Love the great tips. Love how you have the fabric folded on the shelves. Very nice tip. Also love how you have dolls on display in the sewing room. It looks so pretty . We have our fabric scraps in a wooden toy box in ziplocks.
My biggest challenge is enough space! I am thankful that my husband puts up with all of my "stuff" on our side of the bedroom, but I dream of my own sewing room someday! At least the days of all of my sewing piled up on the dining room table are far behind me! :)
I'm always envious of those who have beautifully put together sewing rooms. I use cube storage units and bookshelves, but I'm so busy and have so much that it rarely looks so put together. It is organized, however. I sew for several dolls, sizes and makers and keep patterns according those parameters in plastic scrapbook boxes, clipping the pattern pieces together or using clear plastic bags within the box. So I may have as many as 10 patterns in one box for that one doll. I've tried other systems but this works for me. Makes it easy to put them away quickly and as I go, too.
I folded up my scraps and store them in shallow plastic bins meant for papers and folders. They are stored folded side up and are organized by color. They easily stack on each other and it’s so easy to see what fabric I have. Best system I’ve found.
I purchased two 12-Cubby units where I fold my fabric and stack them into the cubbies, organized by color. I started storing my scraps in clear totes by colors. Although that works, I found that I might need either a different way of storing the scrabs or an additional storage venue. I am leaning more to an additional storage. For the scraps that are too small for making a doll outfit but small enough to make into a quilt for dolls and other quilts, I am currently in the process of cutting them down into strips and storing by size of strips. squares, triangles along with adding an extra tote for Christmas fabric scraps.
I don’t have a sewing room, but if I did patterns would be in order and fabrics tools and notions would be in their respectful space. I am a real stickler about organization. The video is really helpful.😘❤️
My biggest challenge is just having a room big enough devoted to storing & using everything I have! Love the ideas here-- I'd sort the small bits of fabrics into clear shoe boxes that can easily stack on shelves or inside closed cabinets, organized first by main colors & then within each color box also separated by solids vs. prints/patterns. I like the vertical fabric storage idea for easier access (wrapped on cardboard), but you likely need custom cabinetry to efficiently store & separate the bolts of fabrics (both vertically & horizontally). I have found stacking fabrics makes it harder to get to pieces near the bottom without the whole stack falling over & then needing refolding.
For small fabric scraps, a clear plastic shoebox for each color is one solution. For thread, I found some plastic double sided tackle boxes that the spools fit in. They work great! I like your ribbon spools.
The most challenging thing to keep organized whilst sewing is the patterns I am using and adapting. I keep each pattern in a labelled manilla envelope w/photo on the front, carefully label each piece as to whether it is a 100% original, an enlargement or reduction, and if it has been otherwise altered. This really helps when coming back to a project after a break, so I can easily pick up where I left off--or know which was my most recent version of the adaptation so I can sew another one.
Those smaller pieces I fold onto fat quarter size and have them lined up in a large shallow wire basket. They’re set on their edge and sorted by color. Works great to see what I have available.
My biggest challenge when sewing is having what I need clear across the room from where I’m working. The measuring tape is on the ironing board when I’m at the sewing machine 😂 I love the idea withe pegboard for thread and the comment about small bags for scraps sorted by color!
My issue right now is that I have acquired sewing supplies from multiple people and really need to go through things. I've been using the clear plastic shoe storage boxes for things and that is really helpful. I also have large 1 gallon jars that had pickles and such in them from restaurants and they are invaluable for larger collections.
I store by fabric type, and then by colour. For the smaller pieces I have bins for the different colours. Mine are solid bins, but from what you said about being visual, you would probably work better with clear bins.
`I work with smaller amounts of fabric so keep mine in small plastic containers with lids. I keep them in color order, which works best for me. I think this method might work well for you for your scrappier or smaller piece fabric. If you don’t have room for a lot of plastic containers, they do make storage containers with drawers or several divided spaces. If I have larger quantities of fabric, bulkier or speciality fabric, I roll it and stand it upright in a rope style basket. Your room looks nice. Thanks for sharing.
My most challenging thing to keep organized when sewing is patterns. I always have multiple projects in different stages going on and sometimes pattern pieces can get mixed up.
I've begun wrapping my fabric on cardboards for storage, and I love the way that makes things easy to see and easy to access. I keep coming back to arranging my fabrics by color. Somehow, that is just easier for me see what I have available. I really like the peg board idea--I just need to find a place to put it!
I have 3 small bins in my sewing for #1 work in process #2 finished work#3 projects to come. Now mind you, most of my sewing is for 18” dolls, so there isn’t an overwhelming abundance of fabric
Thanks for the tour! I like to store my fabric by type & color. Cottons, knits, & fancy fabric are my main categories. My small remnants are rolled, tied with surplus yarn or fabric strips & placed in baskets on my sewing room shelving. I agree that it helps to see what I have or I forget it’s on hand.😊
For the smaller pieces of fabric you have in bags, I would probably get smaller clear totes (preferably the kind that stack easily) and sort by color. I would also then challenge myself to work through it in some way. Ex. As soon as I make one item using the scrap fabrics then I can make one or two items with a new fabric I’m excited about. I found if I don’t do something like that then I will never get through it.
I like keeping my fabric on bolts and mini bolts (comic book boards) stacked like books, by type and by color! I think it’s easier to get what I want off the shelves easier! My fat quarters are neatly folded in clear plastic she boxes and small strips I put into sterlite drawers ! Thank you for the tour!
Enjoyed your video! You gave me many ideas on how to improve my sewing space! i don't have as much space as your room and that is what my challenge will continue to be.
Thanks for sharing your room. For the small fabrics you could use a transparent shoe box (Ikea) and have the fabrics folded in small squares, kind of standind up, so you can go through like in a file binder 😊
Smaller pieces of cardboard will allow you to store the smaller fabric scraps vertically. I was just inspired to try that with a stack of roughly letter-size cardboard harvested over the years from file folder packaging. Some became disc binder dividers with pretty paper, and used others to stiffen/stabilize mailing envelopes, but now I see their potential for fabric storage...
I make a lot of small things and I have three tier rolling carts in my room and I keep all my small bits of fabric in the cart and can just roll it over to where I'm working. I have a separate cart for lace and trims.
I store mine on bolts and cardboard depending on type and yardage. Most of my cottons are on cardboards stord like books on a shelf. I have used this way for years and love it. Heavier weight materials store on bolts. I have floor to ceiling shelves. One wall is all cottons the other is garment sewing fabric.
For fabric storage I use products by Polar Notions. They’re pricey but they are sturdy and last forever. They sell mini bolts for large pieces of fabric and they have smaller units that were designed to hold fat quarters but I use them to hold any useful small pieces of fabric.
I have mine fabric folded on the shelf like you do but my daughter has hers wrapped around cardboard and standing up like you mentioned. I definitely get more inspired to sew when I look at her fabric!!! In the midst of renovating my sewing room (17'x11') so I think I will do wrapping my pieces. I don't know how to store my larger pieces...3+ yards?? I do have pegboard hanging but its just plain...I love the frame around it! Thanks for sharing your video!
Besides organizing fabric scraps, I've recently had challenges keeping track of my props for vendor shows. I like to create scenes at my shows-it draws people in just to look, which is fun, but also frequently results in sales, especially from doll collectors.
I have a 13x15 room but there's also along arm in it for quilting. I'm trying! I think that I need to get rid of a lot of duplicate things...great tips Cinnamon!
I re-organized my sewing room in a similar manner as yours but since the room has pretty french doors that can be seen from the living area, I have to keep it as simple as possible so it doesn't look a mess. My desk is L-shaped but holds the computer and printer on one side and sewing area on the other side. Keeping all the notions stored and remembering where is probably my biggest problem
My biggest challenge for keeping things organized in my craft room is having more than what will fit in my storage containers, either because we hit a great estate sale deal we couldn't pass up or someone cleans out their closet and donates it to us to use for ministry. We recently tackled the overabundance of fleece by making things for the homeless and pregnancy clinic, but we have so many other things that need used or given to someone else who will do something with it.
My biggest sewing organization challenge is keeping track of my fabric stash! I get a good deal on an amazing piece then can't find it when it's time to create! 😩
I am thinking of using a photo album to organise small pieces of fabric I have. I'm not sure if the fabric pieces will fit into the pockets yet. But I like the idea of being able to flip through the fabric and see what I have.
One of my biggest challenges to keep organized is long things like elastic and trims that get unwieldy, especially when they're bit and pieces and don't fit nicely in their box.
My problem is that I am a perfectionist and a procrastinator. It makes it hard to get started! But seeing all these storage ideas makes me want to have a room like this!
Storing fabric by type is best for me but I'm a garment sewer. Your storage room is similar to the size of mine. Try to have one area where you store your office stuff and try and put it all in one box. Put all books and magazines in one cubby, remove the corkboard, and only have your magazine rack for your ideas. Well, those are my suggestions.
Love your ideas. I have a good-sized room, but one whole long wall is windows, so it really limits my storage space. I do store apparel fabric by type and doll fabric by type and color.
Actually, my fabric is fairly organized in cardboard dress pattern boxes (of yesterday). They stack perfectly for storage. However, when I pull fabrics to audition a pattern, that’s when I get in trouble. Attempting to return the rejected fabrics to correct storage boxes isn’t as much fun as pulling them originally.
My biggest sewing organization challenge is trying to keep my sewing table cleared enough so that I can sew something. I have too many sewing items on the go at the same time.
I mainly quilt and make bags, so I store my clothing fabrics separately in storage bags with a tall clear vinyl strip in the longest side. That way, I fold and stack the fabric largest cuts at the bottom up to the smallest cuts at the top so I can see at a glance what’s in there and in approximately what amount and they stay clean. My faux leathers and corks I store on rolls so they don’t get creased ( usually on the roll they came on) but I leave my 54” fancy vinyl’s and leathers on their bolts standing in a corner. I recommend you put what you use most often on your shelves and drawers, and your scraps in clear plastic storage bins of whatever size will fit, sorted by size and in separate bins for lights and darks. You can do this easily by labeling the boxes in size ranges, i.e. 5 inches or less, 10 inches or more. My sewing room is also small so you can do what I just described in 4 smallish boxes that can be stacked.
Great ideas for the pegboards. I'd never thought about using the smaller frames. Also, I have concrete walls and was wondering if I could hang a larger peg board, so THANK YOU!
