Storing fabric on boards
 

I have seen a lot on this board about storing fabric on boards. I think it sounds like a good idea. How do you secure the fabric end? Do you pin? Pins tend to rust. Or do you use tape? I have got to do something to straighten out my sewing room. I am thinking about cutting cardboard boxes up to make boards that fit in the drawers of the chest I am using. Do you think that will work.

You could secure the fabric end with plastic coated paper clips. I don't use boards, I just ruler fold.

I am in the process of getting all my fabrics put onto boards and reorganized on my shelves. I went to the Dollar Tree or Dollar store (what ever it is called!) and I got coated paperclips. I put one at the top and at the bottom of the fabric. I bought foam board for $1 a sheet at the dollar store too and cut it up into 5 1/2" X 12" pieces. I think I got 9 or 10 boards out of each piece of foam board. I have $30 invested in the foam board and I am no where near done!!!! Be prepared that you may get lots of comments about the cardboard boxes not being acid free and you shouldn't store your fabric on them. I know the foam board isn't acid free but it was what I could afford. I found the comic book boards that lots of members use flimsy and most use more than one board to make the fabric bolt more stable. I'm telling myself that because the foam board isn't acid free, then I need to use it up and not let it sit forever on the board!!!

I too ruler fold. I don't use many paper clips because the shelves I have require that I lay the fabric flat instead of stand it up. I don't use any boards because I store the fabric flat.

I use the comic boards that I buy from Amazon and secure the fabric with jumbo size vinyl-coated paper clips. I used to use pins but worried about rust in the humid climate where I live. The comic boards are kind of flimsy, as auntpiggylpn mentions, but I only use them for amounts under two yards. Anything larger, I fold on a ruler and stack on a shelf.

Good luck with your organizing...you'll be so glad you did it!

Gee. I never thought of paper clips. Coated paper clips sounds like a good idea. I may look for some of the foam board as that sounds in my price range. I was thinking the cardboard might be a little thick too. Thanks for the suggestions. I don't really know what comic boards are.

im about to embark on the same adventure youre in the middle of and at work we get paper in these plastic pkgs with a piece of cardboard to steady the paper and keep it straight we print bills on the paper so it has to be straight to feed thru the machine everyone has been saving the card board for me for months and i think that by the time i get ready to start ill have enough it may be flimsy so i might have to use 2 pieces and as its the size of a piece of paper ill cut it in half for fat quarters. please post pics when your done i want to see how it turns out i really want to get organized this summer so i can use my stash instead of buying so muc fabric i think i have a good size stash i just cant find anything when im looking for it.
carla

Comic boards are acid free heavy card stock that are placed inside mylar bags with comic books to protect them. I already had plenty on hand because I also collect comics but you can go into any comic book shop and pick up a pack of 100 for around $10.

I would be careful with cardboard. It is not acid free and can damage fabric long term.

Most comic boards are acid free on only one side - and the magazine would be placed against that side when placed in a bag.

I have my fabric on magazine boards. They're just like comic boards but are 8.5 x 11 and fit my selves better, plus yardage folded twice fits perfectly as most is 42 to 44" wide. For amounts over 3 yards, I use two boards and they are more stable. I used pins but should probably switch to the plastic coated paper clips.

One thing I did as I folded my stash on the boards was to include a strip of paper. On it is the width and length, the manufacturer and collection/pattern # as well as whether it was washed. I figure it will make it easier to determine if a piece will meet my needs without having to unwrap and measure.