Helen Bankert

I have my fabric on open shelves on the wall in a area out of the sun. My thread is on a rack that my husband make for me. Holds 215 spools. These are the left of my sewing machine. On the right I have my embroidery machine and the thread are on the wall behind it.
To the left of the sewing machine I have my lap top, 3 drawer cabinet (like what the store have handembroidery threads in) with the printer on top of the cabinet. I store my small block rulers,squares and triangles etc. and my note book with web site resoures, fabric on line and other notes.

My cutting board is on wheels. It is built just for me with the top at the level of my elbows. I have two large cutting boards on the top. When it is not in use I can drop down 2 leaves. Under the top there are 12 cabinets (hand embroidery foss size, got from store going out of business) This is where I Store my scraps. They are cut into 2, 2 1/2, 3, 3 1/3, 4, 4 1/2, 5, 6, 7 inch squares and sorted by colour in each size. I also have 1 drawer for each of the colours for pieces smaller than fat quarters. Large Rulers are on top of the cabinets and cutters in the top drawer.

I keep each of the quilt projects that I am working on in claspible boxes(from IKA)with materials and a note of what I have done and what needs to be done. They are stored on the shelve under the sewing counter.

Buttons are sorted by kind and colour in small plaste bags and store in a cash box. Ribbons are on hooks by the embroidery thread.

Scissors, marking pencils, etc are in a cutlery tray in a drawer between by sewing , embroidery machines. My embroidery supplies are in another drawer.

Tapes, rickrack, laces etc. are wound on cardboards and stand upright in square boxes so that you can see the sorted colours.

Misc supplies are keep in 2 (nuts and bolts) cabinet with little drawers. For beads, saftey pins, bulbs, cleaning brushes, needles, new cutter blades, etc.

And just for fun I have a thimble, and pin chushion collection.

IF I WERE LIVING CLOSE TO ALL OF YOU I WOULD BE GLAD TO ORGANIZE YOUR SEWING ROOM. I have done 4 for people in this area. I should love doing it.



My books are in a book case.

gramquilter2

I can't stand working in a room that is cluttered, therefore I try to keep everything I am working on in containers and have 1 project out at a time. I also do a good cleaning after finishing each project, which includes cleaning my machines. My stash is organized by color in my sewing room closet, a walk-in that my DH put shelves in for me. I save all my thread ends in a thread catcher by the machine I am using and use them when I make fabric for projects. And if the truth be known, I guess I am a pain about having a mess any place in our home!!!

Lyn

Don't ask me. I have garbage cans all over the place but I miss them every time. I think I have carpet underneath.

Lyn

Dang, how far is Ontario from NH? :)

great aunt jacqui

Plastic plastic bins...they should be somehow biodegradable. I am adicted too. bins bins everywhere, baskets and the every populars recycled grocery bags. Stash is neat in clear bins, labeled on the front. bins for sewing things, zippers to cutters to things not readily used, another keeps threads, another cutters, ruler, sissors, must haves. keep a bin for bobbins, thread etc for WIP near the machine. Another bin for just bought stuff, a bin for patterns, magazines, pictures I've taken to save. I am addicted! but feel that if the bins are clear they really are not there just my stash neat and labeled..

I also realized that I am almost as addicted to buying plastic totes and bins as I am fabric. Anyone else have that problem?
lots2do[/quote]

Late Bloomer

Bins are great, but then I will have a problem remembering what I put where! That is why I use those open basket things. One just has to adjust to whatever room you have to work in and plan the best way accordingly. I wish I had a whole room I could devote to my crafts but I have to share it with my bed. Of course, I do stash future patterns for projects in a flat bin under my bed!

marilyn y

Rather than totes, I used the transparent plastic file boxes from Office Depot and Staples. They stack really well, you can get them in nice colors (like purple, blue and hot pink plus white)and you can see through them. Wait until they go on sale. I think I paid about $5 each or less for mine. They're small enough that you can lift them when they're full. Plus, if you get those wire shelves that are 18" deep from Home Depot, Target or Lowes, the file boxes fit on them. I 'kit up' my projects in plastic freezer bags. But be warned those darn project bags multiply when you're not looking! My stash goes in ClosetMaid wire baskets on the frames so that they are wire drawers. The frames are zip tied together, with a piece of 1X1 wood between them. That's for stability. They are topped with a formica counter top from Home Depot.

Doesn't this sound oh so lovely and organized? NOT! I still have stuff in piles and on every flat surface. The last week and a half has been the reduce the real clutter and the visual clutter project. I might be winning but it's still too early to tell.

Marilyn

buslady

Just before the heat struck me down I bought a Pfaff Grand Quilter and frame. Huge. To make room for that I had to clean out my craft room, to do that i had to clean out the untility, and to do that I had to clean out the garage. The frame is up, but you can't walk through the garage. I MUST finish that project once the heat settles some!

BellaBoo

This is not a solution but it sure helps lessen the mess. I keep a plastic bin next to where I'm sewing and cutting. I use it to put everything I'm using after I finish using it. Scissors, seam ripper, pattern, pincushion, marking pencil, ruler, rotary cutter, everything I use I put it in there. Then it's easy to sort through and put things away. I always know where the "I just had it!" item is.

misoop

One thing that I do is to thoroughly clean up after each project is completed...put away all fabrics, scraps, threads used, vacuum the floor, clean the counter top, etc. works for me. Then on to the next mess. :)