Organizing fabrics

[WeeOne]

I'm trying to clean up my craft room and get a little more organized. I have my fabric in plastic, clear, containers of 2 or 3 different sizes. Oh, and then the other fabrics that I've bought, but no more room in containers....need more. Almost all of this is stash, not kits or fabric for a specific project.
How do you sort... by color...flowers, solids...fat quarters all in one place....or what :/
Lyn

[khowardquilts]

I sort mine mostly by color.

Kathy

[gmaann]

Sort? What's that??

[sunsup]

Yes.

I sort by colors but... then there is the stack of Christmas, and one for fall and the flanel is in another stack. After a while you'll figure out what works for you.

Have fun.

[AudreyB]

I sort by colors but do have bins that are sorted by holiday. If you have a lot of holiday material. Then I would sort by the holdiay. I use a labeler to label the color or holiday on the side of the plastic containers. I find it much easier to find what I am looking for that way. Because of where you live I would be very careful on moisture issues.

Audrey

[sewbug]

I sort by color but usually the stacks in up being stacks of preference like favorites, a few stacks of uglies, holiday, and character prints. I have one basket for scraps and one basket for anyone, usually the kids, to take what they want to use how they want. They usually have a craft project going and they know any fabric in the take basket is okay to use. The other fabric is ask only.

[knitnoid]

I think sorting evolves as you work with your stash. My stash consists mostly of FQs, but there is some yardage. Looking over at my large bins they are labeled as:

Green / Red
Red&White / Black&White
Yardage (2 w/this label)
Pink / Purple (this one is stuffed to the gills)
Black / Orange / Yellow /Brown
Blue
1930's
Novelty
Floral (includes paisley)
Cat
Light / WOW /COC (stuffed full)
Scraps
no label (misc stuff) 2 bins

Smaller bins are labled
Christmas
Panels / Baby

And even smaller bins have precut squares/rectangles/strips

The music fabric is in a couple of drawers and would easily take up 2 bins.

As you can see, some fabrics could be included in one than more bin -- for instance the 1930's cats on a green background - it's in the 1930's bin, but it could technically go in the music drawers, or the green drawers... ooh, off to cut a 5 1/2" square, because it most definately needs to go in the music quilt.

Hope this helps.

[1quiltinnana]

I have mine in plastic containers with lids...by fabric...Batiks, 30's, etc. then, I have a stash of just Fat Quarters together. Some are holiday fabrics separate. Just play around with it and you'll find what is natural to do for yours.

[piecemaker1]

gmaann, you hit the nail........