onaemtnest

I too give credit to AlaskaSunshine for inspiration in organizing my fabric stash. Someone a long time ago suggested using the acid free comic boards. One year ago I took all my fabric out of cabinets and folded around the comic boards. I went through 300+ boards only folding 2 yards or more on the boards, I could get 6 yards per board. Anything over six yards is stored on the manufacturer fabric bolts.

I was able to go through my entire stash, determine what I would use, donate what I would never use, and spent one full week organizing by color and 3 holidays groupings. I didn't mind one bit as we quilters all feel it's fun to handle fabric, I found fabric that I completely forgotten I had. I 'thought' I was organized and neat but the comic boards now allow me at-a-glance to know what I have and what I need.

The comic boards work well, however they aren't as sturdy as Coroplast or styrofoam I'm sure. Mine are stored in cabinets and on bookshelves and are tightly against one another. For shelves that aren't full end to end I use book ends to keep them tight. Comic boards was simply my choice for economic reasons alone and for me it works well.

I bought mine from a local comic book store (we only have one in our city) and he discounted mine because I was buying 300, he sold them to me for $7.50 per 100. When I recently went back into the store to buy another 100 he told me that quilters were becoming his biggest buyer of comic book boards. :0)

lab fairy

The cardboard that fabric is wrapped on isn't acid-free. You can definitely tell on many of the fabrics as they are unwrapped. I would be careful using it for any "long term" storage. We know who we are...stash hanging around from a couple years ago. OK, maybe more.

Sassylass

I bought my 4x8 sheets from a sign shop for under $15.00 a sheet, then hubby cut them into smaller pieces for me.

carhop

When I am at Joanns I ask for and get as many as I can carry of their bolts they will give it to you for free the hobby Lobby here will not give you theirs said they go back to the mfg.

pattyrg

I think I will go for this solution, there is a dollar store not too far away! Thanks so much.

BellaBoo

I use archival comic book boards. They aren't as stiff but work great to hold the folded fabric up right. I don't bother to pin or clip my fabric to hold in place anymore. It stays in place on the board when up against the other fabrics. I fold my fabric selvage to selvage then fold again making a long narrow strip that fold perfectly on the boards.

mengler

The other problem with cardboard is that it attracts "varmints" whereas plastic does not. Any paper products - cardboard etc. - particularly those that have been 'outside' boxes or the shipping container as opposed the boxes inside the shipping box are likelier to attract unwelcome friends.

mengler

Most online stores: Clotilde, Nancys notions etc. have precut corrugated plastic fabric organizers in a range of standard sizes with pre cut doohickeys to hold the fabric ends. I ordered a pile from NN on sale a few years back and they work well. They also fit the skinney IKEA billy bookcase which is where I stacked all my boards in color order. Nothing has fallen out or over so far. .

Snorky Lvs2Quilt

I usually go to my LQS and get the centers of the bolts of fabric that they usually throw away. They just give them to me for free. I can cut them in half for smaller amounts of fabric or use them full size for my larger pieces. Works like a charm. I would think they would be ok for fabric since fabric comes on them........

JanieH

I like this! Thanks for sharing the hint!