I have recently been given three very large boxes of fabric and I am about to attempt to start a sensible stash . . . I currently do not have any stash at all so I want to start off on the right “foot” or should I say “yard” . . lol . . I have read many suggestions regarding folding fabric but I am still a little unclear on what and how to store, e.g. is there a minimum size that I should be folding; should I keep very small pieces or only keep larger (1 yard plus); if I keep smaller pieces, how should I store these; should I iron everything, etc. etc. I have two plastic rulers; one 4” wide and one 6” wide so that helps me with making mini-bolts . . . from all that I have read over the last couple of months on this board, I know that many of you stash everything and that is admirable but I do not have the storage for that and I am certainly not as creative as so many of you guys. As far as colors go, I know lights from darks but what about all those in between . . Any and all suggestions will be very much appreciated . . . I know absolutely NOTHING about how to approach this and need all the help I can get while I am motivated so that I don’t just ‘stash’ it all away. . . thanks
:)

I don't think there is any one way to do things. I have my stash sorted only by color. Each color has it's own plastic bin or crate. I put yardage in there along with all of the smaller pieces left over after cutting. I personally don't keep anything smaller that about 3" wide. I don't applique much, so don't have a need for tiny pieces.

Have fun going through it all. I'm sure you'll have many ideas pop into your head as you see different pieces.

I use my ruler to fold anything larger than 1/2 yard. Approx. 1/4 - 1/2 yard cuts are stored separately. I don't bother folding them. Small scraps are stored separately and nothing smaller then 2 inches. I used those three-drawer plastic bins--a small size for the small scraps. All sizes are sorted by color a la ROY G BIV, black/brown, white/gray, and multi. I don't think it males sense to iron fabric until you're ready to use it. It just gets wrinkled again. Works for me. Ultimately what works for one won't work for another. There is no right or wrong. Just do what makes sense for your own personal needs.

as for keeping small pieces-
keep what you will use- pass on the rest-
if you are an appliquer- really small pieces come in handy=
if you do charm quilts/scrappy quilts-
if you only make big block quilts- need yardage then pass on what you won't use-
fabrics multiply like bunnies.
scraps are usually what is left over after you complete a project- if you made alot of flying geese blocks and have a bunch of little corner triangles-which you would never use- then toss them in a box to send to someone else when it is full-
if you have pieces you think you will use in another project then put them away-
you could have totes for different sizes- or you could just stack them up on a shelf.
some people sort by color- some by theme- some by size- it is up to you what will work for you.
if you keep your fabrics on open shelves protect them from sunlight-which will fade the fabrics-
what you should keep- what you should just get rid of is totally dependant on what kind of quilts you make-
if you are unsure- keep it- sometime down the road you may find a use for it- when the scraps are piled up like crazy and you haven't used a piece in a year it is time to sort them out-and pass them on...don't throw them away- someone can always use what you won't

Here is what I do;
Yard cuts in a area, sorted by colors
Fat Quarters in another area, also by colors
less than FQ in a tub under cutting table (mixed mess) :oops:
strip scraps in dresser drawer (another mixed mess)
various scraps in dresser drawer (a.m.m.)
1/2" scraps in container for my fabric bowls

You will get many ideas. But only you can figure out what will work in your space. I do not have room for multiple tubs to sort my scraps by colors. So I do what I can, and it also gives me intensive to use up scraps, before the attack.

Some ideas of storage for your stash ~
closet hanging shoe storage
closet hanging sweater storage (do not over load, they cannot take a lot of weight, on my second one) :?
book shelves
dressers
tubs

have fun sorting and petting all you lovely stash

I'm not real particular about the way I fold my fabrics. And I think there are probably several methods of sorting your fabrics. Read all the suggestions and decide what works for you. I think it's a lot like the actual quilting - no rules as to right or wrong. Can we also say there is no stash police?

Another neat way to store stash if you don't have a lot of storage space (ie shelves) is to use skirt hangers - the kind with the two clips on each end. I use these for FQ's and other shortage yardage especially those that have "chunks" cut out of them. I keep them sorted on these hangers by color. I can easily flip through my FQ's on the hangers to see if it holds a fabric that I want. And a bonus is if you find the skirt hangers that have 5-7 different hangers on them in a vertical line. SCORE! I've got one or two of those.

With regard to ironing, I don't iron any of my fabric after I pre-wash/dry it until I'm ready to cut it. Folded fabric is going to have at least fold creases so I'm going to iron it anyway IMMEDIATELY before cutting. Why do it twice?

Check out this site for ideas:

http://quiltville.com/scrapusersystem.shtml

This woman has made a huge impact on my stash that was built up over 10 years of quilting.

double post

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 prins, 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
Selvages have a see thru sterilite drawer all of its own


And that's how my room is organized..

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

My quilting stash, with the exception of the flannels are all ruler folded and sorted by background color and put into the drawers with like background colors. I have them in the drawers so that I can see each fabric that's in the drawers, without scrounging around looking for a particular piece. The flannels are also ruler folded but are in three 65 qt. plastic totes, simply because I don't have enough room for them in the drawers and I don't use them as often as the regular cotton. The NON quilting fabrics are all folded and in the same size plastic totes as the flannels, I try to keep all the like materials together in the same tote. My scraps to be cut into squares and strips are in the large plastic totes.

The smaller pieces I would go ahead and cut them according to Bonnie Hunter's method.

I'm sure that you'll get lots of ideas, so you can try different methods and see what works best for YOU.

That's a wonderful website. So much information. Thanks for sharing.

I don't have much to add, I like my stash on shelves sorted by color.I will not use a tub that is not see through, except for fleeces and PFD fabric. Smaller pieces go in 2 baskets- one marked strips, the other is bits. I quilt, sew and craft. That is what works for me

I just changed my room around and took all of the fabric out of the plastic bins and am now storing them (primarily) by color. Some fabric is stacked by type (batics, kid prints, food stuff, Holiday, and solids).

Check out p214 of my PDA for pics of my stash.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-24832-214.htm

I use a method similar to this http://turningturning.com/tutorial-folding-fabric/ for folding my fabrics. I took this box:
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-O...8/pa111837.jpg[/img]

and turned it into this:
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y...8/PC202133.JPG[/img]

and trimmed the weird leftovers into strips & squares:
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-S...8/PC202130.JPG[/img]
(these are now stored in clear plastic shoe boxes, instead of my filing cabinet)

And here's my studio (one floor layout ago, but the shelves are still basically the same)
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h...8/P6182896.JPG[/img]

It works well for me, because the fabric is folded to just the right size for my shelves, and I can see what I have in my stash. The folding method doesn't work as well on pieces larger than 4 yds, but I still make it work!

WOW, what an incredible number of totally helpful responses . . . what a wonderfully diverse group we are and you guys are the best . . . I think I have enough incentive to at least start sorting my new 'stash' and taking it one step at a time. Do believe I will leave the colour groups until last . . . separate according to size first, then go for the colours and at times, just go with my gut . . . your suggestions are terrific and what a great group to belong to . . . will keep you posted . . . if I get totally disenchanted (certainlly hope I don't) I will know where to turn to next . . . thanks again.
Margaret :thumbup:

Hi all! I'm new here and was just browsing the topics and the words "sensible stash" caught my eye. Now we ALL know that that phrase is such a LIE! From the day we bought our first yard of fabric, cut it, sewed it into something pretty and SAVED ALL THOSE PRETTY LITTLE PIECES, "sensible" went out the window. Am I a liar? I think not. LOL
I sort everything by fabric type (cotton, terry cloth, canvas...) then sort those by color and yardage amount. Anything fat quarter or smaller is sorted by color and put in those clear shoe boxes you can get for a dollar each right now.
I do the same with ribbon, buttons, safety pins, zippers, bias tape, purse hardware...yada, yada, yada. One thing that i do recommend is that you wash all fabric then iron it and fold it neatly. it will store flatter if it is folded. I fold mine just like it comes of the bolt - fewer crease lines
I have a forty year stash. It's really a fetish, an expensive habit (right up there with meth) and some days i just like to get all out and touch it and refold it and try to remember why the #!&# I bought it! lol I converted my large two car garage into a shop with shelves and work areas. If I'd been able to run water to it I would never have to come in!!!
there is as website called stashbusters where they are dedicated to making things out of your stash and not buying anything for a year

thanks mamacool; you certainly brought a smile to my face . . :lol:

you will find the method that suits you and that you like best...i started storing accoring to theme, then went on the projects, then finally decided i needed it sorted according to color.......you will find your niche!!!

I just finished my sew room redo, I used my grandkid's metal
storge cubes, wire rack boxes,from home schooling material. You put plastic tub in it and it's great.
There are cheap, you have to put together - a pain -
then add zip ties to make strong - got the idea from a store that did it. Wire boxes attach to one another.
You can add one on top of the other or across. I have two
6 high, for school I used 3 across 3 high you can even have one on top of other and a set attached taller than the first one. 2nd way fits under a window, white plastic tub. Fill them and pull in and out like a drawer. Love them. They come in white, or red,green, yellow, blue mix. I really need to find out how to get a picture on here. Mine are white wire boxes and white tubs silver pulls, plastic.
Tubs from Dollar General.

When I have small scraps, I cut them into 1 1/2 strips for a future rail fence quilt. (sometimes) i go ahead and sew 5 stips together and then make the squares for this quilt. I then put them in a small plastic bin with the directions for this quilt.
Depending on the size of the scrap, I also make 2 1/2 inch strips and put them in a separate small plastic bin. These are handy when I decide to make a table runner or other scrappy stuff.i.e. toppers, table runners.
All other fabric gets wrapped around pieces of cardboard or foam core that is cut 6 x 10 inches. This makes the colors easy to mix and match when picking for a quilt.
There is also a pattern where you sew the scraps onto a piece of muslim at an angle. These are really fun. I make the squares 13 inches. I now have 5 of these squares.These are lots of fun. Like everyone else, I have many projects started.

I use the 8x24 ruler and wrap pieces greater than a yard around them. Most pieces I fold in half twice first, but I have space for the 22" single folds so I do that with the 3yd+. For anything less than a yard, but FQ or larger, I fold so it is about 11" wide (1/4 WOF) and fold it around a 4x12 ruler. I put them on shelves by color (until I start a new project when I have a tendency to grab a little bit of everything). I break the color rule for holiday fabrics, since I put them in bins or cupboards together.

My scraps go in a bin until I get the time to cut them into squares or strips (I try strips first since I can always do squares from strips).

Enjoy your stash!!!

Exactly what was said here...!!

I sort by color and if there is a small amount of one color, I combine it with another (i.e., yellow and orange) I keep in clear plastic bins -- I also put an index card on the end so I can list and read anything in the box ("batiks', large for backing', etc.) We built shelves in the baement that are the depth of a box. Two shelves keep it all -- I also have one for odds and ends, samples, freezer paper, fusibles, small pieces of batting, interfacing, etc -- all listed on a card.
I have a small rolling cart from an office supply with drawers lableled, 'needles and pins', 'thread', 'patterns', scissors, etc (includes tweezers and anything that cuts)

Reading through all these suggestions makes my head ache. Everyone sounds sooo organized. I have a huge stash and it is nowhere as organized as theirs. But I love to rummage, always finding something I didn't knowI had. I know it is time consuming but It's always Christmas for me. Good luck

I don't have yardage so I keep my fat quarters in clear totes from JoAnns. The scraps are thrown in a basket to do something with. Scrap quilts me thinks. :roll: I envy people with yardage.

You have to adapt your stashing to your own space and quilting needs. One friend of mine folds her long pieces in fourths lengthwise then folds them with a raw end out so it is always ready to have something cut from it. I stash by color and use. Besides purples and greens etc., 2 drawers each, I have sterlite drawers for corderoy, batiks, denim, precuts (which are the 4x4 etc pieces I have processed from scraps) and novelty fabrics, mainly for making charity quilts. I have friends who have massive space in FQs, which does not work for me. My DH was pointing out today that my stash investment is way higher than my machine costs, but at any given time I can ceate several quilts from my stash with little searching. Generally, I know what I have.

BTW, in the last 2 months, because of moving, I gave away several large bags of scraps. When I started quilting, I got several bags from other quilters to help me get started.

I don't have yardage so I keep my fat quarters in clear totes from JoAnns. They have rollers on the bottom to move easily. The scraps are thrown in a basket to do something with. Scrap quilts me thinks. :roll: I envy people with yardage.