I have been cutting my fabric scraps into strips (a la Bonnie Hunter) and wonder how I should store them until I get those quilts made. I'm starting out cutting 1.5", 2", and 2.5" strips. I have all colors mixed together by strip width. Right now I have them in neat, ironed stacks all over my cutting table.

Do you have a system for storing these strips that works well? Please tell me what to do so I can get my table cleared off and get to work sewing!

I haven't done mine yet, but was thinking I would use one of those hangars that holds 5-6 pairs of pants. Kind of like the one pictured here. Then I could sort by color and make it easier to grab what I want.

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I roll mine up like jelly rolls that way you can pack them into a drawer or shoe box. the plastic bags that sheets or doona covers come in are very good for keeping them all together neatly and you can see at a glance what is in them

I store mine in plastic see through containers. The longer the better that way there's less creasing in my strips. I don't have many strips though, I don't cut fabric until I know the pattern I'm doing. But occasionally, like this week I cut way to many strips for what I was doing. Now I'm looking for a pattern to use up all these strips I've cut. All of my fabric is in cabinets or in closed storage, No sunlight or dust damage that way.

I just have mine in containers for now.

I don't store strips (unless you can count the strips along with all other scraps crammed into my overstuffed scrap bag 'storing') but I'm using a pizza box to store bits of a project I'm working on. Yes, it's an unused pizza box :)

That is so cool!

Unfortunately, I have around 20 of those pink tubs you get at the hospital. And they are quite handy, especially for storing strips! I have 6 I think, full of strips and sorted by color groups. I keep them close to my machine so I can just toss in strips as I get them.

I roll mine like the ones in the shops. Then I tie a string of yarn or scrap around the cricumference of it so it doesn't come undone.

I store mine in clear shoe boxes sorted by color, not size.

I pick up flat 3" plastic food containers at the dollar tree and I can stor 4 nice fat rolls in each and they stack mine are 12" square. For$1.00 it's the best storage I can find and they look good all stacked up.

I bouught a rickety, old quilt rack at a garage sale and store my strips by color, draped over the horizontal rods. To keep them from slipping off, I use big plastic hair clips. Keeps them sorted and unwrinkled.

I sort by width, then I sort them by background color, stack them all neat in a pile, then kind of soft fold them, then put them in a 2 gallon baggie. I have the baggie labeled as to what size strips. I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas from the board.

Roll them like a jelly roll

Ditto......I store the rolls in plastic storage containers.

When I am starting a quilt (or any project) I set up my wooden drying rack. Cut out FQ of each fabric being used. Separate them on the rack. Usually there are 4 or more FQ for each fabric so those are lain on top of each other. I know exactly what I have and have yet to do. When all done, then I cut into the strips, shapes, etc. When sewing strips together, I take them and hang them over a metal towel bar (cheap thin one from Home Depot) that is attached to the wall next to the machine. Finished strips, big blocks go back on the wooden rack until I need them again to finish. I never cut strips unless I am working on a project, and then they are always hanging on a rack and not laying on a table.

I only make 1" and 1.5" strips. I have clear plastic shoe boxes, and I separate by light/dark and by strip width - so 4 shoe boxes all together. The strips are folded loosely in the boxes so they don't get wrinkled. When the boxes start getting full I cut the strips into lengths for log cabin quilts, because that is usually what I make with my scraps.

I put mine in see-through plastic bins. :)

If I remember correctly, Bonnie Hunter sorts hers by size and lights/darks into drawers. I just have 2 large totes full of all sizes scraps. I haven't sorted or cut them up yet - too many other things to do.

I like to collect mason jars, or just jars in general with nice lids. I use them to store binding, strips, 2"-5" squares and so on. I label them using 1" lettering for ease of reading when on a shelf. The glass jars makes it easy for me to see the color of the fabric. Hope this helps.

Love this, like putting up supplies for winter

mine are in smaller rubbermaid containers within larger rubbermaid containers....folded and stacked...I save 1-1/2", 2" and 2-1/2"...started saving them way back when Debbie Caffrey came out with the book Open a can of worms (2-1/2" ), and then Noodle Soup(2" )...so I have a lot...I use them, but I should use them more. I add to them as a fabric gets down to the end, cutting strips of various sizes whatever cuts up best.

I have mine in plastic drawer units, separated by width size. I also have rectangles, squares and triangles separated by shape. All drawers labeled on the front of the drawer. I have a plastic 3-drawer unit with fat quarters. All fabrics 1 yd + get rolled onto bolt boards that are cut in half. They are on shelves. Anything less than one yd goes into my bin to be cut into strips and fat quarters, to be stored in the plastic drawers. I also have one bin of small, odd shaped scraps for use in applique or paper piecing. Took me a long time to get it all organized at the beginning, but, so easy now.

I have an indoor wooden clothes dryer that has the dowel rods running across it that I use when getting a project ready. I hang my strips, pieced segments or even pressed yardage of material. I love it. When I am done it folds down and is stored away. Plus I can get everything out and ready for the project.

There is a closet in the room where my cutting table is. The closet doors have been removed and I have 2 spring action shower curtain rods across the opening. I hang stuff on those rods, mainly fabric strips. Over top of the rods & strips I lay large flimsy (like dry cleaner) plastic bags to catch the dust.

For some reason I seem to like mine all squished up in various shoe boxes..... I think they might be sorted by 'day'....??

Ditto. If your rolls are really large, and some of mine are, use a big rubber band that will go all the way around the roll. froggyintexas

I have a short wall in the hallway leading to my sewing room. I have nailed used machine needles along the wall. Then i use binder clamps to hold the strips. It's really surprising how much weight those needles will hold. If they will be hanging a while before I get to them, I take a cleaner's plastic bag, cut a few slits and hang it over the needles also to keep the strips from getting dusty.

I call it "Wall Art" :lol:

I store mine in plastic shoe box containers but I have them sorted somewhat. Anything 2" or less in width goes into one box - all colors are mixed. And 2 1/2" Strips go into another box mixed with the exception of florals. I have made a few quilts using the florals and want to make a string quilt with one so they live in their own container.

I ask for the empty cardboard from a bolt of fabric at the fabric shop, then I wrap my strips (and binding if I am not using it right away) around it. Since it is cardboard I can pin it in the cardboard at the beginning and end. then set it up against a wall....not space taken up.

I don't know because I haven't gotten that far yet but I'm going to use a silverware draw(plastic)because I have all different sizes.

I store them in plastic bins until I am ready to piece them. Then, I take them out and place them on an Amish clothes drying rack which las at least 10 rungs on it. They hang down over the rungs and I can see at a glance which color I need. When I am finished with that particular quilt, I fold them back neatly into the bins (and cut more to join them.) Works for me.

I've been sorting my strips by width and attach an office clip at the end of the bundle of strips. This is the black spring loaded clip with the metal levers that fold down. They hold the strips all together so you can pick up the whole section of strips and easily select which one to use without getting the strips all mixed up. I usually store them in plastic bins but have also just hung them by the clip on hooks or nails when working with several sizes.

I roll them by size and put in zip lock baggies.

I usually hang them on a hanger...the pants part of it and then into the closet for safe keeping while working on a project. If I'm not planning anything specific at the time I'm doing the ironing and cutting, then I roll it up like the jelly rolls. All the same fabric print in a roll and then stored in a shallow bin.

I started out by having mine neatly in plastic shoe boxes.
I QUICKLY out grew that system. :lol:
Now, I have 4 laundry baskets. One for each size strip 1 1/2", 2", 2 1/2", and 3 1/2".
I didn't sort by colors. I Love scrappy quilts, so this works for me. I usually just close my eyes and grab a strip from the size basket that I need. ;)

I really like the clear plastic containers for a lot of my quilting supplies. However, I purchased photo boxes (acid free)--and buy them only when they are on sale--and put my jelly roll strips and pieces that I have left over from a project (or ones I cut randomly from discarded clothes) in them. Each box is labeled on the front end with the size of the piece/block or strip inside. They are stacked on shelves above my computer desk so that I can see at a glance what is inside each box. Of course, I do have to open the box to see what the colors are. But it makes it easy for me or my granddaughter to select the size we want for a project. My 8 year old granddaughter has caught the quilting craze and is now working on her first full size quilt for her Mom for Christmas. She had begun hand-piecing a nine-patch but has decided she has to learn to use my Singer Featherweight in order to finish before Christmas. She crochets, knits, and does cross-stitch but since quilting has taken over my living room, dining room and a bedroom, she decided that has to become her "specialty" too.

I have 2 brass towel racks on my sewing room door and hand them from there......

I keep all my cut strips/pieces in marked glad bags then put all the bags into 1 large bag or tote marked with the project name.

Maybe1day

Great idea. Thanks for the tip. Have to order some.