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Fabric Storage


LadyLake

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I'm wondering what you all use for fabric storage. I like to have my fabric out in the open in shelves to look at. I already have the Menard's white shelving, which has worked well, but now that I have a separate sewing room, I'd like something different rather than more white shelving. I'd be interested to hear and see what people have come up with. Thanks!

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I use clear plastic storage bins. I started out with shoe box size, and have all my fabric sorted by color and value, so

Yellow - Light

Yellow - Medium

Yellow - Dark

Yellow/Orange - Light

Yellow/Orange - Medium

Yellow/Orange - Dark

etc

Novelty

Floral

Larger pieces are on wire shelves in a closet

Of course, I'm outgrowing the shoe box size! Some have graduated to the sweater box size... :)

I like it because I can see at a glance what is in the box, it's easy to take out the colors I want to look through, and the fabric is protected from dust.

Julia

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My fabric is on wire shelves in a walk in closet, loosely organized by color or category. It looked great 2 years ago when we moved into the house and I put it away for the first time, but as I've pulled pieces out or added to the stash it has become a little disorganized. Scraps and pieces cut into strips are in plastic tubs. Fat quarters are in a basket on a bookshelf. Just last night I went into the closet to get the picnic basket to use for magazines and discovered fat quarters that I didn't know I had. Found treasure! :)

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Wow Holly - what does your friend do? That is some fabric stash. I'm blown away and very impressed. Is she able to keep that wonderfully organized all the time!?

Mine - batiks/blenders all color co-ordinated in a closet on the shelves that the doors have been removed and a sheer curtain panel over it. In another 3'x6' cabinet, orientals and others. In three large plastic bins - fat quarters.

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Originally posted by Hollyrw

Here's the other half. I sure wish I had this kind of storage, not to mention all the fabric!

Well Holly...I thought I had a lot of fabric...but your friend makes me look like a piker.....guess I had better step up and hit the fabric stores....:P;):P;) I truely do love her fabric storage...will have to look into that for me.

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Wow! I really thought I had a lot of fabric, but that takes the cake. And when you look closely, the piles are all as high as they can go, and not room for even one more fat quarter! What does she do when she comes home from a fabric shopping trip? I'll bet there's even more than that hiding in the room somewhere...

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Wow, Holly's friend has one cool stash! Mine would not fill one of those book shelves and would look no where near as neat!

I have mine wire drawers (that are meant to be used in a closet). I like that I can pull the drawer all the way out and set it on my cutting table when I am choosing fabric for a quilt. The fabrics are folded so that when I pull out the drawer they are all visable.

I have graduated to this system from the clear plastic showbox system. I do keep UFO and future projects in under the bed boxes on some of my shelves so that they stay together.

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Have fun with Pam and your friends, Holly. I started out with nice neat shelves, but while I'm sleeping, there is someone rummaging through them all the time and there is no longer the nice neat appearance that I used to have. I had better change the locks on the doors as I'm sure there is a fabric gremlin out there making my studio look messy. OH Well, such is life;)

I use stackable wire baskets in a frame for the most of my fabric with more in the plastic drawers from Wally World to catch the overflow and the Batiks.

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I use the IKEA billy shelves with baskets, each basket holds a color and then some hold batiks, 30's, seasonal, and my theory is that when I run out of room, I have to use some of the stash before adding to it. Now that being a good theory, we all know what happens. I now have civil war repros in a large basket under my sewing table and several ufos as well...it is so easy to get out of control!

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I tried so many different storage ideas but settled on Ikea's Antonius system about 15 years ago. I LOVE them! And each year the price seems to come down! Yes, I said DOWN! ;)

I have a 4 drawer unit stacked on a 6 drawer unit. There are 5 stacks on one wall and a bank of 4 - 4 drawer units on another. I fold the fabric in a way that they're all the same size and I can tell at a glance exactly how much I have, just by counting the folds.

Mine are organized by color for the Backgrounds/Solids, by Theme, like 30's and Christmas, and the rest by "Texture" - Leaves, Large Florals, Small Florals, Dots, Stripes, Plaids, Novelty, Chilren's etc.

I love the versatility of this system and how easy it is to get at exactly what I need in a matter of seconds. Pictures of my studio are in my Webshots albums.

http://community.webshots.com/user/depp81344/

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Oops!! ran out of backing. I am doing a small qullt. I have run out of backng on the machine. Is there any way to add backing while quilt is still on the machine? I am the one who cut the backing!! It won't be much of a problem to remove from the machine, but I had to ask. I am 1 1/2 inches short.

This is a quilt I am doing for injured soldier. I do about four a month. I should know better!! Thanks..

Sorry, This is not a reply, but I don't know how to post. Maybe I should just go back to bed and start again!!

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Janice - Just click the "Topic" button at the bottom of any thread or towards the top of any of the main pages.

As far as adding backing on the machine, I believe it's possible and has even been discussed before. I have never tried it although I've come really close to running short a couple of times!

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I use the same IKEA stacking wire basket units that Darlene uses...much less expensive than the same type of storage from the Container Stores (elfa brand). It is better to store fabric in wire baskets where air can circulate as opposed to the plastic bins where humidity can build up. Here in Arizona, we don't have too much trouble with humidity but sunlight is the enemy so my bins are kept behind sliding closet doors which are covered with flannel and also serve as my design wall. Nancy in Tucson

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I started out using Darlene's wire basket method...I fell in love with her storage when I was there for a LA class. However, it didn't work for me because of the dust where I live. I'm a mile down a dirt road and this time of year the dust is ridiculous!!:( So I switched to the bookshelves with the glass doors. I also got some acid-free comic book boards and wrap my fabric around them. I'll post a picture when we move to the yurt; right now, they're its in a closet so its impossible to photograph well.

Janice, if you want to change the forum where you're posting, you can also go to the top and click on "select a forum," pick one and then post.

I've had to take a backing off and then cut one side off to add to the bottom; I've never done it from the machine. The best way to find an answer though would be to post a new topic; someone who has done it before would surely answer.

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