Organizing Fabrics
 

I have a lot of difficulty understanding how to organize fabrics. I have seen a lot of articles saying do it by color, type of fabric, print, etc. How do you organize yours? Will you post pictures on how to do it? I don't understand any type of fabrics except polyester and cotton. I have a lot to learn and hope you will teach me so I will know how to do it when I get fabrics.
Thanks,
JOY
:eek:

I have mine organized by amount of fabric. In drawers by 1/2 yd, 1 yd, 1 1/2 yd, 2 yd and over 3 yds. Not perfect but works for me.

I don't have drawers but do have shelves.

Here's a thread that was posted awhile back complete with GREAT PHOTOS!

This QB member certainly inspired me. This is my FIRST RESOLUTION in Jan 2012 - to follow her lead on fabric control. I hope it helps you too!

Organizing your sewing stash
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...om-t43871.html
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I have tried different things and often find myself doing different things. Mostly I do it by color but then sometimes according to the possible project-----like prints for "I Spy" or say all my blenders. There probably is no right or wrong way to do it, just so it works for you. I use see through plastive bins of different sizes depending on amt of fabric.

Wow, that was really nice. What about the very large fabrics and the ones cut in squares, circles, triangles, etc?
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I use comic book boards to wrap mine and organize them by color: http://debzpicaday.blogspot.com/2011...57-of-365.html

I spent atleast 5 hours yesterday trying to straighten my sewing room. half way through, I wish I would have never started because it is a bigger mess. I keep my colors or tone on tones in different drawers (orange in one, red in one, and so on)..

I also keep my "themed" fabrics together by themes - like butterflies, ladybugs, dogs, cats, food - but then I have shelves that I have possible quilt combinations stacked - so in other words.. I do what works for me but I'm still always hiding fabric from myself. While cleaning last night I found a whole stack I forgot I had. I have too much fabric for the space - I need to do some power destashing but I have a hard time letting go of fabric, I'm attached to it. I know.. crazy...

I understand how a person can get attached to fabric. I love going to thrift stores and browse through what they have. Some are very beautiful. Let's say you have blue fabric and and a variety of blue prints, are they separated or put together, etc.
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I will help you out with your destashing...You can destash my way anytime you like....LOL

I want to thank everybody for their advice. :)

JOY

I also use comic book boards and they work really well and are in expensive.

I went to Dollar Tree and bought foam board for $1.00 each. I cut each board into 6 pieces. I folded my fabrics and wrapped them around the boards and pinned into place.

Here's a picture of how I did mine

I can barely spell orgazine much less do it. LOL

I'm glad you asked this question because I've been having trouble doing some organizing. I have so many 4" and 5" squares and I have no idea how to sort them. Hopefully someone will be able to give some suggestions on this for us.

I have my fabrics on Coroplast boards, sorted by type (batiks, Kona, prints) and then by color within those groups. I also have some fabrics that I keep together because they are coordinates in a particular fabric line.

I have my fat quarters in Jinny Beyer's fat quarter bags; I don't buy many singles, just groups, so her bags allow me to keep them together with their buddies in the same bunch. I store the bags on two shelves of a wire rack. The rest of the rack is for batting and backings.

I keep my other pre-cuts in drawers - 10" squares, charms and jelly rolls - and I don't have too many of those. My biggest issue right now is scraps. I don't keep anything less than 1 1/2" square and I'm looking for a really pretty way of storing them. I have a large jar (really large!) and I think I'm going to start throwing them in there.

I've been organizing this weekend and one thing that I discovered is that if organizing means putting things far away from where I use them then things won't stay organized. So I've been busy finding smart ways to store things near my machine that should be there and near my cutting area that belong there, etc. I've still got a ways to go, but I can see an end point now, whereas before I couldn't.

Getting back to it right now...

I have my fabric organized by colors, but sure like the idea of using the boards to wrap them around. I'm a bit obsessed with organizing so might strive to redo with the boards. Thanks for the links with photos.

I have a 48"x72" cabinet w/a seperating board in between, I put browns,tans,offwhites on one side with pinks,purples etc. on other side. I put large yardage in back, smaller amounts in short rolls in front. I fold them on my 5x24" ruler, I fold them selvage to sevage, smoothing as I go, I do the shorter ones the same way. For squares, etc. I put in plastic shoe boxes, some in larger plastic totes. I don't have very many, not much problem with those. Hope this helps.