I have a whole wall of cabinets..and 23 drawers on the bottom around my sewing area...and believe me they are all full..I had to write what was in each drawer in a composition book..I just look it up and see which drawer its in..but most on all my sewing needs are in the 4 drawers left of my sewing area..then on top of my sewing desk I have the 3 small drawer stackable for needles, markers, thimbles etc. I pick up lots of containers at Goodwill also...love to go there...

I use a tool box with a tray insert and you can also get matchbox storage boxes to store threads and small items. A pegboard on your wall will with hooks and clear baggies will also help corral in plain view all those little items.

I keep a sewing machine at our beach house and I purchased a couple of boxes of Q-tips (in small plastic containers) and use the containers for machine parts. One of the boxes has my Sharpies, pens, pencils, chalk markers, etc. in it. They fit inside one of those deeper 12" scrapbooking boxes that had dividers already in it. All my miscellaneous sewing stuff is in that box - when I go to the community center to quilt with the ladies all I have to do is grab the machine, my project and that box and I have everything I need.

At home, I use all kinds of stuff to store things in but I like the containers I can see through or stand things up in the best.

Jewelry armoire. Hmmm. You're a genius!

I went to the fishing supply department at Wal Mart and a young man there showed me some plastic boxes with hinged lids (not real hinges, plastic hinges). He said that was what his grandmother kept her sewing machine tools and "doodads" in. I bought several. They are just right for screw drivers, rippers, tape measures, all the things you mentioned and they are flat enough that two or more can stack in most machine drawers. They are much less expensive in the fishing department than in any other department in the store. froggyintexas

This is a link to what I am using ~

http://www.officemax.com/office-furn...FUFo4AodQllIVQ

I LOVE them. I have the ends with labels telling me what is in the them. And the best part if that individual box is locked closed. So even if the stand get upended or bumped for some reason, you just have to put the containers back in their appropriate spot - not all of the little pieces back in their little open drawer. And I cannot tell you how many times I have loved the locking lids.

There is another set of these where the boxes are a little larger (I always have a few of those boxes which led me to the 'cabinet' of them). I will probably be getting one of those next.

I buy tins at yard sales. I especially like the ones shaped like houses. I have many sizes. I keep thimbles in a small can and I have larger sizes for screwdrivers, etc. I have very large ones for buttons and smaller ones for snaps and hooks and eyes. I have them all labled and they are fun to see on the shelf.

I also use the small plastic 3 drawer units that can sit on my sewing table. They are about 14-15 inches tall. Keep scissors and rotary cutters in one drawer, pins and seam rippers in another and small plastic rulers (or templates) in one. I have a wooden spool rack for thread and keep bobbins in plastic bobbin cases.

Michael's has some scrapbooking storage that is ideal. It has slots for scissors, pens, a drawer. and 2 flat areas.

Saved me a lot of hassle, since it's the small stuff I misplace, including the container for the small stuff.

I found a plastic organizer with drawers at the local farm store. I think it is meant for storing nuts and bolts or tools. Love it!

That is such a good idea!

Same here - tackle box. Love the little cubbies in the trays. Mine isn't that large, but it stores what I use every day when I sew. When I'm headed for a class or Linus, I just throw in scissors, cutters, whatever I'll be needing and close it up. With the handle it's easy to carry.

I use the white wooden scrapbook storage units from Michaels (?Hobby Lobby in the USA?_) The cubes fit together in whatever combination suits you best. They are about 14"x14"x14" Some have 3 drawers, some have shelves, one has four square drawers perfect for fat quarters. Some have vertical storage for magazines etc. At the side of my machine I keep one of the plastic bins with a handle for my immediate needs-seam ripper, pins, pencils, gloves etc.

[QUOTE=quiltinghere;5259319]The things I use at the sewing machine desk are stored in a tray in the top desk drawer. Long things like seam rippers, turners, nail files (yep - hate to get up if I get a chipped nail)...needles are in another small box...odd shaped are in another small box.

Haha! I thought I was the only one that kept an emery board in my sewing machine tray!

Sew many great storage ideas ladies and gentlemen, thanks for sharing!

My question is how do you find your stuff after you store it? I put it all up and then when I need it stomp around saying "I can't find my ---".

I bought a big plastic tool box about 12 years ago and it has a couple of tiers that accordion out on hinges and it's so easy to find stuff in it. The top tiers has small compartments (use for thimbles, needles, machine tools, seam rippers, small dowel sticks for turning, etc.), the middle tier has larger sections, and the bottom is open and where I store my extra scissors.

Since I sew at my diningroom table and my sewing room. I bought a med size plastic tool box and keep my stuff in that.
so no matter where I sew I just grab my tool box and go to whichever room I am in.:D

Fabulous ideas, everyone! Thanks for sharing! I am blessed to have a sewing cabinet with wonderful drawers for all my "stuff," plus a cheap wicker chest of drawers for projects. Patterns I keep in a horizontal file cabinet.

WARNING: if you store material in any plastic containers, boxes or bags, put something like muslin or acid free tissue paper between your fabric and the plastic, especially white, as the oil from the plastic will eventually leach into the fabric and turn it yellow. I speak from experience, unfortunately.

These are all great ideas. I am getting ready to clean up my sewing area (again) and I think some of these will be very helpful!

One idea I think I got here a while back is to put safety pins in those clear plastic shaker top containers that hold Parmesan cheese. When I pin base, I can just shake out a few as I go along, using the green pop top, and it's easy to drop them back in it as I remove them from the quilt.

For the little bitty things like thimbles, feet, pins, etc. I use the larger pill boxes. Drop them in shut the lid and you don't have to worry if you drop them. Also, great for taking to classes. I love mine. I also have one that I put my jewelry in for traveling. A lot of uses besides putting all those pills in and cheap.

I, too, find these to be very handy for all those little things, that are just too much for my pegboard :thumbup:

I use office desk organizers. They have lots of little compartments, and everything is easy to see.