salvage to salvage (108" backing fabric folded once again to the salvage). I have a ruler that is the about the same size as the cardboard in a bolt of fabric. I'm thinking off hand that it is 9.5" x 24". I refold all of my yardage from 1/2 yard up (wrapping it like a bolt) then I pull out the ruler and stack the fabric flat in my fabric cupboards. I have 5 wall to wall cupboards with doors/ 6 shelves in each and wide enough - 29" to fit in length of a bold, stored flat, even the over sized 108" fabric. A handmade gift from woodworker DH. One shelf will hold enough fabric for a twin size quilt. For a queen size quilt, it takes a two to three shelves of space.
I usually buy my fabric for quilt ideas. Buying what I need for the entire quilt. I keep the fabric for that 'quilt plan' together in my cupboards. I won't start a quilt unless I have all the fabric I need to complete it. I ran out of a fabric one time, that I couldn't replace by then to match the quilt so -- it is a -- been there done that, won't happen again.
If there is left over yardage or an orphan fabric bought with no particular project in mind, I have a cupboard just for them and it is stacked by color. When I get an overload in this cupboard, I usually go through and pick out what I need for a project like smaller quilts/hot pads/wall hangings, etc.
I buy my batting on a roll, and keep it upright on a spool with wheels from an old desk chair. DH cut me out a board that fits over the spool to keep the floor dust/fuzz off of my batting. I also have a cloth cover case that I pull down over it to keep it completely dust free.
I did break down and for the first time buy some jelly rolls on sale. they will fit in nicely with the queen sized log cabin I have planned. I was able to see all of the fabric in the roll before buying and they will all fit perfectly. I have them stored in with the rest of the fabric for the log cabin in my cupboard.
For larger pieces of fabric 1 yard and up, I keep the fabric folded like it is purchased, salvage to salvage (108" backing fabric folded once again to the salvage). I have a ruler that is the about the same size as the cardboard in a bolt of fabric. I'm thinking off hand that it is 9.5" x 24". I refold all of my yardage from 1/2 yard up (wrapping it like a bolt) then I pull out the ruler and stack the fabric flat in my fabric cupboards. I have 5 wall to wall cupboards with doors/ 6 shelves in each and wide enough - 29" to fit in length of a bold, stored flat, even the over sized 108" fabric. A handmade gift from woodworker DH. One shelf will hold enough fabric for a twin size quilt. For a queen size quilt, it takes a two to three shelves of space.
I usually buy my fabric for quilt ideas. Buying what I need for the entire quilt. I keep the fabric for that 'quilt plan' together in my cupboards. I won't start a quilt unless I have all the fabric I need to complete it. I ran out of a fabric one time, that I couldn't replace by then to match the quilt so -- it is a -- been there done that, won't happen again.
If there is left over yardage or an orphan fabric bought with no particular project in mind, I have a cupboard just for them and it is stacked by color. When I get an overload in this cupboard, I usually go through and pick out what I need for a project like smaller quilts/hot pads/wall hangings, etc.
I buy my batting on a roll, and keep it upright on a spool with wheels from an old desk chair. DH cut me out a board that fits over the spool to keep the floor dust/fuzz off of my batting. I also have a cloth cover case that I pull down over it to keep it completely dust free.
02-06-2022, 01:43 PM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Ridgefield WA
Posts: 7,765
Yes, I also store all of my fabrics by color in see-through plastic boxes 15 x 7" with lids. They have labels stuck on the front for color even though I can see through them. Of course, I now make only 6" blocks so this is a very organized, very visible way to store my fabrics!
02-07-2022, 02:59 PM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Va.
Posts: 5,752
I keep my fat quarters separate from yardage. Yardage is wrapped around comic book boards, sorted by color and stood on end in drawers. Fat quarters are folded (instead of using comic book boards), sorted by color and stood on end in another (shallower) set of drawers. You could wrap them around comic book boards as well if that works better for your storage system. I cut the comic book boards to fit into my system. I also fold my fat quarters to a size that fits well and stands on end without getting mussed. In both cases, I can pull out a drawer and take it to my cutting table or design wall when I'm auditioning fabric for a quilt.
Rob
Rob
02-07-2022, 10:35 PM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: la la land
Posts: 2,173
Fabric Folding Tutorial
It may help to look at a tutorial I did years ago. It's absolutely wonderful being able to see what I have on my shelves. I have probably 50 new pieces that need to be wrapped and stored right now. Best thing I have ever done because I am horribly unorganized! Even if you have maybe 10 different greens and only 3 yellow pieces and 1 blue you place them accordingly and they are easily seen.
02-08-2022, 06:54 AM
#16
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 281
Originally Posted by alaskasunshine
It may help to look at a tutorial I did years ago. It's absolutely wonderful being able to see what I have on my shelves. I have probably 50 new pieces that need to be wrapped and stored right now. Best thing I have ever done because I am horribly unorganized! Even if you have maybe 10 different greens and only 3 yellow pieces and 1 blue you place them accordingly and they are easily seen.
