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-   -   Organizing your stash (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/organizing-your-stash-t83589.html)

Tudey 12-18-2010 05:42 PM

It seems no matter how well I organize my stash, the minute I start digging through the containers for that perfect fabric, it's all a mess again anyway! I have mine semi sorted into large plastic containers and can find things fairly quickly since the containers are semi transparent!

gale 12-18-2010 05:57 PM


Originally Posted by kjym
I use the polar notion plastic boards to fold my stash on and think they are great. you can buy them at polarnotions.com .
That way you can put your fabric on end like they do at the fabric shops on the bolts. I have a cabinet with glass doors that I got at the Ikea store so they all stay nice and dust free and it looks like alot of colorful books on the shelves.
Before using these and the cabinets I had all my fabric sorted in plastic bins. but it always seemed that the one I wanted was at the bottom of the pile and those bins get very heavy to pile and unpile.
I love the cabinet /Bookshelf idea it sure saves the back from lifting and bending.
Also the one cabinet I have has drawers on the lower half so I have my Fat Quarters sorted standing on end so I can see the edges so that is really great also.
Have a Merry Christmas kjym Kathy

I agree that the polar notions ones are a lot nicer but I can't afford to spend $60 for just 50 boards if I want to keep having fabric to put on them. Even if I could I think it's too much $$ just for a board. I will look into the solutions others posted about though, like the foam underlayment stuff.

galvestonangel 12-18-2010 06:23 PM

I am in the process of reoranizing my fabric. I keep fat quarters and pre cuts together, batik will have their own space, but all others will be oranized by color. I decided if I am looking for something it is usually a color, so that is how I plan to organize.

coconuts 12-18-2010 06:37 PM

I get the cardboard that fabric is on at WalMart. They will gladly give them to you because they are recycled by the consumer. I store my lace and other trimmings on them and any large pieces of fabric. Just store them vertically on the shelves. Works for me.

sewsista 12-18-2010 07:55 PM

I have over 30 totes of fabric...I collected for a couple of years with the anticipation of my retirement. I have four bookshelves in my sewing room which are also filled and I have them organized by color and holidays. These bookshelves usually house the "main" fabric of my quilts and the totes I go thru for the other colors needed. It's a labor of love! I just can't stop looking at fabric some days!

DonnaB 12-18-2010 07:59 PM

I find that if you store all your material together you can find what you need at a glance. You don't have to go back and forth to the dresser, closet, tubs or whatever. Once I have material for a specific project, then I store that group in a tub, where I won't use the material for some other project.

wildyard 12-18-2010 08:43 PM

3 Attachment(s)
I sort most of my fabric by color; my scraps and my fabrics in general. I seperate my I spy fabrics, flannels, and stripes. My fleece and sheets are in their own bookcase with some overflow onto another one. My fq sized pieces I store in CD cabinets. Here are a few pics to show you:

most of this fabric is deconstructed thrift store finds
[ATTACH=CONFIG]145004[/ATTACH]

rotating cd holder next to a black plastic cd holder
[ATTACH=CONFIG]145005[/ATTACH]

sheets for backing and piecing and fleece for backing
[ATTACH=CONFIG]145006[/ATTACH]

Annz 12-18-2010 09:07 PM

Mine are sorted by color and then all fat quarters are seperate.

Sis 12-18-2010 09:35 PM

I also use the clip hangers that come on slacks or plastic clothespins/hangers to hang fabric in a closet. The multi-clip skirt hangers are good to keep more than one fabric for a project hanging together.
My biggest problem is storing fleece that I use for backings. I've used the 'Space Bags' but once you take the air out,they can get heavy if you have several pieces in it. And most large storage containers can only hold 2-3 pieces of 1.5-2 yd.
Any ideas on this would be most appreciated.

Sis
P.S. If you go to the top of the page and right under "Quilting Board-The Quilter's Message Board" you will see "search". Click on it & type in 'storage and organization', then go or enter. You will find many ideas/listings there from the wonderful people on this board. Good Luck.

NanSew 12-19-2010 12:49 PM


Originally Posted by gale
I tend to buy fabrics from a single line or ones that I picked out to go together so I store them together like that. But right now they are folded and stuffed into a cabinet. I bought some of those comic book boards to fold them onto and organize but they seem kinda flimsy. I read about it on several blogs. I know about the plastic sign material but I couldn't find a sign shop that has it around here.

I used heavy corrugated cardboard boxes from Menard's that were going to be thrown out. DH cut them to size for me and they work great.


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