Up to my armpits in fabric...
 

Taking advantage of the long holiday to sort my fabric. Should NOT have been a difficult task but have 24 64 quart containers and only 2 are sorted...kinda. Dragged everthing into the living room, put the cutting table up next to the computer so I can chat and fold.

My goodness the interesting fabric! LOL...Thought about sorting scraps into squares or strips but that could take all month so will pass on that. Decided to sort fabric into bundles that look nice together for Quilts for Kids and Quilts of Valor. Found ribbin to tie the bundles together so can grab a project and find a pattern.

Know what the hardest part is...fondling fabric and wanting to stop sorting and start sewing.

Looking foward to going to work today for my four hours so I can get off my feet and rest!

Have a good weekend my fellow Quilters!

Sounds like you are having an "achivel dig" sorting and sifting through the layers of history of fabric purchases. My hats of to you for starting. I look at my stash ..knowing it is desperate for some organization... and just get stuck.

Thank god I did that last weekend. Felt like I was getting toured. I got most of it into nine labeled sweater containers. I still have a huge bag to cut into usable squares. This weekend I need to shorten pants, and clean. Think I will have lunch, and a nap first.

Have to say, 24- 64 quart containers, you must be past your eyebrows, not just armpits! I too, need to resort, refold and reinventory. My excuse is I'm waiting for colder weather and/or a rainy day for a project like that. Last time I did this, I was appalled at the amount of fabric I had. Didn't even remember buying some of it, but know we're both in good company in this! Hope your day was enlightening and productive. Now go have fun the rest of the weekend.

wow thats alot af fabric im slowly trying to get mine all prewashed but i hate ironing ive traded with my mom she dose the ironing and i sew clothes for her only problem is she keeps lossing weight so i have to keep taking in her skirts.

Doesn't take all that long to acquire lots of it - - - -

I have over 16 giant plastic boxes of fabrics/scraps that I just inherited from my sister in law who can no longer quilt on account of alzheimers. I am half way thru it. This is more than I will ever use so what I don't want I am donating to a church who quilts.

I know what you mean
 

I so relate to "the hardest part".... i've been working on my sewing room for quite a while.... here is so far...

Boy do I know how you are feeling!! I acquired off of Craigs List 6 large 3 drawer plastic containers with fabric in all sizes and shapes stuffed to the gills in the drawers. Thank heavens they were somewhat sorted by color in the bins but it has taken me several weeks to sort thru it and fold and put away the fabric and I am still only about 2/3 done. I agree the hardest part is to not set aside this one or that one and start sewing!!!

Great ideas, I need to get this stash out of boxes I have sorted by color.

We purchased used filing cabinets to store our stash (which is verry modest), marked each drawer and sorted by color. Our daughter was here from CA and we did it together we had a great time. Now I need to start cutting the scraps into usable sizes.

I love fondling-I mean sorting a stash pile.

Ahh the great feeling of admiring fabric. How we all love that LOL Getting it organized ...not so much. Good luck and I hope you get everything as you want it.

i'm a little envious, but if i had that much fabric, i wouldn't be able to function. my anxiety level would go into hyper-drive. it is a wonderful storage system that works for you, though. you can see what you have and use what you need to make your quilts. i would probably just stare at the pretty colors!

Thanks for the reminder! I desparately need to sort "left overs". Just keep wanting to start the next project!

My excuse is I'm waiting for colder weather and/or a rainy day for a project like that.

And wouldn't you know it,,,the weekend the nasty weather starts....my 2nd job will probably kick in!

I have started to organize....except something, usually DH wants to eat, work or sleep, wants to disrupt my plans.

Mom is here, so we are making Christmas table runners....only need 3 today! Maybe next weekend will start cleaning...NOT!!!!

I have to sort and organize and store as I go or it makes me crazy. Another OCD thing. Sometimes spend more time organizing than sewing--what's wrong with this picture?

I'm trying to decide whether to go to the thrift store that is having a 1/2 off sale. They usually have scraps. I don't need anything, and most of what I have was sorted, and put away last weekend. Then I have another issue.. I'm in a one bedroom apartment, and don't like the idea of it looking like a grenade went off in a fabric store. Am I obcessed with fabric? You bet.

Gosh I should be so lucky! I am just starting out with quilting again after a long time away from sewing and I have 6 smallish 11"X14" bins only half full of mostly fq's ...I dream of the day I have your problem! LOL Have fun with the sorting and dreaming about all the lovely things you can make with your stash!

Joann

Wow! I wish I were as organized as you all seem to be. And those pictures of the organization. I've got bags and boxes of fabric stacked in a spare room. You are inspiring me to get organized myself. Where does one get the time?

I started organizing and cleaning out my sewing room two weeks ago. This meant I had to refold every piece of fabric I own in order for it all to fit in the cabinets and shelves. I folded fabric for a solid week, at least if not more than five hours a day. I'm still not done. My husband and I took a mini vacation last week. We were gone for three days, two nights. You guessed it, I bought $110.00 worth of fabric!!! More fabric to refold! I told myself that I was on vacation and could buy whatever I wanted as not to feel guilty. Oh well, as my sons say, "YOLO--you only live once!"

Bought two bookcases from staples and used comic boards to fold fabric looks good and now I see what fabric I have. Also i am not as tempted to buy more fabric. yet. Going to another quilt show soon.

check out this site - they used filing cabinets for their fabric stash http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2012/01/tool-time-tuesdayfile-your-fabric.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7x9Q-FtTft...fabric+001.jpg

I reorganized my stash and sewing room in July. I put myself on a fabric (and patterns and rulers and anything else quilt related) diet immediately!!! I have been very good, not making any purchases even though I went to my favorite LQS twice with a quilting friend that was visiting from Florida. But he bought me a layer cake and a pattern so I don't think that counts as a fail as I didn't purchase them and I tried to not let him get them for me. I went the APS quilt show in Grand Rapids last weekend and I tell you, it was fun looking at all the stuff! I touched fabric and watched demonstrations but didn't have the urge to buy anything until the last hour we were there. I came across some fabric that I had never heard of the line before and it was soooooo delicious! I was told that because I have been so good that I could reward myself with a FQ bundle! I found a pattern and a specialty ruler and my other half liked the pattern so well that the pattern and the ruler were purchased for me. Spoiled? Yes! Enabled? Yes! Feel the urge to buy more? Nope!

Goodness me, how lucky some of you are to have so much fabric ! I ,and so many others try not to envy those of you we see with stacks of lovely materials so neatly sorted on shelves in your sewing rooms.I try to remember how patchwork started out,with frugality and artistry and then put aside any thoughts of how things have changed.I guess someone will take me to task for being mean spirited about those that afford the luxury of spending what they can but really I'm not doing that.Those that I admire most though are those with little to spend manage to carry on a craft born of need and longing for the need to express the art within.Love to all that carry on this craft though. Letty

Julie, looks like you started a great topic. LOL. SO many ideas. My room would look like an office storage center if I used filing cabinets. LOL.
I have seen it too.
And tried putting them all on Comic boards and that was too much work. Easier to just fold them and add them to a shelf.
And all those scraps.......I'm jealous.....Have fun sorting thru it all.
Loved the pattern you are thinking about for using them too. Hugs

I sent my DH off to play for a whole MONTH so I could sort my fabric - he'd have a heart attack if he saw how much there actually is. Actually, I may have a heart attack seeing how much is there!!! It's a fun thing to do because I've found fabric that I had completely forgotten about, but oh my - I never need to shop for fabric again!!! I put together my own "kits" and sorted by solid vs prints, then into colors - now, if I could just finish and start SEWING again!!!!! Hope you're having as much fun as I am!

I also need to do this. A job I have been putting off.

I bought those hanging sweater shelf 'things and put them in my sewing room closet. My fabric fits great on the shelves...well almost all of my fabric!

I was in the same spot a couple weeks ago.I added 4 yds to the top of my stash and later that night when I got home the shelving had collapsed. How heavy could 4 yds weigh?? I grabbed a pillow and shut the door-slept on the loveseat that night.It took me 5 days to resort and refold--yeah the fondling added 3 days to the job. But now things are quilts to be organized And was able to make 6 twin sized quilts from my stash and I only had to buy 1 yd of light pink to finish my bindings And now I know I DO NOT need to buy any more fabric the rest of my life..unless it jumps out at me : )

You sound like me on the fabric fondling !

I went to the thrift store. Picked up a bag with about 1.5 yds. Not a problem... BUT.. While I was there I saw a treadle machine with a vertical bobbin. It was in a desk. The wheel was free moving. but noticed that the bobbin might have been missing a part. It was 1/2 off, and would've been $35. I didn't buy it.. WHY.. I wasn't even afraid to work on it, and order what was needed. I have no room for it. I'm in a one bedroom apartment. I'm very sad about it.. I wonder if I should get rid of the big comfy leather chair hanging out in the corner.. Hmmm.. Am I a hoarder? Nope.. I need to be realistic. I have two machines out.

yummy! mine looks a little like this. love it..I manage to mess it up quite fast so have to keep reminding myself "put it back in order be4 the next project!! I encourage myself by relizing I am doing better with the neatness test :)

well if any of you need to de-clutter i would make the sacrifice, lol, and be more than glad to accept your donations. i am just starting to build my stash and in comparison to some of yours i have nothing. just thought i would mention it.

I am so glad I'm not alone in this quilting madness! My oldest daughter offers to come over every once in a while to help me organize and I take her up on it gladly. She and her 11 yr. old mentee and coming to my house for sewing(quilting) lessons and I give them free choice of my fabric. Something I learned in trying to control the chaos is ---I cut all my leftovers into instantly useable sizes, 3.5 sq., 6x6, or long strips for string quilts. I teach young children to sew and they love picking thru the colors. I want to be buried with all my pink fabric around me so I have to keep collecting to have enough! Grandme DD