Early this year I refolded my whole stash so it would fit better into the shelves (i.e. I could get more in!) It took me 4 days of solid work. My friends scoffed at me (to put it politely, I'm pretty sure the "a#@l" word was mentioned a few times.) because I was using a piece of cardboard to wrap the fabric around so it would be neat and tidy and all the same width piles. ( I got the idea from that fab book about designing quilting spaces. I forget the title and author at the moment, but you all know which one I mean. I borrowed the book from a friend - a great read.) The author suggested using a 6" by 24" ruler as a guide. The 6" width didn't work for my shelves, so I worked out I could fit 3 piles side by side on each shelf if I made the cardboard 7" wide.
Frances came around last Saturday night and asked if I had any spare cardboard. Her shelves were groaning and she need to organise them better. Of course I fell about laughing and "I told you so" was close to my lips, if not actually through them! I made Frances one and a new one for myself as the original was getting pretty tatty.
Since some of you were very impressed that I was sleeping with my fabric and managing to not knock over the lovely neat piles and given that Frances is now a convert to the 'a#@l way of fabric organising I have an illustrated tutorial for you:
Cardboard placed on fabric:
The first fold:
All folded up:
Cardboard removed:
Folded in half:
To get neat piles like this:
Please feel free to scoff at your leisure!
The first fold:
All folded up:
Cardboard removed:
Folded in half:
To get neat piles like this:
Please feel free to scoff at your leisure!
10 comments:
I organized my fabric drawers yesterday, but I did not do it as nice as you have done. Very good idea for the next time I'm reorganizing my fabrics.
Its not the concept I object to, its the four days of hard work when i could be quilting! I think i'd rather just buy more shelves...
scoff? SCOFF?? Are you kidding me? Why would I do that? I am bursting with admiration and jealousy!
Nosireee!! I certainly would not scoff at that! Wonderfully neat.
Oh dear, all you organized quilters! (I read May Britt's post yesterday). I'm just going to have to get on the bandwagon with you. I'll try that 6" or 7" cardboard trick!
scoff?!?! I am checking with your people to see when you can schedule me in!
I work better with neat and tidy, so know where you are at. The end result is so pleasing to the eye, the lines of colour, do it for me. I can stand and drool at piles of colour like that! I tend to be a tidy worker at whatever I am doing and don't find that is stiffles my creativity - it's just how some of us are!
Ooooh...thanks for the tutorial, what a great idea!
It does look like it is well worth the effort! (what do you do with your smaller bits?)
Your blog is fantastic
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