fabric storage
 

I've been buying archival comic book boards from Amazon. Very reasonably price and then I cut them down so I get 200 total. works great for me.

Minnie, you don't need to buy those expensive cards to store your stash. I fold my fabric salvage to salvage, then start folding fabric into segments approximately 26 to 30 inches long. Keep folding till all the length of fabric is folded. Then fold in half again or in thirds (whichever gives you the measurement you want). End of with a pc
8x22 1/2. Then fold in half again ending with a pc 8x11.
Then just stack them up on your shelves with the last folded edge facing you....nice and neat with no added charge.

I do the same. You can also use a 6.5 X 24 ruler to wrap fabric around then pull out half way, fold in half, pull ruler out all the way. You can stack them on the shelf. When you feel comfortable you will be able to do this just as well with out the ruler. It really looks nice to see all of the fabric when you're done. Some like to group their stacks by color or types: civil war, juvenile prints, solids, etc. You can do it!!

when I'm at the large fabric stores, I ask if they have any cardboard bolts they are tossing. They are always happy to get rid of them.

As per the my poinit of view Fabric wrapped around, then pulled out half, fold in half, pull all the rulers. You can stack on the shelf. When you feel comfortable, you can do as good a ruler. It really looks very happy to see when you complete all of the fabric. Some people like to set the color or type of stack: civil, juvenile prints, solids, etc., you can do! !

I use the ruler method. It is working out great.

Free is good (smile). My friend uses the empty bolts from our LQS and they are thrilled to give them away rather than send them to the garbage landfill. Again, free is good.

I use the comic boards, get them from our Hobby store, look under comic in yellow pages....these are great and very reasonable....100 or 200 for a bundle

here is what i do. i don't use cards to store my fabric. i use scrap booking bins to store and keep out of sun light and dust. always using your 50% off coupon when purchasing the bins of course :-)
another resource for plastic bins is craigslist. i have found some really nice and tall one and i wash them down good even when they look like new. for my FQs i use the shoe box style bin and usually you can get those for 99 cents at any craft store. hope this helps and good luck with your organization.

I use cardboard boxes. I cut them up with my rotary cutter (I have one cutter marked card board) and a ruler. I cut the bigger size 8.5 x 12" (Why? because I have a ruler that size) for yardage. for fat-quarters 5" square. These sizes fit nicely on my shelves. This way my fabric is setting one the shelves like books. I place them according to color. When I want a particular piece, I can remove it without disturbing the other material. Likewise when I get a new piece I can squeeze on the shelf in its right place. I have been doing this for a long time and had no problems. I figure the fabric stores use cardboard to wrap their material so why not.....I get my boxes from different stores, just make sure they are cleaqd. Most stores are glad to get rid of them. I also save any boxes that come with on line purchases. My husband is addicted to shopping on-line

mat board from frame shop
 

I get scrap mat board form the frame shop. It's acid free so wouldn't damage fabric. It's stiff enought but not too thick. They give it to me for free. If I want larger I do have to buy it, but they give me a good price.

I fold my fabric selvage to selvage and roll it up on my 8 1/2 X 24 ruler. Slide the ruler out and then I put a tag inside with how big this fabric piece is, and then fold it in half. I then stack on the shelves in my wardrobes according to color or theme. I don't have to measure the piece of fabric again, because I have already tagged it, so I know instantly if it is big enough for the project. Fat quarters are stacked on end in plastic drawers, so they are easily identifyable.

I use those foam poster boards at the dollar store!

I use the ruler fold method. Take the fabric folded in half the way it comes off the bolt; fold in half lengthwise again. Now it's about 11" wide. Lay 6x12 ruler on one end and start rolling. When it's all rolled on the ruler, pull the ruler out. No cardboard or foamboard to take up valuable storage space.

I even stand my folded fabric on edge in dresser drawers. There is enough of it that it holds itself upright on edge and I can see every beautiful piece!

I use cereal boxes. Cut the long sides out and trim to the size you want.

I use the same thing.

I use a variety of methods and items to wrap my fabric around depending on what it is and how small a piece. Have found that a good craft knife and ruler are all the go for cutting down the flaps of cardboard boxes.

Go to your local photo/frame shop and see if they have a dump box of left over photo/poster board that goes in the frame and around the picture. The center that is cut out is usually tossed out. It is perfect for wrapping you fabric around. I have a 6' shelf that holds my batik fabrics stored this way. I cut the board 11.5"x8.5". I hope this helps you out.

Fabric Storage
 

I was shown by a dear friend to fold to desired size for my see thru drawers and set the drawer up on end...stack the fabric in it and then turn drawer back right - put back in storage area and then you can just go thru the fabric like a file cabinet and see everything you have at a glance. It is wonderful. My hubby just finished my whole wall with shelving and I have everything "filed and labeled now. I will send photos after the Christmas and New Year holidays....

I use the ruler method also. It is so easy and keeps everything neat. AND it is free.

I use the foam core boards from the dollar store also. I was getting them at Walmart and they are nicer but more expensive. You get quite a few from each board, depending on the size you cut. I also have the comic book boards too. I love having them all nice and neat and where I can see what I have. I also have tubs full in the closet and in my storage, but I over buy because I have no idea what is in those bins most of the time.

I use empty bolts from JoAnns. I just ask when I am in, and they are happy to give them to me. I cut them in half, and roll away. I realize that acid free is better, but then again, I don't intend my stash to get older than I am! Best of all--they are free.

I, too, had wanted to buy the cardboard inserts for folding, but with the amount of fabric I have it would have cost a fortune. Instead, I did this: first, measure the amount of fabric and write it down on a piece of paper (I used index cards cut in half), then lay the fabric on your table so that the selvage is on the left and the fold is on the right, and the excess is falling off the table toward your feet. Next, lay a wide ruler (6.5 or 7" x 24) across the fabric and flip the fabric and ruler over and over toward you until all the fabric is wound on the ruler. Slide the ruler out, fold the bundle of fabric in half, and staple the piece of paper onto the top front. All your fabrics will stack neatly. I group mine by theme (batiks, Christmas, Halloween, baby, etc. and then by colors). Having the measurement on the top has saved me TONS of time when selecting what I need for a project. It took me several weeks to fold and label everything, but now it's a joy to use my stash...I feel like I am shopping in my own store! (BTW, I don't do this for anything less than 1/2 yard as it's difficult to get the fabric around the ruler. For FQs and small cuts I fold them neatly and stack them by color on the shelves of a CD unit. These shelves are shallow so you are not wasting the space of a deep shelf.) Good luck with your organization!

I use the plastic shoe boxes for the dollar store and the under the bed plastic boxes from WalMart. The under the bed shorage is great for fat quarters and one will hold a lot. Also I found some card board boxes for .99 that are also good for that. I am starting to use plastic hangers to hang larget pieces and they work great. Hang them in your closet and you can see instantly what you have and they really save a lot of space.

I didn't read through all the replies but here:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/search.php?searchid=698771
tons of great ideas

I prefer the ruler method, as I think it adds less bulk and I can fit more into my plastic drawers.

This is similar to what I do, except a tag for how much fabric (that is a good idea though.) My fat quarters I just lay in the drawer of one of my plastic carts. I'm putting a link to a site that shows how to use the ruller to fold the fabric.

http://turningturning.com/tutorial-folding-fabric/

I do the same with the long ruler, it looks so neat when you are done and you can see all your fabric at once. Do a little each day, and in no time your task will be completed. Good luck and please post a picture both before and after, we love to see it.

milate has wonderful fabric boards for sale here!! I have gotten several from her and they have freed up so much space for me!!! Might want to check them out! I decided to try something cheap...didn't work at all!! Went back to milate because the are a great item and good price as well!! i am alos on very fixed budget! Good luck!! :)

Nonnie, have you ever thought of a giveaway! LOL......just kidding, most of the fabric I have now is in shelves and bins, as yours............I keep what I'm working with on the accessible shelves but I'm sure I have some that is "hidden" away that I need to get out. I gave away some of my stash to my Mother, who also quilts, when she was working on a project, but then she and my Sister gave me some of theirs........so here we go again! haha...........good luck.......some of the workplace photos in here are just amazing........and where there's a will.........there's a way..........I know you will find that way..........

I use the ruler method works really well for me.

My method is cheap and works great - fold selvadge to selvadge, fold in half width wise, fold in half again, or whatever gives me the 9" wide i need for placing two different fabrics side by side stacked in the drawer/bins I use. Since the bins are see-thru, I can see the colors at a glance in each drawer- blues, greens, reds, browns, etc. Works great.

i go to the dollar store and buy the thick craft board and cut it into the size that i want and then i wrap my material onto it. i usually get six to seven pieces from one large sheet of craft board. I can get it in white or black. I use the white for light colored material and the black for dark material.. At my dollar store the craft board runs 2 for $1.00.

I was on daydesigns.com she has her fabric
hanging on hangers in the closet.

I have shelves but use the JoAnn fabric recycle bags, purchased for 1.99 to store my fabric. organized but bagged. my scraps I have used ziplock bags, color stacked and in these large bags too.. cheap, the bags form to shelves. good luck. not the best.. some of these sewing rooms I am in green with envy over !! good luck

Wow, all that time organizing! When do you all sew! I had half of the two car garage remodeled into a studio (while my husband was working out of town). I use very tall shelves (designed to be used in the garage to store tools and garage stuff. I sort by fabric type. Then by color. Knits, flannel, wool, decorator, while quilt fabrics are folded and stored separately on shelves by color. Holiday fabrics are stored on a shelf separately (some are metalics, plaid, cotton etc). I sew professionally and I need a fabric type before I might need a specific color. I have so much that it is laying on the floor as there is not enough room for more shelves.

I went to the Dollar store and they had the foam core boards, then when they ran out I went to a local sign board and purchased the coroplast boards, I cut all the larger boards into smaller more convienient sizes, I do am on a budget, but if I buy some, then go get some more, it works out better and it doesn't seem as if I'm spending all that much money at once, buy the way, I get twice as much in my space by storing my fabric in this way

I use the ruler method as well. I fold the fabric fold to selvage and then wrap the longer lengths around the 6" wide ruler (I use the 6x12 since it is easier to manage). I wrap the smaller pieces (less than a yard) around a 4" wide ruler. Gives me 2 sized stacks which help making the most of the shelf space.