How to Organize and Display Fabric

One of my favorite things about our new house is that I have a room all my own to be my office and craft room!

The problem is, 14 months later and it basically serves as a dumping ground for everything I can’t get to. Add in the stuff that’s in the basement, waiting to get put into the craft room… and the garage…. well, I haven’t been able to use my sewing machines since we moved in. Partially because I just found the petals to them, but also because I want to be able to sew in that room, not drag my machines out to the dining room.

I’m pushing myself to get this underway before family shows up for Thanksgiving. Fabric is flowing out of the room, so I think I might need to address this first!

Thankfully, I already have a “system” in place for storing fabric, I just need to tackle the collection that has been added since I last spent time corralling my stash.

As pretty as a fabric shop

I have a ton of fabric… A TON! When I decided to organize it all, I wanted it to all look pretty, just like I was in a store. So I drooled over some neat things I saw online and realized I’d never be able to afford to buy fabric again if I invested in some of these special fabric folding things. Somewhere I found a tip to use the cardboard that is used behind comic books.

Here is how I make my fabric look as pretty as in the store:

1. Lay your fabric out with the selvage ends on the top and bottom.
2. Place one of the cardboard rectangles along one cut end and fold a selvaged end up.
3. Now fold the other selvaged end down so your fabric is the width of the board (surrounding it)
4. Begin flipping the board and wrapping the fabric around it. Continue folding all the way to the end and pin to keep in place.
5. When I have remnants that are less than a half a yard, I match them up with coordinating pieces and put one or two pieces of fabric on the card.
6. Fold up the same was as with a larger piece of fabric using a straight pin in each piece to keep it in place
7. Keep folding until you run out of fabric!

Now go put it away on your shelves with the long side showing… just like in the fabric stores.

Sorry, that was really meant for me, I need to step away from the computer and start putting some time into the room…. I’m itching to sew and have the room to myself!

Tip:

Try putting two fabrics on one board if they are less than a full yard and keeping pieces that are a quarter yard or less folded in a bag or bin.  This enables you to see at a quick glance if you’ll have enough of a particular fabric.