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how do you group? (Moderated by Deepika, Sharon1952)
Posted on: 2/7/08 7:39 PM ET
I've spent the last couple days cleaning sr & organizing fabric. I've decided to roll some fabric & store on closet shelves (never tried this before, but a lot of people on this site seem to like that), some will be in xl ziplock bags & some in plastic totes with lids.
My question is: how do you categorize your fabric? Do you do it by fabric type (knit, denim, fleece, etc.) or by purpose (i.e. pants, dresses, etc) or maybe by color, or even by season?? Or some other way completely?
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My question is: how do you categorize your fabric? Do you do it by fabric type (knit, denim, fleece, etc.) or by purpose (i.e. pants, dresses, etc) or maybe by color, or even by season?? Or some other way completely?
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Beverly
Posted on: 2/7/08 7:55 PM ET
I have mine by color. But I recently decided that I want to regroup it as follows:
- Garment Fabric - Knits (by color within this)
- Garment Fabric - Wovens (by color within this group)
- Special Fabric (high priority and/or expensive pieces that I particularly want to use of sooner rather than later, projects that I really want to complete before buying more fabric - may be garment or home dec)
- "Muslin" - inexpensive pieces for practice
- Home Dec
- Accessory/Craft pieces (I have a lot of home dec samples and fabric pieces from thrift store garments that I bought just for the fabric - these are for purses, wall hangings, etc.)
- Garment Fabric - Knits (by color within this)
- Garment Fabric - Wovens (by color within this group)
- Special Fabric (high priority and/or expensive pieces that I particularly want to use of sooner rather than later, projects that I really want to complete before buying more fabric - may be garment or home dec)
- "Muslin" - inexpensive pieces for practice
- Home Dec
- Accessory/Craft pieces (I have a lot of home dec samples and fabric pieces from thrift store garments that I bought just for the fabric - these are for purses, wall hangings, etc.)
Posted on: 2/7/08 8:17 PM ET
I go entirely by color. That is how I am most inspired. And I have to have it out in the open where I can see possible combinations at a glance. I have a wall of wire rack shelving with something like 40 white open plastic baskets. The fabric is sorted by color into the baskets irrespective of fiber content.
Charity
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Charity
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Beginning Stash on 01/01/08 - 800 yards
Yardage Sewn in 2008 - 145 yards
Items Sewn - 92
Yardage Given Away in 2008 - 34.25
Wadder Yardage - 5 yards
TOTAL STASH REDUCTION TO DATE: 156.25 yards
DISALLOWED YARDAGE BOUGHT IN 2008 - 36 yards
CURRENT STASH: 643.75 yards
Personal Blog - Vintage Threads, http://www.vintagethreads.blogspot.com
Yardage Sewn in 2008 - 145 yards
Items Sewn - 92
Yardage Given Away in 2008 - 34.25
Wadder Yardage - 5 yards
TOTAL STASH REDUCTION TO DATE: 156.25 yards
DISALLOWED YARDAGE BOUGHT IN 2008 - 36 yards
CURRENT STASH: 643.75 yards
Personal Blog - Vintage Threads, http://www.vintagethreads.blogspot.com
Posted on: 2/7/08 8:32 PM ET
In reply to CharityAK
Doesn't your fabric get discolored after a while from being out in the open? I thought fabric is best stored inside those plastic bins?
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http://theramblingsoftcm.blogspot.com/
Numbers for 2013:
Yards in stash: 606.25
Yards in: 22.75
Yards out: 10.50
Numbers for 2012:
594.00 yards in stash
4 yards in
10.25 yards out
Numbers for 2011:
601.25 yards in stash (I'm sure this number is off by a few yards)
Yards in: 137.50 (Seriously? I'm over 100, and it's only JULY? Ugh!)
Yards out: 88.75
Numbers for 2013:
Yards in stash: 606.25
Yards in: 22.75
Yards out: 10.50
Numbers for 2012:
594.00 yards in stash
4 yards in
10.25 yards out
Numbers for 2011:
601.25 yards in stash (I'm sure this number is off by a few yards)
Yards in: 137.50 (Seriously? I'm over 100, and it's only JULY? Ugh!)
Yards out: 88.75
Posted on: 2/7/08 8:37 PM ET
I haven't noticed it.
But I'm in a basement with no direct sunlight. I couldn't stand having my fabric locked away. I need to see it to be inspired. I'm constantly rifling through it. It'd be a pain to have to pop lids constantly. And I'd have to pull them all out of their bins to plan anything. I have 800 yards. That's too many bins to have to unload in order to play.
:)
Charity
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But I'm in a basement with no direct sunlight. I couldn't stand having my fabric locked away. I need to see it to be inspired. I'm constantly rifling through it. It'd be a pain to have to pop lids constantly. And I'd have to pull them all out of their bins to plan anything. I have 800 yards. That's too many bins to have to unload in order to play.
:)Charity
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Beginning Stash on 01/01/08 - 800 yards
Yardage Sewn in 2008 - 145 yards
Items Sewn - 92
Yardage Given Away in 2008 - 34.25
Wadder Yardage - 5 yards
TOTAL STASH REDUCTION TO DATE: 156.25 yards
DISALLOWED YARDAGE BOUGHT IN 2008 - 36 yards
CURRENT STASH: 643.75 yards
Personal Blog - Vintage Threads, http://www.vintagethreads.blogspot.com
Yardage Sewn in 2008 - 145 yards
Items Sewn - 92
Yardage Given Away in 2008 - 34.25
Wadder Yardage - 5 yards
TOTAL STASH REDUCTION TO DATE: 156.25 yards
DISALLOWED YARDAGE BOUGHT IN 2008 - 36 yards
CURRENT STASH: 643.75 yards
Personal Blog - Vintage Threads, http://www.vintagethreads.blogspot.com
Posted on: 2/7/08 8:52 PM ET
I've been organizing today, too. Just bought 3 large plastic containers at Wal-Mart. So far, I've just been sorting between woven and knit. It will be interesting to see what the rest of you do with your stash.
Posted on: 2/7/08 9:00 PM ET
Here's a pic of how I do mine...

The large bins underneath the shelves are bulky fabrics and large cuts. They'd take up a whole basket or more. On the hangers are specialty fabrics and things I want to have minimal folds. In the 3 bin drawer units are my quilting fat quarters - again by color. The red rolling rack under the hangers are my WIPs. We are finishing an unfinished basement so my sewing room is just 2x4s right now.
Charity
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The large bins underneath the shelves are bulky fabrics and large cuts. They'd take up a whole basket or more. On the hangers are specialty fabrics and things I want to have minimal folds. In the 3 bin drawer units are my quilting fat quarters - again by color. The red rolling rack under the hangers are my WIPs. We are finishing an unfinished basement so my sewing room is just 2x4s right now.
Charity
------
Beginning Stash on 01/01/08 - 800 yards
Yardage Sewn in 2008 - 145 yards
Items Sewn - 92
Yardage Given Away in 2008 - 34.25
Wadder Yardage - 5 yards
TOTAL STASH REDUCTION TO DATE: 156.25 yards
DISALLOWED YARDAGE BOUGHT IN 2008 - 36 yards
CURRENT STASH: 643.75 yards
Personal Blog - Vintage Threads, http://www.vintagethreads.blogspot.com
Yardage Sewn in 2008 - 145 yards
Items Sewn - 92
Yardage Given Away in 2008 - 34.25
Wadder Yardage - 5 yards
TOTAL STASH REDUCTION TO DATE: 156.25 yards
DISALLOWED YARDAGE BOUGHT IN 2008 - 36 yards
CURRENT STASH: 643.75 yards
Personal Blog - Vintage Threads, http://www.vintagethreads.blogspot.com
Posted on: 2/7/08 9:28 PM ET
Charity, a delight to see that museum of potential garment art!
I sort by fabric type, and color grouped within each fabric type. Thel fabrics are in 4 tall glass doored side-by-side shelved cabinets. If I open all the glass doors, I can see most of my stash. 1st cabinet: silks; 2nd cabinet: wovens incl cottons, cotton/lycras, linens, other; 3rd and 4th cabinets: knits. Fabrics are folded, not rolled.
An exception are my wools which fill an old mirrored-door armoire fitted with shelves. The closed armoire is to keep all wools moth-free. Wools are folded, not rolled.
Another exception are the fabrics I have on rolls in a 6' deep closet under the stairway. The rolls are sorted from top to bottom according to weight, without regard to fabric type or color. This puts silk organza and fusible interfacings together on the top shelves. On the bottom shelves, are fleeces and heavier home dec. In between, mid weights of all types. --Lily
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I sort by fabric type, and color grouped within each fabric type. Thel fabrics are in 4 tall glass doored side-by-side shelved cabinets. If I open all the glass doors, I can see most of my stash. 1st cabinet: silks; 2nd cabinet: wovens incl cottons, cotton/lycras, linens, other; 3rd and 4th cabinets: knits. Fabrics are folded, not rolled.
An exception are my wools which fill an old mirrored-door armoire fitted with shelves. The closed armoire is to keep all wools moth-free. Wools are folded, not rolled.
Another exception are the fabrics I have on rolls in a 6' deep closet under the stairway. The rolls are sorted from top to bottom according to weight, without regard to fabric type or color. This puts silk organza and fusible interfacings together on the top shelves. On the bottom shelves, are fleeces and heavier home dec. In between, mid weights of all types. --Lily
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Lily
Posted on: 2/7/08 9:35 PM ET
In reply to CharityAK
Wow. You are one lucky woman. When my closet gets redone, and it's just a freshen up job, I will put in the filing cabinet for pattern storage. I have two larger bins for my fabric storage.
But to have something like this, and be able to wander through and dream, and plan, and then sew, would be nice.
But to have something like this, and be able to wander through and dream, and plan, and then sew, would be nice.
Posted on: 2/7/08 9:38 PM ET
I organize my fabric by fabric types and fibers. In wovens, the cottons are grouped by denims and twill, corduroy, stretch wovens, flannel, lightweight/blouse weight, skirt/dress weight, craft/novelty fabrics, and then I have linen and rayon, and wool.
Knits are polarfleece, wicking knits,wicking lycra, cotton knits, cotton lycra, poly and sheer knits, swimwear, and stretch velvet, rayon and model.
I also have a stack of fabrics for muslins and a few large bins of costume fabrics for twirlers and belly dancers.
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Knits are polarfleece, wicking knits,wicking lycra, cotton knits, cotton lycra, poly and sheer knits, swimwear, and stretch velvet, rayon and model.
I also have a stack of fabrics for muslins and a few large bins of costume fabrics for twirlers and belly dancers.
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My grandmother taught me to sew when I was 10, and I've been sewing ever since.
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