Organizing question for all

I got hooked on organizing all my fabric and feel I've done a good job as I can find exactly the color/s I need. BUT-- where to store my finished blocks...my flimsy's..or just tops?? I haven't gotten around to putting the 40 + blocks together nor have I sandwiched the 5 tops to be quilted. I just wanna keep them safe til I can get back to that pattern or that project.

Do ya have a method for storage that lets ya remember and find those blocks easily? And where would you put those tops to be quilted? I need to clean off my design board and the top of my large table..

Hi Judy! Well I'm a big fan of plastic bins, the opaque colored one so you can kinda sorta see thru them, then slap on a label...some quilters use those flat plastic boxes that scrap bookers favour, but they're a little pricier. Another idea, i put my blocks flat into freezer bags.. Some have a write on label... Hope this helps...

I do the same thing Suzyq does - love the clear scrap book bins that are about 5 inches thick. They will hold fabric picked for a specific project, patterns, cut pieces, pieced blocks, and/or tops. If I am doing something like a BOM with different patterns I put the cut pieces in zip-lock bags and write all the pertinent information on them.

I have found that getting a sale at Michaels is the best price on the scrap book boxes and the ones I like have a handle on them so you can carry it to a sew-fest or guild meeting.

Aloha Judy,

I've been ordering these when I get the online coupons from Joann's as we don't have Joann's on the island - they are 12"x12" and about 3" high. Clear plastic and quite sturdy. I like them because I can put my large finished Stack N Wack blocks in them, keep them clean as I tend to use snow white backgrounds the most for them.

$6.99 normally but I wait for the 40 or 50% coupon. :)

http://www.joann.com/12x12-protect-n...ox/xprd881677/

Duh...(forehead slap) I'm a scrapbooker and didn't think to use my stash for quilting.. I think I have a couple boxes just taking up space in the file cabinet. They would be perfect for the blocks..esp those BOM! I will have to pick up a bin or two for the "tops".. All my rubber stamps take up residents in the clear plastic shoe boxes and bins -- so I'll have to get more. (yes, I do my own cards and have a sizeable rubber stamp collection)

Hey, I'm retired, so I can have all the hobbies my pocket book can afford, RIGHT???? Gotta keep Granny off the Streets at Night. LOL

Judy, Many quilters go to their local pizza place and buy (sometimes they will give them to you free) new pizza boxes. They are square and will hold quite a few blocks....you can label them on the outside and stack them on a shelf until you are ready for them.
That's a very inexpensive solution. :)

I don't have a lot of ufo's but what I do have I keep in separate clear tote from my other fabrics, assorted by color of course. Except for juvenile stuff, and they have their own special tote. Yes us granny's do need to have our fun. I used to do wood crafting as well, but now quilting makes me happier than any other hobby I have ever had. I truly believe my own Granny has a hand in that.

Many good ideas here. I use clear bins, so I can see what's in them, but I still lose stuff. Also like 2 gallon ziplock bags, they let stuff lay flat. Flimsies are in plastic bins, but I have too many, so they are folded on a table in my "sandwich shop", The room where I have two cutting tables pushed together where I build my quilt sandwiches. It's a guest bedroom, I 'll really have to clean it out if guests come!

Love the pizza boxes. The workers only look at you somewhat funny when you ask for a new empty box.

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Originally Posted by Bubby

Judy, Many quilters go to their local pizza place and buy (sometimes they will give them to you free) new pizza boxes. They are square and will hold quite a few blocks....you can label them on the outside and stack them on a shelf until you are ready for them.
That's a very inexpensive solution. :)

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Originally Posted by Bubby

Judy, Many quilters go to their local pizza place and buy (sometimes they will give them to you free) new pizza boxes. They are square and will hold quite a few blocks....you can label them on the outside and stack them on a shelf until you are ready for them.
That's a very inexpensive solution. :)

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Be careful storing anything in cardboard for any length of time. It's not acid-free and cardboard is a HUGE attraction for roaches and other critters to breed in. I won't take brown paper grocery sacks into my house because it's been proven that they are one of the most favorite breeding grounds for roaches.

I'm with the plastic boxes too. In the scrapbooking section you can find plastic storage boxes for the 12x12 paper...12x12x3 inches. That would be perfect for 12 inch blocks or smaller. Or..if you how about the thinner storage boxes that slide under a bed? 6" tall and nearly 2 feet long...stackable too. How about hanging the quilt tops on a hanger with the background fabric and the batting and put them in the back of the closet (if you have a closet),

I just last night took my little bit of scraps I have been keeping and cut them into pieces...I made the biggest piece I could out of the scraps...3,1/2" strips, 5" charms and 4" pieces and have some 2" pieces but not sure if Iam going to bother with them or not.

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Originally Posted by K. McEuen

Be careful storing anything in cardboard for any length of time. It's not acid-free and cardboard is a HUGE attraction for roaches and other critters to breed in. I won't take brown paper grocery sacks into my house because it's been proven that they are one of the most favorite breeding grounds for roaches.

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Same here with the boxes from Costco/Sam's - We bring our cloth shopping bags - food/restaurants are actually the worse places for cardboard/paper products. Sadly that is where the coocaaraasaas like to live. lol

Hey Judy, you do all the crafty stuff you want. Hey, show off some of that other stuff too, eh? For projects I am working on I use a small plastic bin size of a shoe box. Then I can see it but it isn't laying around getting dirty. Yep, love plastic bins.

Oh, please don't encourage my stamp collecting----it's out of control and has been for years... I just can't resist the clearance bins when out and about. I have "sets" from the 1990's when Stampin Up was going full swing. Took me ages to learn all the "tricks" of embossing, dye backgrounds and coloring tehniques... so if ya have any questions, you know who to ask..

Attachment 20981
This is just my way of showing what stamps are in what "see thru" container... I use old plastic CD cases for the unmounted..

I have a quilt rack in my sewing room that I put unfinished quilt tops on. It decorates the room at the same time.

A friend of mine had 50ish [yes 50] quilt tops hanging on pants hangers in one of her sewing rooms, some are under plastic cleaners bags.

I hung metal rods under my wall cabinets (kinda like closet rods) to hang my finished quilt tops over. That way they're staring me in the face, and I feel guilty not finishing them. Will post a picture later

You can line your pizza box with acid free paper or something similar-

You can also fancy them up this way:

part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_fNuN28V9o

part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs9ky...feature=relmfu

if you use a container to store your projects or fabrics, make sure to label them if they are not "see-through".

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Originally Posted by Denis

You can line your pizza box with acid free paper or something similar-

You can also fancy them up this way:

part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_fNuN28V9o

part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs9ky...feature=relmfu

if you use a container to store your projects or fabrics, make sure to label them if they are not "see-through".

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LOL, so much for being cheap.

Okay, I got a picture of my quilt top rack loaded.Attachment 21005

Neat idea for a pizza box, only I'd use some of my scrapbook paper instead of precious fabric.. but I have a couple of hobbies going and can cross over with either.. Yes I even use my rubber stamps-make sure the ink is permanent "staz-on".

tfrankum- I like the quilt top rack.. it looks like it holds up to four? and room to layer over each other too. I wish I had room for that system.

Yesterday, while shopping at one of my local Tuesday Morning stores, I saw that Fons and Porter make a box specifically for storing blocks. It was 9.99 at Tuesday Morning. I didn't pick it up because I don't have that many blocks to store, but you might look for this product somewhere where you can find Fons and Porter stuff.

Holy cow. I can't even imagine have that many tops done and not quilted. Drives me crazy to not quilt as soon as top is done. I have 4 baby tops to sandwich and finish up. Haven't been able to finish cuz I need a few supplies that I am going to have to drive more than 20 min to get, and haven't had the time. As soon as I have the time, they WILL get finished, lol.

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Originally Posted by Claire Hallman

A friend of mine had 50ish [yes 50] quilt tops hanging on pants hangers in one of her sewing rooms, some are under plastic cleaners bags.

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