Ours doesn't give them away either. They recycle and reuse them.

Oh I love, love, love your stash.

Another good use for those fabric boards is a design board. I take two of them (they need to be the same width), tape them together all the way around with gray tape then cover with a thin batting and then flannel (wrap over the edge of the board and staple) and they are perfect for a design board for working on a block. I keep one by my machine. Of course you can tape several boards together, cover with flannel and hang on the wall for a larger design wall. If you're using a good heavy weight flannel you can skip the batting. I have a small shop, took my SUV full of these boards to guild (I was giving the program that night on this tip), gave away a car load of boards. Recycling at it's best!!

I organized my stash last year simular to this method, only I use corragated cardbord. I saved boxes from the grocery store and mail deliveries. I started out by buying a stack of the boxes they sell at Sam's club. Then realized I could ask at the grocery store and walmart for theirs. I marked one of my rotaty cutters "cardboard" and used that to cut 8 x 11 inch pieces and folded my yardage on that. I cut 5inch squares for my fat quarters. All of my yardage is on shelves in my sewing room (the cardboard bolts from Joanne's are to big for my shelves). I sort my material by color, holiday prints and neutrals.

Nice stash!

My Hancock Fabric store will give you the boards. Mainly the reason Wal Mart and the LQS won't is because they save them for friends. Cut in half fits most shelves better.

I too have used them... I even ask if store has any leftover waiting to be recycled and they are usually happy to pass them on to me.

One thing these cardboard bolts are used for is for the bottom of a large tote. I don't have the pattern, but a friend took a class and they are very big for toting quilts etc. they used these for the bottom for stability.

My Joann's gives me as many empty ones they have at the cutting counter.

Hancock Fabrics gives them away when they have them, and some quilt stores even part with them.

good luck

Suzy