Organizing your quilts in progress
 

I have mainly worked on small projects to date. I am starting a large medallion style quilt and wondering if anybody has storage tips for a large quilt in progress.

I try to keep things under control with gallon zip-lock bags, especially if I have cut all the pieces and have to stop and go a lot during the piecing process.

I have 3 plastic containers with lids that snap down. I have them labeled "Project #1," "Project #2," and "Project #3". All the materials for the top fit it in them. The backing and batting are folded under each container. They are are in different stages, planning; fabric cut, or starting the piecing. I keep the rulers, pins, scissors, etc needed in each and then I can grab and go to work. That is my organization. Also, I keep my eye out for new material on sale and patterns that I find intriguing! Hope that might help you!

I go with the ziplock bag method as well. Particularly if I have more than one project going at a time. Label, label, label! 3x3 post-it notes are my next best friend. I pin them to cut pieces if need be for longer term (more than a day or so) storage or just plop them on the cut pile; the hunk of fabric that needs to be cut; whatever.

Plastic zip locks well labeled for the cut pieces. if possible i put all pieces for a block in one zip lock. i reuse them so it isn't so expensive after you get started. then i store all the ziplocks for a project in a plastic container of appropriate size. We will not talk about how many plastic containers I have with UFO's inside. My DH and I do most of the cutting together with him running the cutter. So we tend to cut everything out for a project all at once.

I buy the boxes made by Punch Studio at Tuesday Morning store. I use to use bags but these boxes are so much prettier. The boxes are so nice they could be a gift. I buy all that are on clearance when a new batch comes in.
http://punchstudio.com/collections.html

my daughter's school recently had a fundraiser sponsored by little caeser's. the pizza kits came in these great boxes; about 4" by 12" by 26". i collected them from other parents, gathering about 6 of them. they stack, i can write on them and they are upcycled.

win!

i keep my eyes peeled for reuseable things. it's not all economics - we're leaving this planet a mess. i try to reduce that mess whenever i can.

aileen

I buy those boxes at Tuesday Morning too. They are beautiful! I just bought two of the large ones yesterday for $9.99. I have been reorganizing my sewing studio, and they look great on my shelves.

My projects are stored in acid free plastic boxes. The fabric, pattern, and specialty rulers are also stored in that box. I also keep notes regarding my progress on the quilt so I know where I am when I pick up the project again. If I have pieces cut out they are in labeled ziplock bags in the box. The boxes stack better than the bags do. Good luck with your projects!!

I too use large storage Zip Locs for projects and pieces. If I have too much fabric for one of those, I use plastic storage containers for everything.

I did not know the name of these, but I took have used them for gift "bag" box.

For project storage I use the Iris containers from Joann's they are all labeled with fabric, notes, pattern and special ruler etc...and I also date them. I have the largest one with all my Dear Jane blocks, triangles and corners. Opps -- date on that one is 2008.

Judy in Phx, AZ

I have tried the pizza boxes but they didn't work for me. The size makes it awkward.

I tend to keep small projects in clear plastic shoe boxes. For larger projects I'll use a large clear tote, adding a shoe box if there are pieces that should be portable (like a few blocks that will be hand pieced).

Pizza boxes and ziplocs. They are both reusable and work just fine.

Same here.....this works best for me and everything stays clean and safe from any wandering crickets/moths who might be in the area. I also use 16x16 pizza boxes for projects I'm currently working on to keep the blocks all together and neaten up my work area when I'm done each day.

I use the Ziploc Big Bags. Our Walmart has the XL size, which is about the maximum size I'd be able to handle. They are found near the food storage bags Ziploc and other brands. There are 4 bags in the box.

I use the 2 gallon Zip Loc bags to keep my projects in. Everything goes into the bag along with the pattern and start date of project and who its for. My larger quilts queen and king take more than one bag so they are marked bag 1 bag 2 etc. On my patterns I mark what stage I'm at so not spending a lot of time trying to figure out where I am at.
Have a block of the month I started a couple years ago (had some medical problems so couldn't attend the classes and keep up) and it is in a small plastic container by itself and each month the blocks are in the bag they came with (finished and all scraps). Have found this is the easiest for me to keep track of everything.

A freind in our local sewing group is a avon dealer, they send her shipments in great cardboard boxes which she then give to us.

I have bought several stacked plastic scrapbook storage "towers" at Jo-Ann's. The individual bins are big enough to hold 12 1/2" blocks and are 4-5" tall. Works well for scraps too.

I discovered 2 1/2 gallon sized Ziplock bags! They fit all of the pieces, uncut fabric, the pattern, and even the backing! They come 10-12 in a box and I reuse them..... I also ran across brightly colored dishpans for $1 a few years ago and have a bunch of them stacked up in the corner, each containing one quilt project-in-progress. Hope this gives you some ideas!

I use large snapware boxes. I bought a stack of 4 at Costco around Christmas that came with cupcake inserts- tucked those away somewhere and keep my sewing projects in them. I also have 13x13 scrapbook project boxes which I use for big blocks.

Labeled ziplocs, pop or beer flat boxes, pizza boxes, boot boxes, donut plastic boxes, whatever I can upcycle for free!

I keep the quilt tops in a Rubbermaid tub under my cutting table. I love making tops but really drag my feet on the quilting. sad, I know. the tops aren't keeping anybody warm from in that tub! I vowed to finish 6 by june. I have the batting and backs. just so scared of getting another fat "bird's nest" of thread again when I ATTEMPT to FMQ. I tied and stitch in the ditch the last few because of that problem and not knowing how to correct it. oh and they do sell 2.5 gal zip lock bags if you wanted to keep tops in until you get to finishing them

I'm with you. I will never BUY something if I can find something usable in the junk pile. I use used pizza boxes when I can find them. After I have cleaned up the inside as much as possible, I put in a layer of freezer paper, to make sure any grease will not get to my project. These boxes stack perfectly on the closet shelf, and are labeled at the edge so I know what is in them at a glance. Some of them have a "list of ingredients" LOL

I used to use zip lock bags. I had trouble storing them. They would slip around. I now use clear plastic craft boxes. Works great for me.

I have each quilt in a tubbie or a tote bag. It helps keep all the blocks and fabrics together.

Pizza boxes?? You ladies are brave...I would worry about smells getting into the fabric and attracting bugs.

I use 16 qt clear rubbermaid bins for work-in-progress, and also to store fabric together that I'm accumulating for specific quilts. I use post-its to mark what each one contains (although it's pretty easy to tell from what I can see inside, usually). While they're empty they stack together in my closet, but usually most of them are full; I have a table that they stack up on against the wall so I can't "forget" about anything. Raw fabric goes in there; when pieces are cut they go back in there. Unless I'm using a flannel backing, I can usually fit everything for a quilt (except batting) in a single tote. Makes it easy to work on a specific project!

I don't have this problem as I never work on more than one thing at a time. I usually have a quilt to the "sew on the binding stage" and maybe another I'm piecing. I only make charity quilts for kids. So sometimes I do two at a time. I only buy the fabric I need for what I'm working on. So no stash storage problems. I save the scraps from each quilt and when I get enough I make one out of all that.
I know, you can say it, I'm weird in the quilting world.
SVAL

I am trying to be better organized in my small sewing space (that's the plan anyway) and I purchased the extra large zip lock bags, which most grocery stores carry, put all the fabrics, pattern, magazine, in one bag. It keeps me from using a fabric for one project for another project, losing the pattern, directions, etc. So far it's been working for me, and here's hoping I'll be better organized and less frustrated.

I, too, use plastic bags, but have some (we won't say how many!) in the heavy plastic zippered covers you get when you buy pillowcases, sheet sets, or other bed linens. They are very sturdy and hold up well. As others have said, labels, instructions, and notes are very helpful, as well as putting in any specialty rulers or templates. Sometimes my notes include web addresses where I can find instructions or tutorials for a particular technique or block.

Hope you find a system that works well for you. It can make all the difference between ease of effort and frustration.

I also use pizza boxes. Most pizza parlors will give you a couple boxes or offer them a few dollars and they"ll give you a stack. What I do is to separate quilt projects (perfect for up to 12x12 blocks), the binding and a Ziploc bag with my notes in it. The cardboard side lets you write what is in it and they stack on top of the cabinet. Out of the way but close at hand.

Ziploc bags and post-it notes are my go-to's for organizing.