Organize your Fabric
Welcome to Sew Much Moore, where fabric reigns supreme, and organization is key to our sewing sanity! I’m Nicole, and today I’m diving deep into the art of fabric organization. Managing a textile collection can be overwhelming, whether it’s for business or personal pleasure. I’ll share my methods for keeping my online shop fabric, personal stash, and scraps well-organized and easily accessible. Plus, stay tuned for my handy video tutorial on using comic book boards for fabric storage – a game changer for any fabric enthusiast!
Online Shop Fabric: The Business of Organization
Running an online shop means my fabric collection is always expanding. My business relies heavily on selling kits and bundles, which means I have a constant influx of mostly solid-colored fabrics on bolts.
To keep this segment of my inventory in check, I employ a robust shelving system where every fabric has its place. This organization is vital not only for inventory management but also for efficiently pulling fabrics for orders, keeping the creative process smooth and enjoyable. I’m obviously out of room, so I better think of something quick!
Personal Stash: Curated Colors and Treasured Textiles
My personal stash has seen a transformation over the years. So has my studio space. In 2021, we renovated my sewing studio. You can learn more about that renovation right HERE. From then, I decided to de-stash significantly, aiming for a more intentional collection.
Now, I focus on acquiring low volume fabrics and select pieces from designers like Heather Ross, while also treasuring my older Cotton + Steel fabrics. And let’s not forget the hidden gems of my Tula Pink collection, safely stored away from prying eyes. Previously, I stored my fat quarters on comic book boards, an excellent strategy for visibility and organization, especially when space and aesthetics are priorities.
Using Comic Book Boards
Exploring ways to organize your fabric, I was intrigued by the idea of using Comic Book Boards. At first, I thought 100 boards would be plenty for my project.
How wrong I was! It’s amazing to see the variety of prints I’ve accumulated in my sewing journey, which spans less than a decade. My love for fabric seems to grow regardless of space constraints, constantly fueling my collection.
In the end, to organize my old stash of fabric effectively, I needed more than 400 comic book boards. I bought most of them through Amazon (Prime to the rescue!), but I got a great deal on the last 100 at a local comic book store, cutting the cost in half. For those looking to organize your fabric, I definitely suggest visiting your local comic book store. If that’s not an option, you can find Comic Book Boards through my affiliate link on Amazon.
Watch how it’s done
Since I am also a visual learner, I created this YouTube video to help you see how I was able to fold my fabric around these Comic Book Boards:
After I sorted thru most of my fabric, I was amazed at my collection thus far! I loved going thru all the items I had collected and then sorted them either by color or collection. I even dusted the shelves! Wow!
Scraps and Bits: A Rainbow of Possibilities
Even the smallest pieces of fabric have potential, which is why I sort my scraps into color-coded IKEA bins: one for red, yellow, and orange; another for blue, green, and purple; and a third for black, white, and browns. This method not only brightens my workspace but also simplifies finding the perfect scrap for patchwork projects. A fourth bin is dedicated to random bits of interfacing and batting, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Organizing fabric might seem daunting, but with the right approach, it can be incredibly satisfying and efficiency-boosting. Whether you’re managing a bustling online shop or curating your personal collection, the key is to find a system that works for you. And if you’re curious about how comic book boards can revolutionize your fabric storage, check out my video tutorial. It’s a simple yet effective way to keep your fabrics neat, visible, and ready for your next project. Happy organizing, and here’s to a beautifully arranged sewing space!
Happy Sewing!
Good job! I need to spend a day or 10 organizing and cleaning my sewing room!
I have found that securing the fabric to the boards was easily accomplished by using Bobby pins. It sure prevents a lot of pin sticks to my fingers and keeps blood off my fabric.
Great tip! Thanks!
Great idea! I was using paper clips but I think Bobby pins would work better bkz they are longer?
Thanks, quite a nice post.
I started organizing my fabric one rainy day and thought I could get it done in one day….FAT CHANCE!!! I just didn’t realize how much stuff I had. It was fun looking at stuff I didn’t even know I had. I have been sewing off and on since high school When my son and daughter were born I had fun making their clothes. I took a break for about 10 years and taught painting classes. After my eyesight got bad to where I had to have cateract surgery I couldn’t see as well so I took up sewing about 10 years ago and have been at it ever since. I love the craft sewing more than making clothes. Lots of hand bags, wallets, quilts, pillow cases (I made one for every month of the year for my two granddaughters). I am looking forward to trying this little wallet and plan to make several for a bizarre this fall. Thanks for your getting my juices flowing to make this cute wallet. Look forward to receiving more inspiration from you. I just re-read this email and found I have told you my life history….Sorry about that.
The beginning of this post really hit home…sounds exactly like me!! I’m not using the comic book boards, but AM sorting throughmy stash and trying to at least make it presentable. Wish me luck…I do feel overwhelmed!! I just keep telling myself how great it’s going to feel when I’m done!! 🙂
I love this idea, but I’m wondering: why leave the cardboard in? Why not pull it out, after pinning or bobby pinning the fabric? Then you only need 1 piece of cardboard, rather than hundreds, and it takes up just a little bit less space (height when stacked), which would add up if you have lots of fabric. You should still be able to slip your hand in the stack, lift the section above what you want, and pull out the fabric you need. In fact, it would actually make it easier to flip through the fabric, like a book, as each little packet wouldn’t be so stiff. Am I missing a reason for leaving the cardboard in place? Just wondering.
Great question! The reason I leave my cardboard in is for neatness. I found that If I took them out, my folds were easily distorted. Also, many people like to stack vertically (instead of horizontally).
I like the idea of ROYGBIV color arrangement. I will use that to organize my stash.
Also, I love your pleater board! I really want to make one and try that out. I kind of avoided making those mask types because of the slow process of making the pleats. So this is a real GAME CHANGER for sure! Thanks Nicole.
I have been using comic book boars for a couple of years now, but they are fantastic c. When I am storing yardage on the boards write the amount on the board in an upper corner in pencil. When I use some of the fabric I change the yardage amount in the corner also. It really helps when you are trying to pick fabrics at 2 in the morning. My problem is storage, I have a wonderful sq. footage space but it is an attic room above our detached garage and it has knee walls, so I have no closet or shelves in my room. I have been in the room for 19+ years so you can imagine the mess. I am hoping that I can get the room cleaned, decluttered and organized during this shut-down. Thanks for the tutorial.
That sounds like quite the project! I hope you are able to clean, declutter, and organize during this time. Thanks for sharing!
I like the comic board idea a lot, but I would encourage people to purchase the boards at their local comic book store. Like quilt shops, these store owners are local small businesses people. I have no monetary interest in any of the shops, but my brothers/son and grandson are/were HUGE comic book fans!
One my son’s best friends owned the local shop and was a fixture in our lives. He’s a wonderful young man who, while he no longer owns a comic shop, still reads them, as does our lawyer son, and he has gone on to be an an asset to his community.
I think shopping local is always the best idea. If only there were comic book shops in every town!
Things I have discovered:
1. Set a timer for 15-30 min when it goes off go do something else, prevents burnout-you can
always go back later for another session
2. Have a box next to where you are working, put any fabric you don’t like, to busy or don’t know
what to do with- use this when you want to try out a block, size of a square ect.
3. I cut out cardboard like (cereal boxes) 5 X 4.5 and 3 X 4.5 for smaller pieces, they will fit nicely into
a 6 qt storage box
4. Why do people lay their fabric flat instead of vertical like library books? I would think it would be easier
to flip through material than pulling a piece out and having several fall out
Love these discovery notes! I will tell you that not everyone has the room to organize their fabric like library books. Do what works for you! Love these ideas!
I have started putting my yardage on comic book boards. So far, I have bought 400! I am so hoping that will be enough. Anything over one yard goes onto the boards. I had most of my yardage on bolts in several rooms in my house. I wanted to consolidate them into one room. It really made a difference with the comic book boards. I already had a system for scrap fabric. The one extra thing I did was to fold my pieces that were half yard to one yard in a 5″ square and sort them by color in clear shoe boxes. This really helps me visually. I sure wish I had this plan earlier! LOL FYI, I have way too much fabric and I really hope to get to sew it all up.