Stencils in a drawer not working for me
 

I have about 60 or so stencils of all sizes and shapes. They are currently laying flat stacked in a drawer. I hate the digging every time I want one. Could I please get some ideas on how to hang or organize them?

If you don't mind hanging stuff on the walls - those small picture hangers (metal with a v at the bottom) work.
You could sort by type. I couldn't figure out what to do with the few I had until I spotted an empty picture holder that was left on the wall. Stencils are so thin and light, these work and it's easy to get them on and off.

1. Number the stencils.
2. Photocopy the stencils.
3. Put the stencils in file folders with the corresponding number on the outside of the file folder.
4. Take your photocopied pages, punch the photocopies with a 3-hole punch and put the photocopies in a 3-ring binder in numerical order.
5. Put your file numbered folders, with stencils inside, back in a drawer.

When you are looking for a design, pull out your binder and flip thru the pages until you find the design you want and then go to the corresponding numbered file folder.

Shari

Most of my stencils have holes in them. I use something called a "hinged snap ring" - I found a picture of what I mean. If you go to this website:
http://www.hudson4supplies.com/en.us/product-8120

I open the ring and put x number of stencils on the ring. Then I open the ring and put it over a hanger and then close it. I have about 5 rings on the hanger, each one with about 14 or 15 stencils on each ring. I try to group the stencils into groups that are alike to make it easier to find what I want when I want it.

I buy my snap rings at Lowes and they are NOT expensive!

I hope this helps some.

PS I also use this technique for taming my quilting rulers - the ones I don't use all the time but own for a specific project!

I don't have that many - maybe 18 or so - but I use a round belt hanger and hang them on a hook on the back of the door. The hanger is designed to be used on a rod in a clothes closet. Still takes some sifting through to decide what I want to use but I can grab a chunk at a time and take them off/put them back on. Took some time to find it initially but I've seen them at Walmart and the bedding stores. About $10.

an elaborate system indeed! You are very organized. Unfortunately I have no stencils that would fit in a standard file or a legal file. Most of my stencils are are bigger than 12" square so won't fit nicely in a file folder.

I collect antiques and have an antique steamer trunk with the insert . I use the bottom part to store fabric in those giant ziploc bags you squeeze the air out of. The insert has two sections. One holds my cones of thread and the other holds my stencils. For the one stencil I have that is two long to fit I lay it on top of the insert and close the trunk. Works for me and is aesthetically pleasing. I only have about a dozen stencils though.

How often do you dig through them?

If not very often, keeping them laying flat sounds like a viable option to me.

Oooo........ steamer trunks...... I have three of them. Good idea for oversize storage that I hadn't thought of.

I'm sorry if I thought all stencils are the smaller ones (that's what I have). For anything over a legal size of paper, use poster board to make dividers. I have a collection of antique wall stencils that I have done the poster board 'sectioning' storage idea.

Which reminds me.......... I should dig those antique wall stencils out and reconfigure them for FMQ........ hmmm.....

Shari

How about multi-tiered skirt hangers? I use them for all of my rulers and also to hold my rows when piecing a quilt