Gwyn

Okay. I have struggled for 50 years to have a neat and clean sewing area. Yesterday, I finally struck floor for the first time in forever. How do you keep your fabric organized? What do you do with all that thread that is clipped off your creations? and finally,
How can I keep from having my sewing space full of stuff that falls on the floor and my ironing space is only about the first 12 inches of the ironing board?

drivingsusan

I fight with this problem all the time, too!
It takes will power! and a good organization plan to start!
I think you just have not found the 'just right' plan for you yet!
You must come up with a comfortable and easy way FOR YOU to keep and store stuff. After that...it will be a piece of cake!!
Some use tubs to store fabric, but because I could not see everything I was always having to dig around--messing everything up---so that did not work for me. Then I tried dresser drawers--better!! but not enough!! Still had to open all the drawers to see what I had---too much work!!
Then I found my first cabinet (with glass doors!!!) on Craigslist!! What a difference!!! It almost looks as if I am a neat freak!! So proud of myself!!
So put your thinking cap on an figure a way that might work for you and just try it!!!
Good luck!!!!

wvdek

If I haven't used it in a year it goes to a better cause.
If I don't need it, get rid of it.
If I can't make good use of it, give it away.
Clean up as I go. If I put things back in their proper place, I use less time looking for things and use that time to be more creative or to relax.
Don't buy it just because I can or I like it.
I only buy quilting magazines if I really like three or more projects in it.
Keep my stash to a workable size and do not take over any other part of the house with my hobby. Keep it in the sewing/quilting area.
Just cuz it is cheap, pn sale, or I can get oodles of fabric from a thrift store/yard sale/auction/whatever, does not mean I will use it or need it.
I don't need all the gadgets and machines only what I can make good use of.
If it does not have to do with my sewing and quilting, it does not belong in my sewing area.
Hope this helps Gwyn. I'm sure I can think of more.

Gwyn

I have one bookcase with individual glass doors on each shelf. This works pretty well. I just have one and it doesn't hold anywhere near all the fabric.

What do you do with all the little tools and this and that?

Honchey

Hi Gwen, I go to the Dollar store and buy a roll of clear packing tape. It's really not strong enough for mailing but good for what I use it for. I roll it around my hand several times sticky side out and then pat and lightly brush the carpet with your hand and it really does a good job. It does a good job on the ironing board /area also. Don't forget you can clean up all the thread off yourself the same way. it will take several tapings but I find it easier than picking and pulling the thread from the rotating brush on the vacuum cleaner. Anne

sewcrafty

If you find out let me know!!! My sewing area is a complete disaster!! In one way its good, shows I'm being productive, but its gotten to the point that I just keep sliding things over!! :lol: :lol: Piles are all over even on the ironing board. Wanted to sew, went in there and decided another time. Needs to be reorganized before I sew again.

My kitty also assists in this diaster. Plays with anything and everything I leave on the table!! Spools of thread have been batted around knocked on the floor and trying to rewind the spools was a job he got it twisted around chairs and everything else. Simply amazing!!

Need a sewing fairy to come by and clean things up! :thumbup:

Rebecca VLQ

well, after filling a clear tub with "scraps" without doing anything with them in the past 3 years, I would say have some idea of what you want to do with scraps after a project. Like, the long strips that are not exactly straight...do you want to do a string quilt? Then, when you finish your project, sew the strings on a foundation to get them "organized" or cut little squares out of bigger pieces and store all the same size squares together...in a bin, drawer, whatever...just so all the same stays together. Maybe a sock drawer divider? I dunno...

And I second the "do not get" just because it's a mile long of fabric. If you don't love it or have a use for it, don't get it. If you score 10y of muslin, you KNOW you can do backs with it....but what can you do with 10y of cat fabric? :D

I am not very organized as a rule...and I'd like a "wall of thread" or something to put that somewhere handy, but I just haven't done it yet.

I say keep the ironing board JUST for ironing/pressing. I know I pile my WIP blocks on there, but only for one project at a time.

And, I think I need a bookshelf to put quilting books on. Right now I only have a few, but they're stacked on the containers of fabric. If I had 5 more books, it would be very inconvenient to get to some things, kwim?

breannabelle

When she's done at your house, send her to mine, please! :)

sewcrafty

I'm still waiting!! :lol: :lol: Checked this morning, still nothing yet. :lol:

mrspete

Well Gwyn, I'm with you and some of the others. If you view me in there from either door, you'll sometimes see my fuzzy head in the middle of it......well, it isn't that bad but some days it's worse, garOOOteed. My sister had a mother inlaw who was "Throw-away Thelma". She bought new every time she made something and she surely did sew a lot. I asked her once what she wanted me to do with all the meticulously folded pieces and she said, the garbage can in the kitchen, thanks. I am sure there was about two yards but only about a half yard was in tact. I like little pieces. That was about twenty five years ago and I think there might still be a scrap somewhere! I just can't throw anything away. And I'm as happy as a pig in mud.

Blessings,
Ruth