mpeters1200

We just moved from a two bedroom apartment to a 4 bedroom house. There is quite a large living space downstairs that I've split in half. One half is my sewing room and the other the boys' rec room so they are downstairs with me when I'm sewing.

In our apartment, I kept everything inside a LARGE microwave box. The only exception was my little shoe box size plastic totes for FQ size pieces or smaller. Now I get into the house and I fit a heck of a lot of stuff in that microwave box!

I have 2 cabinets on the walls downstairs and one children's bookcase. The bookcase holds my quilt books on one shelf, then my shoe boxes of scraps are on the other shelves arranged by color. I pulled out all my FQs and put them in one smaller box separated as colors.

I'm not sure what to do with the cabinet space. I learned about ruler folding my fabric and that's certainly helped for half yard, yard and just over a yard pieces. I think I can get all those size pieces ruler folded and arranged on shelves by color. I've never had a sewing room in my life. I'm trying to figure out the best use of the space I have. I don't know what to do with pieces over a couple yards. My quilt sandwiches are in a laundry basket cause they don't fit anywhere else.

I've always just put my fabric in walmart sacks according to project. I'm not sure what else I should be doing. Do you think it's a good idea to put some nails on the walls to hold my two mats and rulers? The cabinets I have are like newer kitchen cabinets. They aren't really deep enough to accomodate more storage totes.

I just have no idea what to do. I've thought about those cube storage things that you can get that hold 9 fabric cubes for storing more stuff. I have one bag of small strips and I use those shoe box things for smaller scraps. I'm not sure what to do with my yardage with the space that I have.

Melissa

lfstamper

There are lots of threads on here about scrap organization and also Bonnie Hunter - quiltville.com has lots of suggestions. I would use clear containers and I use a labeler so I don't have to open to know what is inside. Good that you are starting now! Good luck and can't wait to see your new organized space.

mpeters1200

I've been stalking the organization part of quilting board since a month before our big move. I think I really need more shelving units, but I'm not sure yet how to get them or where to put them once I have them. I think I need a craft table on the far wall because I have a desk to sew at, but no table to cut at or press at. If I keep it the way I have it, I'll have to move my machine every time I need to cut or press. I know that won't work. I'm kicking around the idea of getting a table and then putting some of those storage bins under it. I love Bonnie's site and I've been saving all my strips, spare 1/2 sq triangles and all sorts of smaller pieces for one of her quilts someday. I'm just not quite ready to cut up my stash into pieces yet. Baby steps!

Tartan

Without seeing your cupboard I can't comment on that. I have my stash in one of the rolling plastic cupboard from Walmart. It is about 2 feet wide and the drawers are about 8 inches deep. I have the 3 drawers full of my larger pieces on mini bolts. As for putting nails in the cupboards or walls, I would use the 3M command hooks instead. That way you don't damage anything and you can move them if necessary.

mpeters1200

3M hooks are a good idea. I'd have to make sure the hook itself is narrow enough to fit the small hole on my rulers and mats. I'll try and take some pictures of the cupboards today and post them so you can see them. I've thought of those plastic drawers and cupboards, but they seemed expensive compared to the fabric cubes. I like the idea of the plastic so you can see what you have.

Since I have to get all my fabric out anyway, I'm considering measuring it as I go and just pinning the measurement on the fabric so I know how much of each piece I have. Do you all think that florals should have their own pile or do you guys incorporate florals into the rest of the stash by colors? I'm thinking about separating out my solids. I have some nice Kona pieces that are all solids. Still throwing that idea around.

I read about doing things 15 minutes at a time. Got my timer already down stairs and I'll take my laptop so I'll have some tunes to keep me going.

lclang

If you have wall space a large piece of pegboard will take care of a lot of small stuff.

Kris P

I purchased a 4 drawer dresser at a garage sale a few years ago for $4.00. After a paint job, and new handles, it's perfect for storing my fabric. I folded everything using the ruler fold method, and then stood each piece on it's end so I can see everything when I open the drawer. I store fat quarters in one, anything larger that a 1/4 to a yard in another, over a yard in a 3rd, and flannels in the 4th drawer. In some instances, I purchased fabric all from one line, so I keep that all together so I'm reminded to use it together, otherwise, it's all sorted by color... just like the fabric store. I'm amazed at how much fabric can fit in this one sturdy dresser.

Iraxy

Is there not a closet you can put shelves in in this room? That way, you can put some of your totes in there but most importantly you can set your fabrics out and touch them (yea touch). I have a closet and bookshelves in my room that I use to put fabric and "stuff" on but I had DH put shelves in the closet. Peg boards are great for those pesky things like extra rotary cutters, those rulers that find their way home with you from the LQS and those patterns that will inevitably pile up in a corner never to be found until after you repurchase the pattern.

romanojg

I love the cubes for storing. I have 4 of them stacked two high; some with the canvas totes and some without. I also took a tall bookcase like from Office max, etc not too expensive, I took out one of the removeable shelves and took it to Home Depot and had them cut me more and bought some more pegs the same size that came with the case and added shelves so that I can fold my fabric neatly and when being stacked it isn't too high plus the extra shelves helps me organizer by color better. It's great and I finally have been able to stop buying more fabric because since it all came out from hiding, I realize that I have most of what I need already. When I use the canvas totes on the cubes I put a project in it and then clip a picture of project on the outside so that I won't forget what's in it and don't have to pull it down to find out. Its no longer and out of site out of mind project; just like my fabric.

mpeters1200

These are all great ideas. No closet. I have to purchase one of those craft tables so I have something to cut on and press on. I'll measure and see if I can get those cubes underneath. I have a little hallway going off to the garage. I think I can put another bookcase there, one of the taller ones. I pressed a huge amount yesterday and then got in the bottom of the box and found another whole amount. I'll be pressing more today. I did take some paper and some pins and pinned the amount of fabric on each piece so I know how much I have.