How do you organize your stash??

[Eileen K.]

Hi everyone

I was just curious. Up until now, I didn't have a stash because I'm so new to quilting and only ever buy what I specifically need for a project.
Between left overs and fabric that didn't pass the 'audition' I am starting to build up a tiny stash.
At the moment my fabric is piled in a plastic container. Whenever I look through it, I make a huge mess and have to refold everything.

How do you keep all of your fabric organized? Do you trim off irregular shaped pieces or keep everything?

[Kathryn S.]

You've opened a hot topic!!

I have a pretty big stash. Not as big as one of my friends, but that's another story. I sort by color, mostly. Solids are in one stack, hand dyes in another. I recently separated out the batiks and the Kaffe Fassetts. Then I have some small collections (i.e, cherry prints or Japanese fabrics). The rest are in stacks by color. 2 yard cuts are at the bottom of the bookcase, and humungous cuts are in another cupboard. Fat quarters and like-sized cuts are in one of those shoe storage units they sell at Target. And I do keep scraps, larger ones in one plastic box, and smaller ones in another. I read an excellent book on organizing your sewing room- the author suggested using a ruler to fold fabrics, making them all uniform size. I use an 8-1/2 inch for the larger cuts, and a 4 inch for fat quarters. It makes the room much less busy which helps me to concentrate.

I find that for me, when I can't see something it doesn't exist, so it's all visible. The room is dimly lit most of the time so I'm not worried about fading. I saw a picture of Harriet Hargrave's fabric storage area, and she uses file drawers- that wouldn't work for me since I'd forget I had the fabric!

As your stash accumulates, I would bet that you will re-organize it several times.

Kathy

[Lotti D.]

i have clear plastic boxes - so i can see what's inside
smaller pieces are folded so that they can fit into the boxes lengthwise /down so that when i open up - the back fold can be seen (are obviously covered)
mostly colour sorted
everything washed has the corners clipped off - all the newer purchases have a small (1/4 inch sewing tape) strip label with the size stuck to the last bit of the woven edge
strips, squares and other smaller cuts are in separate boxes
things keep changing....
longer pieces folded once lengthwise, then z-folded (all the same depth) then folded aingst that once or twice - this way when i cut i can just unfold that one or two, keep the z-fold pile neetly to the side of my cutting mat and just take as much as i need - once cut - i subtract the bits i cut off and adjust the size label
does this make sense? it does to me - but then i know what i mean

[Margo C.]

Lots of great ideas for dealing with stash! I also like to be able to see what I have at a glance. I have different methods depending on the size of the piece. You can see how I use a ruler to fold large pieces, up to about 2 yards, and fat quarters on my Webshots album here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563306368ujRyrP

Just use a ruler or piece of cardboard cut to the width you need to make your stacks fit your storage space.

Larger than 2 yards just don't get the last fold and are stacked so that I can see each piece. I wish I were as diligent as Lotti about labeling the lengths!! ops:

[Lotti D.]

i've only just started with the length labelling - because i'm sick and tired of trying to find out how much there is availabe every time i take out a fabric ... (do i really want to cut a piece off.... will that one bit be the one missing for a project i might want it for ... i'm soooooo possessive of my fabrics it's rediculous)

and as i have this huge new stash being washed, ironed, folded & measured at the moment it does make sense to do it at once... hope i keep it up :roll: :roll: :roll:

received the main 2 boxes of fabrics from canada last friday - all washed - now for the ironing & ... the next, smallest and last box is due to arrive this or next week :cry: :cry: buu huu hu hu huuuuuuuuu - so saaaaaaad :cry: :cry: :cry:
my main problem is - now i have no excuse to wait and clean up my shelves so that i can put everything away :shock:

[Hannelore N.]

We are supposed to organize our stash????.......

Mine is just gently taking over the house.

[Hannelore N.]

I find the best way to ORGANIZE a stash is to use it up.... I am doing charity quilting right now and went into my stash to find QS quality fabric that no longer fulfill the needs of future quilting plans. I find that my taste have changed a lot but these fabrics will make great quilts. So by using it up for charity has become my choice for ORGANIZING a stash.

lady rags

Happy Quilting... Nonnie
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[Pam D.]

Lorchen, I am with you on this one. ops: ops:

[Paula D.]

"Organized stash" - a quilting oxymoron. If you can still keep your collection orderly - well that is the primary symptom of a quilter who simply needs to get on with the fabric buying. Actually, collecting fabric, for me, is one of the great pleasures of being a quilter.

[Paula D.]

I find the best way to ORGANIZE a stash is to use it up.... I am doing charity quilting right now and went into my stash to find QS quality fabric that no longer fulfill the needs of future quilting plans. I find that my taste have changed a lot but these fabrics will make great quilts. So by using it up for charity has become my choice for ORGANIZING a stash.

Just like Nonnie I have had a major quest to combine stash busting and charity quilting. From shelves full in a closet in the mid 2000's I have gone down to almost nothing. Firstly, I had an in-house sale for quilting friends so they could join me on my stash busting quest and also make quilts for charity. My current project is making Mug Rugs, approx 6x9 inches, for the local Cancer Care Tuck Shop from all those smaller pieces that I couldn't work into color themed quilts. I just can not do total scrappy, no matter how hard I try.

Before this stash busting overtook me, I wrapped my fabrics over rulers for easier piling. I used the 6" ruler for yardage and the 3" ruler for smaller pieces, FQs, etc and folded them over and stood the rounded fold edges upwards in plastic bins, color grouping. I also have in this stash busting quest cut up strips, as my bulk was 2 1/2" wide, into triangles. I have made four tops about 60x80" of fall colors. I have the color triangles all in brighter flower colors cut for another top and a pink/rose top in progress. These two tops are on hold while I clean out the leftovers for Mug Rugs. I'm not done and I have 20 done and 20 more ready for the quilting. Bindings are also cut for these already.

My stash busting quest started because of my taste change in fabrics.

[Paula D.]

I have open shelving in my studio and love looking at the palette of colours. I sort my fabric by colour and a few piles by theme = food, flowers for colourwash technique, conversation fabric, ethnic, I spy etc. My batiks and hand dyed are stacked together regardless of colour. Like Margo, I also have sorted by size for I sew garments for myself also. I have great baskets for scraps which are sorted into tow categories: hand dyed/batiks and everything else.
cheers from very rainy Nova Scotia
Jeanine

[Lynn K.]

Off topic, but have to say I'm jealous you live in Nova Scotia! ha vs. me here in hot, humid Houston, TX!

My stash has been the source for nearly all of my quilts. When I see 'bargain' fabrics I grab what appeals to me.......then when I'm wanting to start a new quilt, I usually can use something I have on had. Rarely pay full price. I know, I know, the quilt shops need our support - and I do support them - but not at full price. Just can't handle the prices today. But I can handle the 'sale' price.

Mostly arranged by color - in open see thru plastic......but now that you mention it, I'm wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy behind!

Lynn

[Nancy R.]

I am a HUGE supporter of my local quilt shop, as well as several shops online! I love fabric and can't seem to get enough of it. I figure I'm getting ready for retirement (still many years down the road) when I might not have as much spare income....

I'm a prewasher so all of my fabric is washed before it is put away. I don't iron before putting away since it'll just get wrinkled in the stacks and when I look through things anyway. I also have open shelving for my fabric so I can admire it whenever I want. I sort it by color and separate out the batiks since I love to make quilts with just batiks. I do separate the batiks by color, also. I don't record the lengths of the pieces since I really like to make scrap quilts and am always cutting away small pieces. If I need a piece a specific length, I just pull it out and measure it then decide if I can make it work if it's a little too short. I look at this as another opportunity to pull out fabrics and touch them and enjoy them, even if I can't use them in my current project. I keep everything but the very smallest of scraps. You just never know when you can throw that little piece in some where.

So, I guess I don't do a whole lot of organizing beyond color, but I do a lot of admiring.

[Eileen K.]

I have wire drawers from Ikea inside a closet that I have most of my fabric in. I have it separated by color and that's about it. One good thing is that I can tell which colors need replenishing :wink: .
My Kaffe Fasett, Ruffled Roses and Civil War fabrics I have in different containers so they don't get mixed in-I'm working with them.

[Eileen K.]

I have two cupboards I got at Ikea (with doors to keep out the sun!). One cupboard has batiks organized by color, and the other cottons by color and by theme (holiday, floral, kids etc).
My problem- I have more batiks than room in my cupboard!!