tropit

I'm just starting a new quilt and I'm finally learning to label my pieces as I cut them. OK...I'm a little slow to this idea, but better late than never. I had a big pack of those round, neon colored labels in my desk, so I started sticking a label on each stack of same size, pre-cut pieces in coordination with the label on the written pattern. Now things are much less confusing. So easy! Why didn't I do this before? I used to use zip-lock plastic bags, but I found that they started floating around everywhere but where they were needed. I can still put my stacks into zippys, if I want, but now there will be a lot less of them.

bearisgray

I wish I had done that with some of the UFOs I'm locating now.

I also with I had included everything - book, thread, all fabrics needed - in the pack. And made notes on which ruler I used for cutting, which machine I was using with the settings used, etc. And kept each project in a separate container. Labelled.

Learn and live!

At this point, I am thinking that those that buy for the project at hand (even at full price) , and finish it before moving on the next project - have probably spent way less money on "quilting" than I have.

So - sometimes less is better!

Onebyone

I used a Sharpie and wrote the letter or number on the bigger size Wonder Clips. Easy to clip each pile of cuts and keep in order. Then I got fancy and bought the Alphabet stickers at Hobby Lobby and put on the clips. Easier to see at a glance.

Lena1952

I use paper plates with the sizes written on the plate to keep more complicated piecing parts organized. If there are parts that can be chained pieced, I just take those plates to my machine and piece away. If I need to put them aside at some point, I put them in a plastic 12” block tote/organizer box. I’ve reused those plates many times, crossing out the old sizes and adding the new ones. Inexpensive and it worked for me.

Snooze2978

I tend to make a list of the blocks, add a letter to each piece, then put the straight pin with that letter stuck to the pile it goes with. Lots of sticky notes also on fabrics I've decided to use for each piece and/or block. Seems to help me keep things straight as I go along especially if I have to push the project aside and work on something else for awhile, then go back to the 1st project. Just look at my note, find the alphabet pin the goes with it and go.

QuiltE

Some thoughts on labelling pieces ... and then some!!

Early on, I saw the fancy pins that people had ... I made my own using those really long ones we used for OBWs and labelled with A-B-C's.

Found the pinning, sometimes too annoying. Plus somehow, some of the letters seemed to jump ship!! I the graduated to clothes pins labeled with the A-B-C's using a magic marker!

I have a stack of smallish $ $tore plastic bins (maybe 6"x8"x1-1/2"?) to keep control of these pre-cuts as I work with them or until I make the next block. Or if making more than one block at a time, I can use a bin for each block, and stack them up. Also, I pretty much press after every seam, so these bins work nicely for moving small pieces from machine to ironing board and back again, til they are together in bigger units or finished blocks. And are a huge help to avoid losing some of those itty-bitty's as I work my way through the assembly!

When I saw that others were using sticky notes, I thought, great ... tried that, but didn't take me long to say adios ... the sticky notes never seemed to stick (for me!) to the fabric, for long.

Now, mostly ... I tend to use green painter's tape for labelling.
It sticks well and stays on the fabrics without leaving residue.
Still use clothes pins, but this way, I don't have to look for every A-B-C!

Also, use the green tape to note size on stash yardage, so that at a quick glance, I know measurements of my stash pieces. Pieces over a yard, I fold one way and anything under a yard, is folded differently, more like a FQ. At a quick glance, I can eliminate or zero in on potentials. Simplifies my stash shopping strips!

When I set a project aside, I try (operative word being try!) to put everything together in a plastic box/bin ... including the fabric remnants/yardages too. Even if I am sure I am not going to use the rest of the fabric, it stays with the project through to the end. Learned that lesson too many times, when I decided to shift gears and change the original plan ... and could not find the fabric I needed. Or worse, had used it in a different project. YIKES!

Finally ... when I have a quilt top together. I make sure I make the backing and binding before I dispatch the leftovers back to my stash! I may or may not be quilting it right away, but for sure, I know that I have all that I will need through to the finish line!

DebbieJJ

I labeled the "bajillion" pieces of one of the quilts I made during the summer, and that was a life saver. That quilt is still sitting, waiting to be put together because I'm still quilting another couple of quilts on the longarm. At least the bajillion piece quilt has been pieced into blocks, but not put together into a top yet. I can't wait to see what it will look like all together.

tranum

I cut a lot of quilts tops for our church quilters and I wrap each stack of pieces in adding machine tape and write on the tape. Extra fabric goes in a baggie. Pattern and all goes in a 2 gallon baggie.

Gemm

This folding tip is a great one - so simple and I think a lot of my stash has naturally gone that way but it's not been intentional, so thank you!

QuiltE

Thanks Gemm ... My stash is mostly in those flat plastic totes, about 6-8" deep. They stack well, and are labelled with green tape. The larger yardages are folded to 1/4WOF, so take most of the width of the tote. The under a yard pieces then fit nicely down the side to keep the yardages sitting still and not sliding around.