Fabric Organization
 

Since I have joined a guild, I have been able to use fabric from my stash :thumbup: BUT because I have it stored in boxes, dresser etc. I am constantly having to dig. Well, yesterday I decided to refold and store on shelves like in the fabric store. OMG! what a mess I have gotten myself into. I thought this would only take a couple of days, HA! Don't get me wrong, I am not really complaining. Just didn't think I had so much fabric :rolleyes: Anyway, can't wait until I get it all done and can just look on the shelves for fabric instead of digging thru boxes and drawers.

I know what you mean! It is nice when folded and on shelves. I used to have it so neat and folded, then I started a few projects and my mom gave me a bunch of scraps and pieces. I'm still digging out!

My problem is after making a quilt, I got to refold everything back into the drawer. YUCK!!

Fortunately, I moved in May and had to down-size. Everything is either on bolts or in plastic-labeled tubs. Now, I just can't touch it, or it will be all over, again!

The vast majority of my stash is 1 yard or less. Mostly half yard cuts. For this reason, I ruler fold it and stand them all on end in the drawers of my 4 drawer dresser. (Think Konmari method for fabric.) I arrange them by color, just like the fabric store. One drawer is all the larger pieces (2yds +) one is all flannel, one for regular prints and one for solids, batik & novelty. In addition to the dresser, I also have a curio cabinet with an open face where I display fat quarters. I prefer to have my stash under cover. Seeing it all at once is overstimulating for me.

Catsden, you have motivated me bit! I have been procrastinating on rearranging my craft room where a lot of my stash is stored....it has gotten a bit out of control....need to tame the beast!

Whatever method you use to organize I highly recommended that you measure each piece and mark it somehow with the yardage. When we reorganized I did this (punched hole in the comic book board and put a tag through it). Now when I need a fabric not only can I see it but I know right away if there is enough

I started ruler folding my fabric and wrote the yardage on the selvedge with a permanent marker. I didn't get too far though as we moved and I still haven't organized the fabric after helpers unpacked the boxes and just put the fabric wherever they could find space on shelves and in cabinets.

There are a lot of videos for the KonMari method of organization. One thing I did and took awhile to get through his skull (DH's) throw/recycle manuals for appliances and anything else we "did not'' have. Why keep it. The appliance is no longer with us. We put an a/c on the curb and he looked at me like I was crazy for putting the manual inside a plastic Ziploc and attaching it. We did not need the manual. It relieved our file cabinet of almost 10# of worthless paper. I did go through some fabric and got him to the sewing machine by putting some fabric not crazy about in a basket and he just grabs it sews up couple doggie beds. he does the birthing method. That's ok. He has cleaned my 401 5 times in the last 2 weeks. each time he gets to the machine. I use the comic boards and I use my cutting mat as a guide to fold also and punched a hole then used a tag to mark how much yardage is on it. Less than a yard but more than a fat quarter get put with the fat quarters and is noted.

I still remember when I moved to this house 5 years ago and had to decide how I wanted to display my fabrics. Heard about the comic book boards so ordered what I thought I'd need. Boy was a way off. I hadn't realized just how much fabric I had in my totes as they'd been stored for 5 years. I still have some apparel fabrics in plastic totes yet stored under the quilt frame for lack of any place else to hide it. I've ran out of room down here to buy anymore fabrics........though I break my rule and buy more when I see something I just have to have. But I'm making way thru it all.

I am doing the same thing. My craft room is a disaster area. But soon all will be in order. I can't wait. I am so tired of digging for material or tools I need.

I also need to organize my fabric. My stash looks like it's exploded, which it has. I have tubs, but I end up pulling fabric out and it suddenly doesn't fit when I need to put it away. I also have more fabric than totes and don't want to buy more. I am trying to be patient waiting for our Ikea store to open, but that's not until sometime around August. When I drive by the site, I feel like that old Mervyn's commercial where the woman is standing outside saying "Open, Open, Open." :)

Mine was pretty organized BUT DH decided now is the time to replace the carpet with the vinyl plank flooring we have talked about. I am thrilled, however, it means taking EVERYTHING out. Since we are doing that, it is forcing me to rethink the configuration, sorting through books, kits etc. Moved two bookcases to the bedroom, making room in the guest room closet for overflow fabric and hoping to add a countertop so I can have a couple more machines up and ready to use, rather than on the shelf. Here is a before picture:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]541335[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]541337[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]541338[/ATTACH]

I'm thinking of moving the current oak desk in front of the window and adding a countertop to the entire length of the wall under the pegboard, to make a "U" shape. Will have to move the Tiara and cutting table a bit to accommodate the width of the oak desk, but should have enough room. The closet is FULL of projects. My design wall rolls down over the window, but will move that to the guest room so it hangs over the closet when in use. What do you think? Any further ideas?

What is your cutting table/pressing table made from? Nice pegboard set up over the machine

I like the idea of the counter.

I use the comic book boards and the bolt boards for larger than 3yds. As I tend to order more of the same fabric, especially from Connecting Threads and they have various colors in the collection, I have started to stick their label to the bolt/board so I know exactly which color it is. Some of their colors are so close to each other and of course when you look online its hard to tell which one it is you need. I find this helps me as I have quite a few of their complete collections, especially their blender fabrics such as "Mirage". Also have found out that not every bolt of their fabric matches. Thank goodness for their return policy.

i absolutely love your space!
you might want to give some thought on the angle & time of day that the sun comes thru the window before putting your desk there. we have a chair in our house that's unusable for a few hours in the fall because the sun would blind anyone who sat there.

chris in virginia

Chris458 is right. I thought putting my sewing machine in front of the window would be great for light, but instead it was too bright. So had to put it off at an angle which is fine but I was surprised it didn't work. My window is a south facing window so that may be why.

Since my DH is not what you could call talented working with wood, I depend a lot on Ikea and even thrift stores for my storage assistance. Just bought two "Omar" shelving units from Ikea to put in the closet of my sewing room for my fabric bins. It is so nice to have to be able to get to each bin without having to remove three bins on top. Except for the large flat bins, those needed to be stacked 2 per shelf. So I am thinking about replacing them with taller ones that aren't so long. It will be the same storage area just in a different shape. (Sounds like a trip to Joann's is needed.)

I am going to have my craft room remodeled and I went through all of my fabric and I marked the yardage on each piece but I have never heard of using comic book boards to store fabric. What size do you use and are there instructions on how to fold the fabric? I'd love to have my stash accessible. It was like a Treasure hunt when I started going through all of my fabric. I found fabric I forgot I had and I found fabric that I knew I had but I couldn't find it. I really want an efficient and organized work area.

dd

Wow, everything looks so neat and organized. Your pegboard is well done. Could you tell me what those teal colored containers are and where you got them? How about the grey things above them? What's in them?

I got them online, but it has been a few years so couldn't tell you where unfortunately. I will have to search too cuz if I add a countertop, I want DH to build another to the left, since the bookcase is moved into the bedroom. Just need to find room in the guest closet for the fabric now. The gray pegboard containers are tilt out bins. I have bobbins, needles and sewing machine feet that won't fit in my oversized pill containers LOL

My DH made it to my specifications. It is plywood and approximately 24" x 4 ft. to accommodate my 2' x 3' cutting board and leave room for my iron when I put the removable ironing surface on top. The narrow outside section has three pull out peg boards for rulers, and to the right Command hooks for scissors and rotary cutters, marking pens etc. The right side towards the closet has a deep divided section that holds four machines, and four shallower cubbies nearest the wall that hold plastic containers of projects, fabric, or ironing supplies. On the side towards the Tiara, it is blank where the pegboard slides, but I have since put up Command hooks to hold my 1/4" quilting rulers.
In the back, opposite the shallow cubbies, are two horizontal shelves that hold bolts of fusible fleece, interfacing etc. and on the bottom which is taller, rolls of stabilizer etc.

I love your sewing space. It just looks like such a great space to work in. I hope I can get my space so well organized. I'm still fussing over the placement of my furniture.

I have my bigger yardage over hangers in a closet (lots of closet space in my sewing area) and I've started labelling it as to what it is (linen, sateen, whatever) since I have a lot of garment fabric and how much there is. It's really a help when you are looking for something and need more than a yard or so.

My smaller yardage is on shelves above the sewing tables all the way to the ceiling. I have the fabric in tubs by color. I do have to get them down and go thru the tubs, but having them up there frees up so much floor space for me

Makes you feel good to be organized...

Love your space!! My guild is involved in helping high school students make quilts and we are putting together kits for those that will not be able to afford materials. I forced me to clear out lots of fabric and batting. It was a good experience and I cleared out lots of fabric (still have too much!)