Organizing Fabric Question
#31
Since I used to sew a lot of clothing, I separate the types of fabric, flannel from cotton from knit, etc. I have two bookcases in my sewing room closet, one for cottons and one for flannels.
I've collected empty cardboard bolts from JA's. Each one cut down (8" wide by 11") will give me four good solid "mini" bolts to wrap my fabric on if it is 1 yd or more (I use a flathead pin and a small snip of paper to label quantity). I like them shelved like books because it makes it easier to pull stuff out and put it away.
My cotton is organized by color; my flannel is organized by gender, girls on one shelf, boys on another. I'm not much into FQs so that isn't an issue (yet ;-}). Larger yardage or wider (58"+) are hanging from skirt/slack hangers between the two bookcases with full size bolts on the floor below.
All my smaller pieces I have folded on top of the bookcase or in a cloth bag or basket. I make skull caps that I sell on etsy and in a bike shop in SoCal - all that is in a big basket. My scraps an in plastic bins, separate by type of fabric - no color organization there yet.
And of course, stuff for a specific project are collected together in a box or plastic zip bag (like you get when you buy sheets and stuff).
Oh yeah, I have one plastic zip bag specifically for Christmas fabrics. Plus there are 6 - 7 bins out in the garage - those sorted by type of fabric and color.
Too bad we have to live in our house, I think I could fill it up with fabric - oh my.
I've collected empty cardboard bolts from JA's. Each one cut down (8" wide by 11") will give me four good solid "mini" bolts to wrap my fabric on if it is 1 yd or more (I use a flathead pin and a small snip of paper to label quantity). I like them shelved like books because it makes it easier to pull stuff out and put it away.
My cotton is organized by color; my flannel is organized by gender, girls on one shelf, boys on another. I'm not much into FQs so that isn't an issue (yet ;-}). Larger yardage or wider (58"+) are hanging from skirt/slack hangers between the two bookcases with full size bolts on the floor below.
All my smaller pieces I have folded on top of the bookcase or in a cloth bag or basket. I make skull caps that I sell on etsy and in a bike shop in SoCal - all that is in a big basket. My scraps an in plastic bins, separate by type of fabric - no color organization there yet.
And of course, stuff for a specific project are collected together in a box or plastic zip bag (like you get when you buy sheets and stuff).
Oh yeah, I have one plastic zip bag specifically for Christmas fabrics. Plus there are 6 - 7 bins out in the garage - those sorted by type of fabric and color.
Too bad we have to live in our house, I think I could fill it up with fabric - oh my.
Cotton side of the closet
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#32
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: From WI then Denver then Houston and now Hainesville, IL
Posts: 314
Originally Posted by RkayD
...I also used the foam boards so that my fabric sits up like bolts. I went to Lowe's and bought a pkg of the foam floor underlayment for $37..I got hundreds out of it as opposed to the 4-5 you get from the art foam boards at $4 each. Made a huge difference in actually seeing what I have.
#34
I have my fabric by color in drawers and containers.
But the best thing I do is:
I have drawers of precut strips by color. If I feel like sewing all I need to do is go grab some strips.
the sizes I keep are
1 1/2"
2"
2 1/2"
3 1/2"
4 1/2"
If I do not have enough to keep a size by color I do separate by light and dark.
I keep my strips in a system called
"A Scrap USER System" brought to me by Bonnie Hunter of www.quiltville.com
It saves so much time. After I finish a project all the scraps get cut into these usable sizes.
Warning! You may need to by stock in Rubbermaid.
Subee
http://www.subeesews.com
But the best thing I do is:
I have drawers of precut strips by color. If I feel like sewing all I need to do is go grab some strips.
the sizes I keep are
1 1/2"
2"
2 1/2"
3 1/2"
4 1/2"
If I do not have enough to keep a size by color I do separate by light and dark.
I keep my strips in a system called
"A Scrap USER System" brought to me by Bonnie Hunter of www.quiltville.com
It saves so much time. After I finish a project all the scraps get cut into these usable sizes.
Warning! You may need to by stock in Rubbermaid.
Subee
http://www.subeesews.com
Originally Posted by girlsfour
After seeing a great post with pictures of a sewing room, I am wondering - how do most people organize their fabric? Totally by color or by quantity of fabric? What or why does your system work best for you?
#36
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: hillsboro, OR
Posts: 182
Once I ran out of shelves I started stacking it on the floor then one day it tumbled over and since then I just keep stacking it any place it will fit and balance gave up on orginazation about a year ago! Maybe some day when I retire I will have the time to fix it all up again.Good luck with your project.
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Camarillo, CA
Posts: 4,607
Originally Posted by Subee
I have my fabric by color in drawers and containers.
But the best thing I do is:
I have drawers of precut strips by color. If I feel like sewing all I need to do is go grab some strips.
the sizes I keep are
1 1/2"
2"
2 1/2"
3 1/2"
4 1/2"
If I do not have enough to keep a size by color I do separate by light and dark.
I keep my strips in a system called
"A Scrap USER System" brought to me by Bonnie Hunter of www.quiltville.com
It saves so much time. After I finish a project all the scraps get cut into these usable sizes.
Warning! You may need to by stock in Rubbermaid.
Subee
http://www.subeesews.com
But the best thing I do is:
I have drawers of precut strips by color. If I feel like sewing all I need to do is go grab some strips.
the sizes I keep are
1 1/2"
2"
2 1/2"
3 1/2"
4 1/2"
If I do not have enough to keep a size by color I do separate by light and dark.
I keep my strips in a system called
"A Scrap USER System" brought to me by Bonnie Hunter of www.quiltville.com
It saves so much time. After I finish a project all the scraps get cut into these usable sizes.
Warning! You may need to by stock in Rubbermaid.
Subee
http://www.subeesews.com
Originally Posted by girlsfour
After seeing a great post with pictures of a sewing room, I am wondering - how do most people organize their fabric? Totally by color or by quantity of fabric? What or why does your system work best for you?
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