I saw online that someone hangs there fabric on hangers. Has anyone tried this? It seems to make sense instead of folding them and I do have a whole bedroom with a closet just for quilting.

What are your thoughts? I'm always trying to find the best way to organize my crafts and it seems as if I spend more time organizing than actually crafting.

Thanks,
Tammy

I have a number of larger pieces of fabric on hangers in my sewing room closet. It makes it easy to see what you have. I press my fabric after washing & hanging on hangers keeps the piece ready for cutting when I eventually use it. when I'm not quilting, I just throw a bed sheet over them to keep them clean.

I also hang fabric, but only if it's more than a yard. I use the slacks hangers that have the two clips so I don't have to hang the fabric over the bottom of a regular hanger. I don't know if this really helps, but I don't like having to fold a larger piece of fabric to fit in my shelves with the rest of the stash, and also don't care for adding unnecessary folds and wrinkles that I'll just have to iron out later.

I hang large pieces of fabric, fan folded, on skirt hangers. I hang blocks on skirt or pant hangers.

I think unless you hang it dead on straight of grain across the entire width, it will stretch and warp because of the weight pulling on the weave. Stacking is much safer for fabric storage.

I never even thought about it stretching. Now to decide what to do......hmmmmmmm

I haven't had this problem yet, and I have been hanging larger pieces of fabrics for a couple of years. I do fold them into reasonable sizes before hanging, so the fabric is not one continuous length.

Most of my stash is under 2 yards each, most about a yard. Renee765 - what size is your larger piece that you referred to?

I don't hang fabric that is not in use - I do hang fabric that is needed for my WIP. I don't use the clip hangers - I use regular hangers made out of plastic that I covered with a little batting and fabric so the items won't slip off. I like to hang the cut pieces like borders and binding - because they have been starched and pressed and I want them to stay wrinkle free. Sometimes I hang the WIP, but only if I think the seams can handle it, and it is usually just overnight or a few days at most. It keeps my cats off the project - that is the main reason I hang it up!

I do not hang my fabrics but do pull a green earth trick. I ask for the cardboard emptied bolts from my local quilting shop and then fold my purchased fabrics like they were at shop and rewind upon the bolts. My closet has a perfect height shelf for storing my yardages. Smaller fabrics are folded into shelves in another closet and scraps in a large basket on the floor which makes a warm decoration. I do hang my pieced quilt tops that I am working upon from day to day. They are not left there for more than a couple days however and the seams are always folded to the inside. Love new pizza boxes too--never a used one. I store blocks I am working upon in them.

I agree... especially if it is stored this way for longer time periods. :D:D:D

I hang lots of long yardage on those multiple bar hangers made for slacks. I have several of them, with about 3-4 yds on each bar. This way, one hanger holds about 15 yds. I buy this long yardage for kid quilt backings or for borders.

I have used lots of yardage stored this way and never had a problem with stretching.

I never thought of hanging fabrics. Oh well I don't have a spare closet anyway.

Much to my husbands dismay, I leave my fabric on my bed, floor, nightstand, kitchen table - pretty much anywhere there is a flat surface. So I'm open to suggestions too! :-D

Must give it a go. Sounds real good.

I have a friend that hangs her UFO's on hangers in her "Quilt" closet. If she has the backing for it, she hangs that on the hanger also. :-)

I'm a longarm quilter and I hang all my client quilts in the workroom closet on cardboard-covered extra-wide drapery hangers from Manhattan Wardrobe Supply Company. >>>
http://www.wardrobesupplies.com/store/m2_1_hangers.html

[/quote]Most of my stash is under 2 yards each, most about a yard. Renee765 - what size is your larger piece that you referred to?[/quote]

I have a couple of 4 yard pieces hanging for at least two years and they are just fine. The lengths are folded to about the length of a dress.

If hanging fabric warps and stretches it, why do we hang clothing? Wouldn't that warp and stretch, too?

Please be careful using the cardboard from fabric bolts. It is not always acid free. I've been seeing some fabrics (LQS and others) that show ghosting where you can tell what area was around the board edges. Ghosting is when you see lines on the fabric and it always shows up more the closer to the cardboard core of the bolt. You never know exactly how long fabric has been on a bolt in a warehouse in all sorts of conditions and reusing those cardboards for your loved fabrics isn't the best idea. I'd hate to hear of someone's favorite fabric decaying because they inadvertently kept it on one of these cardboard pieces.

Oh My GOSH......I have some thimbleberries on some cardboard bolts! I will double check that. Never gave it a thought since they came from a very fine fabric quilting shop locally. Thank you so much. I will change some bolts to only my charity quilting fabrics which are of lessor quality and is used up quickly.

One learns so much from these threads. Thank you.