Standing OR Laying Down?
 

We just recently moved & have finished most of the remodeling to our home. So, I can finally begin to set up my new sewing room. SOOOOO, my question is, how do you store your fabric? Do you lay it down or stand it up? I have mine on the boards and was wondering which way takes up less space. To some of you I'm sure this sounds like a stupid or trivial question, but, since I have mine standing up I was wondering if laying them down would use less space. I'm running out of space & still have quite a bit more fabric to find space for. I really don't have room for any for bookcases, etc. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have, except getting rid of my fabric. I couldn't bear to part with it until it's made into quilts. Happy Thanksgiving to All!!!

I fold my fabric pieces that are larger than 1/2 yard around my 6 inch wide ruler, pull the ruller out, then fold them in half. Then I stack them on top of each other with the fold side showing. Takes up less space yet I can still see the fabric. I store them in those vinyl covered wire boxes that you can stack in several formats. They are 14 inches square, so I can get two large stacks in nicely.

It really all depends on the shelves or the space you are using for the fabric. If you are limited of shelves then with laying down you can stack a lot more fabric than standing but then you just take more time pulling out fabric when choosing and making a bigger mess. I bought shelves from a closing borders book store and have a lot of shelves but. Still use both methods for storing my fabric depending if I have them in bolts or folded or on boards.
Good luck and happy quilting

I grew to hate stacks of fabric. I don't care how it's folded, it's still a stack of fabric. It seemed like every time I wanted a fabric it was on the bottom and the stacks would end up huge messes. I love having my fabric upright on shelves. I can pull one or two out and put them back without having to restack it. The shelves are always neat now.

I agree with this! Everytime I would pull out a fabric, the stack would get all wicky jawed (haven't said that term in a long time!) and then I would have to pull all the fabrics out and re stack them. I really like the look of the fabrics wrapped on boards (I used foam core cut to size) and lined up on shelves. My friend says it looks like I have a mini quilt shop in my sewing room!

I use both methods. Anything over a yard is wrapped on boards, less than that is folded and stacked, then when less than a fat quarter, stored in drawers until I need or can get to it to cut into strips, sqs, etc.

i like my fabric standing. much easier to get to.. :thumbup:

I stack mine. I have tall bookcases that I had extra shelves cut at home depot for so that the stacks of fabric aren't stacked too high and its easier to keep them organizied by color/design. Before I put in extra shelves I agree it was a pain to have to get fabric out of the middle or bottom of the stack. Now that the stacks aren't as tall, it's a breeze. I would not be able to store the same amount of fabric standing up or on boards. I also played with the folding until I came up with a fold that is the same depth of my shelves and saves space at the same time. I don't like my fabric in totes because I forget what I have and buy more. This has saved me so much money because I can work from my stash instead of increasing it with extra purchases.

i flat fold on my ruler and store flat. i don't have the room to store it any other way.

Like QuiltnNan I have to much fabric to in any manner except lying down. I fold around a ruler and stack by color.