Organizing Fat Quarters

[Carla G.]

Ok, I committed myself to clean up & organize my space & fabric since I finished the graduation quilt and the June BOM. I'm folding my larger pieces a la Margo, using my 6x24 ruler, and found these sleek wire-mesh CD holders on sale (1/2-price, $4.99 each) at Target for the FQ's. Ok, I underestimated when I bought 4 ops: , so I went back and... :!: lucky day :!: they've been reduced again, so now I bought 6 more (might have overdone it, but hey, then I'd just have room for more, right?) :roll: Now they're only $2.49, originally $10. I put a pic on my profile so if you want to run out to your local Target & get 'em before they're gone... They're kind of cool in that they have magnets on the side to attach to one another and they stack too... So I think I've got a few more evenings folding ahead of me, then I'll try to post a pic when it's all done, if it truly gets clean enough ops:
Florence

[karen f.]

Florence that looks nice and neat. While you guys are at Target you might want to also check out the 15 hole shoe storage container. It is white melamine wood. I got it a few weeks ago and was doing just what you are Florence. Got all my fat quarters organized.
Karen

[Anne B.]

Those containers are way cool! Makes me wish we had Target stores in Canada.

I fold my fabric in half lengthwise, then in half again, then I fan-fold it into a pile that's 9 inches wide. That way I can see at a glance how much fabric I have by counting the folds on one side of the pile. One fold is half a yard, two folds is a yard, etc. I also fold my fat quarters this way, but instead of starting by folding them into quarters lengthwise, I only fold them in half. I hope this makes sense.

There's a picture of my folded stash on my profile. Though apparently I need to get a better camera (or learn how to use the one I have), as every picture I take seems to be blurry! :/

Anne in Vancouver

[Anne B.]

Anne, you could try TheContainerStore.com or any of the office supply stores. The big box stores have similar items also.

BTW, I, too, am "spring cleaning" my sewing room. I bought some expandable file folders. I'm using them to organize my magazine collection. Each mag gets its own folder. I'm using binders with plastic sleeves to organize my printed designs from various internet sites, as well as my printed eq patterns sketched/drafted patterns.

[Anne B.]

I've made pretty good progress... am thinking I need to make another scrap quilt & whittle this pile down a bit! I've got all the FQ's (and 1/3-yard cuts) in the CD cases & another small shelf unit, anything bigger folded & stacked mostly by color, some by collection. My LQS put out a plea for fabrics to be taken by a mission group to Eastern Europe to a community where they make beautiful quilts but have poor quality fabrics, so it was the perfect time to part with some things I'll really never use.
I'll get pics up ASAP...
Florence

[Anne B.]

I just reorganized my stash shelves this past weekend - it is so nice to see all those fabrics folded neatly and arranged by color. It's like a rainbow in the sewing room. Hmm... I wonder how long it will last... I give it about two more days :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Margo C.]

Florence, you got me really fired up! We have a brand new Target store in town, so I headed over there. It urned out that the CD case was just not the right size for my storage cabinet, but I looked around and found the Target ITSO brand organizers that are the PERFECT size! WHOO-HOO!! I was able to re-organize my stash cabinet by adding 5 more shelves and replacing the shoe boxes that just wasted too much space. I don't have floor space for more cabinets but I was able to get lots more fabric stored away with the new boxes. Now I'm searching my scrap quilt books and magazines for projects that will help me whittle down the stash!! THANKS for the nudge!

There are pictures in my Webshots album titled "FOLDING FABRIC"
http://community.webshots.com/user/T...host=community

[Margo C.]

Margo, just got back from viewing your "folding fabric" link, and I have to compliment you! Those are the clearest written directions with the most appropriate photos of the folding fabric process I have ever seen!

Thanks for sharing!

[Margo C.]

Thanks, Kaijin! Your first two quilts on your profile are great! Hope to see some more of your work!
SEW LONG!
Margo

[Margo C.]

Margo, your folding instructions are so complete and easy to follow. I use this technique for my fat quarters with a 3" wide ruler and store them in some CD boxes that I got at Wal Mart.. I have put two pictures of them on my profile. As you can see in the pictures, three of the boxes fit perfectly end to end on a 30 inch book case. This really has helped me get them under control. They were EVERYWHERE! Of course, it's very funny to look at those perfectly organized fat quarters and then to look at the rest of the room which looks like it exploded all over the floor :roll: ....looks like two different rooms.

Thanks again Margo for the great instructions!

Dana in Olive Branch, MS

[Margo C.]

That is beautiful, Dana!! Yummy fabrics!! I think that the secret to getting the stash under control is finding the right size containers to fit your space then folding the fabric to fit the containers.
Good job! Maybe that knee lifter will turn up soon!!! LOL!!!

[Carla G.]

Dana... looks like a cnady store for quilter's!

Carla

[Annette R.]

Dana's whole quilt room is eye candy for quilters and unless she had really cleaned up (more than she admitted to) it was pretty organized and neat the day I saw it. Miss you my friend. Ann

[Annette R.]

Thank you Margo and Carla....and Miss Ann, the day you came for a visit, I knew you were coming .....but today if you came, you would not be able to walk to the chair and sit down, much less move around very much. The only saving grace of this mess is that I have accomplished so many different things in the past four weeks...so the mess is ok with me. "I have great plans for it this week"....so we will see. :wink:

Dana in Olive Branch, MS

[Sandy F.]

It's catching. I started folding fabric today but so far I don't have any place to store it so it is still sitting on the table. I started with a plastic bin that I haven't been through for a while. Found some Dear Jane blocks I started a few years ago. Some of the fabric I just shook my head and asked myself what was I thinking.