A Question Regarding Your Projects in Progress
 

If your sewing room has many windows, what do you do to keep the UV rays off your fabric projects. I have a quilt in progress and have almost all 16" squares completed but had to stop to do a doll blanket and prepare several pieces of fabric (to make Minnie Mouse bows) so that the children could put together their own bows. Also, heading to Illinois for a visit. I try to keep everything covered and even hung some of my quilt on a clothes line in the furnace room.

I have two windows but have never thought much about it. I guess I thought that it would have to lay there a long time to affect it, wouldn't it?

I keep the shades pulled when I'm not in there - and that goes for the room the LA is in too.

I have dark fabric hanging over my stash shelves, they are in a separate room that only has one east facing window. I keep the shade pulled in there too, but it does not keep it completely dark.

I bought cheap twin and queen sized flat sheets at Walmart and use them to cover all my in-progress work. I can't leave anything uncovered due to light and pet hair. I keep my thread hanging on a wall and it is also covered with a large towel to keep it out of the light.

I keep the shades pulled when I am not in the room and I thought it would take a long time to fade any fabrics if they were exposed to the direct light but maybe I am wrong. I often wonder what quilt shop do as they sometimes have bolts and bolts of fabric that you can see thru the large windows of the shop.

I have 2 windows set in with window seats in my sewing room. My sewing room is fairly large so that helps too. There are big trees outside so I really don't get any direct sunlight in them. I don't keep fabric on that side of the room so I don't worry about it. I don't think fabric will fade in a few days unless exposed to heavy direct sunlight all day every day.

I keep my fabric for long periods so I store it in cardboard boxes. Most of the time I can't afford the archival quality boxes so I buy the regular office file storage boxes (buy the heavy duty ones! the light ones don't hold up) and line them with archival tissue paper. I write on the outside of the box the theme/color. The boxes stack well up to 4 boxes high. I do have a couple of large clear tubs that I put my completed tops in, they are out of the direct light with a desk between them and the window.

For my works in progress I have a number of men's dress shirts in the sewing room -- I just lay them over the project/open box. I'll admit, it looks messy but it works for me. Lots of yardage in there, they spread well and fold up well too.

I have two very crazy kitty cats. I keep all my current works in progress in a storage box to keep my cats away from it. I never thought about the sun. I keep the curtains closed in my living room which is where I do all my sewing.

I have a sewing room with windows that let light in. I have dark curtains up. I am now noticing that my curtains are fading in areas that are gathered. Of course these same curtains have been hanging for 12 years now. I guess it's about time to change them.