quiltsRfun

I store mine in plastic totes. But I live in the second driest state in the country so we don't have much problem with humidity.

Onebyone

As long as my fabric has air circulation and no direct sunlight then I don't think about it.

gillyo

I store my fabric in a large bookcase my father made me. I have a piece of mat board that I use for a folding board so it looks neat, and the fabrics are easy to pull. I sort by color and also categories like polka dots, stripes, and batiks. I even have a smaller cabinet for all of the Kaffe Fassett prints I've collected over the years. My bookcase is located in a large hallway adjacent to our loft. The great thing about is that the fabrics are protected from fading, but there's a great combination of overhead light and natural light so when I want to pull fabrics for a quilt I can see what I'm pulling!

I have a lot of precut squares and strips that I store in the dresser I used as a child. It's easy to open the drawers and pull out what I want. I use one of the grid units with fabric drawers for scraps and odds and ends. I'm lucky because I live in an area with very little humidity so even when I have had to store fabric in plastic tubs I haven't had any problems.

Now that I'm older and hopefully wiser I buy a lot less fabric than I used to. Since I work small FQs and smaller cuts work for me, so when I do buy I don't buy much. However, I have learned that if a fabric really grabs me that I'd better get at least a yard of it. There are two fabrics that I'm hanging onto tiny scraps of and would love to find more of, but it's been over 20 years so I'm sure that bird has flown.

About 5 years ago my mother met a woman in her town who works with seniors and they make quilts to donate to different charitable organizations. I gave her several large boxes of dated fabric and she was thrilled to get it. It was all in great condition, just styles and colors I'd never use. She said her quilting ladies had a blast going through it all. Now when I'm going through my stash and I find something they might be able to use I set it aside for them.

Here's a photo of my stash area:
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cathyvv

One thing that i will suggest is that when you bring fabric home from the store, mark how many yards and inches of each piece of fabric you bought on/with the fabric. You can write it on the selvage, or pin it on the fabric or whatever method suits you. Then when you look at an individual fabric in your stash, you know how long it is.

Gee Hope

My thoughts exactly. I envy my friend who purchases as needed.

Onebyone

I am weaning my stash down by using it! I pick a pattern and use all shades of one color that I have. I just made a scrap quilt from all shades of yellow fabric I had. I add a neutral if it needs a break of color. I'm glad I have a big stash to use up but I won't be adding to it. I buy new fabric for certain patterns but not for my stash.

Gail B

I agree with all the gals that say they wish they didn't have a large stash. I'm trying to wean my stash & only buy fabric when I don't have the appropriate fabric for a particular project. I also let my quilting friend use whatever she wants from my stash & that is helping a lot. I store my stash in both plastic totes & on bookshelves out of direct sunlight. I have not had any problem with fabric smelling from being stored in the totes.

AZ Jane

I also would like to point out the wisdom of this. Having a "stash" costs money, a lot of money. I know it was on sale but think of the money you would have saved if you had not bought it!! Yes, it looks pretty but so do pictures. I purchase as I need. I can generally find a sale somewhere when I need it and if NOT, there WILL be one next week. Enjoy the process of quilt making, make the whole quilt. Too many "stash" builders are in reality, just shoppers. Which is OK, many quilt with their checkbooks, some are top makers, some are quilters but hate the other processes. So unless you have a whole room set aside and limitless cash flow. I say, buy as you need. (that said, keep the scraps!!)

ShirlinAZ

I store my fabric stash on open shelves in a closet, using the ruler fold method. And I'm SEW glad I have a stash, though it is small by comparison to others I've seen. The last couple of months we've had some unexpected high costs with DH's medical. I have been sewing only from my stash and wouldn't have been able to sew without my stash. Another 2 months and the bills will be paid. Then I can buy fabric again. Oh, my roll of W&N batting hangs on a closet rod on the wall.

mom-6

Since a good part of the joy of having a stash is being able to see it, feel it, find the particular piece that's just perfect for my next creation, I have my fabric stacked by color and type of fabric on varnished wooden shelves around the perimeter of my studio/sewing room. Since I live in the woods and there is a large tree between my studio and my cabin (which faces my studio and is only steps away) I'm not concerned about fading.

I did encounter some problem with that when I had a stack of fabric in front of a west window that only had a lace curtain. But that really only damaged a small portion along the fold of each piece and was easy to cut around.

When I'm traveling I have my projects in zip bags. And also have cut pieces in separate bags by color. I even have a bag for snippets! Currently working on a GFG with diamond lattice. Have most of the "flowers" done but need to cut more background hexes.