Be cautious how you store your self healing cutting mats... I ruined one a few years ago when it was in my hot car and it warped from the heat!

[QUOTE=barny;6109261]Yes, I have a thought. Go get boxes and pack it all. Phooey if everyone sees all the stash. Look at their junk.ha. Just tell them to stay out of it. I tell everyone in my Kitchen. "Stay out of my kitchen". I mean it too. Now is the time to get it all together. If they don't like it. Tell them to lump it. LOL I'm trying to be funny, but I would just pack it up and take it to the garage. It'll be okay.[/QUOTE
LOL...I agree barny!...AngelinaMaria...use this as a chance to get it all organized and together! Unless your family has "suffered" because of what you've spent, why is it their business?? You enjoy quilting! Your stash is part of that!! Like barny said..it will be okay!!

That's right Petthefabric, here is CA it's "dry heat", and here we will break a record tomorrow 110 degrees. Heat will not hurt fabric.

I prefer using the metal cubes that you need to put together, they hug the walls. I drape a flat bed sheet from top to bottom to keep dust off, but this way the cotton fabric stash can breath. fabric tend to get that mold smell in plastic containers when its too hot too long, but 3 weeks dont seem too long. Here it gets over 100 so for me, i keep mines indoors on these metal cube shelving (costco/sams carrys them).

I would also worry about humidity, not the heat.

Be on the lookout for mice. They chewed through cardboard boxes my Dad had stored blankets in. They had babies cozily tucked away in between the folds. Another time we had some rags stored in shed they chewed it up and packed it under the hood of the riding lawn mower That resulted to a trip to the repair shop. If its hot they won't likely be in there but if they stay out there when the temps start to get chilly they might.

NO, the heat will not harm the fabric. I live in an area that gets very hot and I leave my A/C off when we travel. Sun will damage color, but heat will not harm it.

OK, I'm not sure if this is a funny, but my first thought was 1 the dryer heat does not hurt fabric and 2 ironing does not hurt fabric. So the storage in the garage will be OK. What they are stored in and/or humidity are the questions!

AZ Jane--yes, that is part of my concern is what I am going to use for storage. Not sure yet. I think I can tuck some of it away in a few garage cabinets so I'll probably fill about 8 to 10 target bags with fabric for that. However, I have 5 underbed large rectangle storage boxes full that I'll have to figure out what to do with as well. Last night my husband opened the closet in the guest bedroom to see what we would have to move in there. He had no idea I had it full of fabric. He seemed to take it well but that was just after I told him he needed to stop hasseling me about it. If he sees the boxes under the bed that my be his breaking point. I have actually gone complete cold turkey on quilting shopping so I feel pretty good about that.

Fabric is wrapped in plastic on the bolt and stored warehouses for months before getting in the stores. The easiest way to store fabric temporarily is using plastic trash bags with drawstrings. They are easy to move, they take up less room then boxes, and protect from damp. Folded fabric will stay folded better then you think in one too. We use the bags at guild when we are transporting fabric and storing fabric for a while. Many members can carry a bag but not a box. As far as how much fabric I have, it's no one's business and they find that out as soon as they say a word about it. DH said one time not to buy any more fabric, I had enough. He found out my quilting was not his concern and will never be his concern. LOL