How to Organise Your Cross Stitch Floss | Caterpillar Cross Stitch

In this week's video, Ford walks us through his top tips for thread and floss organization! Keep your stash neat and aesthetically pleasing with these easy, beginner-friendly methods. If you're new to flosstube and cross stitch, or more experienced, you'll find plenty of stitching ideas and inspiration here!
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ABOUT ME:
Thanks for visiting my channel, I hope you enjoyed the video! I founded Caterpillar Cross Stitch in 2015 when I tried desperately for months to find a modern baby sampler my mum could stitch for new baby Felicity that would fit in with her simple, contemporary nursery. I love cross stitch, running, baking fruit cakes, drinking gin, eating salted caramel ice cream and most crafts!
See you soon and happy stitching! Sally x

[@lesleynitschke4858]

Brilliant, I've struggled for ages to find a perfect way to store my floss, I went from bobbins to stitch bows and as my collection grew I went back to bobbins but then the dilemma to store by colour or number, I went colour as it looked pretty but for me it was oh so impractical so I went numerical which was not pretty lol but now you've made me a happy gal and today I'm downloading a copy of the colour chart and reorganising and also putting the row and number on my bobbins. Thank you so very much 😊😊

[@SonovaStitch]

Glad my solution helped for you! I knew I couldn't be the only one with this dilemma!

[@MsGabmc]

Yours look so pretty. I invested in the Pip and Chip bobbins so have them in numerical order in a little filing cabinet. Yours look a lot better than mine though. I have the DMC colour card too and love it!

[@NeringaJurkutė]

Looks pretty and tidy but one issue is of storing remaining ends of threads after you complete work. I always preserve remaining floss for next work and only ziplock bags work in that way.

[@BrendaHapps]

I have never been able to find floss boxes that large. Can you tell me where to find them? I also use the DMC floss color card. If you like to change up colors in a chart it is a must have!! Thank you for sharing!! I love your idea to set up your box like the color card!! Definitely on my organization list!! I appreciate you taking the time to share!!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thank you for watching, we're happy to hear that you found the video useful. Hopefully Ford can come back to you on where he got those boxes from!

[@LinWilliamslwg]

I've got the DMC chart but never occurred to me to store my bobbins in the same order. Thanks Ford!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

We're pleased you found this helpful :)

[@sennadesillva]

I've been doing this hobby now for about 5 years and the more I see how others store their floss, the more I feel like I'm dumb and missing something lol. Tupperware has containers that are the same height and width as Ziploc's snack bags. I get a skein, just throw it in one of those bags with a note card (cut in half) that has the color number, drop it in the container and I'm done. No need for bobbins, the time it takes to wrap it around the bobbins and don't have that kink/fold every inch. Also no need to move like a hundred colors if I get 602 and my divided container is full and the last one is 702. I just move 702 to the front of the next one, drop in 602 and get back to sewing. I also used a piece of cardboard as a divider between each hundred (100, 200, 300 and so on) to split them better. I haven't seen anyone else do it this way yet, so what am I missing that makes this way with the bobbins better? Thanks in advance :)

[@SonovaStitch]

The bags would just take up a lot more space (I have about 600 colors) and the way they would slip all around when I'm carrying my project wouldn't work for me. I do know people who use and swear by your method, though! Thanks for watching!

[@wizwitch5318]

For me it's a tangle reduction thing--even unravelling the floss from the skein I have to be careful not to tangle it up, and I'd rather fuss with the floss one time in a relatively smooth manner than have to worry about tangled every time I start a new strand in a project

[@goo9205]

This is what I've needed. My thread and floss have been so unorganized. Thank you!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

You are so welcome! Glad to hear it's helped!

[@user-rh7pk1ns6s]

Thank you for the video. I got the DMC color card with the actual floss samples a few years back and it is wonderful! It was not easy to get, though. I got in a waiting list on the DMC website and was finally able to get it. I still just keep my floss in strictly number order but it really helps seeing them in the card beforehand.

[@SonovaStitch]

True, the sample card mostly fulfills the need to be able to compare colors. Storing them that way is mostly an aesthetic choice for me. I met someone who stored her books organized by color once, though, and I backed out of the house and then ran away as fast as I could.

[@user-rh7pk1ns6s]

Yes, I would like to store them based on the rows on the card, but I know me, and the basic number order works better for me. I would never put them back in place properly and would have a Mess. That is very odd about the books, though, I'd run, too, lol!

[@billlerner]

Really important subject

[@SonovaStitch]

Thanks for watching!

[@MrsDominyka]

Hello! Thank you for this video, I have learned a new trick - marking the number of the box on the thread "bobbin" (not sure how is it called correctly:)) (P.S. And compliments to your style - ql!!!:)

[@SonovaStitch]

Thanks, that little trick saves me tons of time restocking floss when I'm done! Thanks for watching (and for the compliment!)

[@Regallily1]

Oh that's so smart! Now that I am starting to design my own patterns being able to "shop" by color has become more important!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

So glad you found the video helpful. Have you seen our design platform? loveitstitchit.com/ not only can you create your cross stitch patterns but you can also list them on our dedicated marketplace!

[@Regallily1]

@@CaterpillarCrossStitch I have and wish I had seen it before I purchased PCStitch. I will definitely be using loveitstitchit to create my christmas ornaments this year!

[@sandrashaw8343]

I like what you did with your boxes, i too have tge chart it is great. The only thing i dont like is bobbinating my floss. Thank you as always Ford. X

[@SonovaStitch]

Putting it on the bobbins is boring, but it's the only storage method I've tried that worked for me!

[@sandrashaw8343]

@@SonovaStitch I prefer the pip and chip method, though it does take up more room 🤣. Thank you again for the great videos. X

[@user-kj9jj5wp4u]

Very good system! Thanks for the info!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching :)

[@kaylamenter3260]

I haven't quite gotten to storing extra floss yet as all of mine is currently kitted up with each specific project, but I think I like the numerical system the best. When I'm doing my bobbin boxes for each project, that's how I tend to store them.

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thanks for sharing :)

[@KarenHinckel]

What a superb idea! That's always been a tough decision for me too. Form or function? Now it's possible to do both. Can't wait to try this out!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

That's great news!

[@tamoui2963]

I have the DMC colours folder but I prefer the lord libidan dmc inventory spreadsheet. It can be searched and edited and is accessible from all my devices. I number my bobbins and keep them in similar containers to yours. I keep my unbobbinated floss in long, thin, plastic, lidded boxes numbered to correspond with the columns in the spreadsheet.

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thanks for watching and sharing your tips!

[@julievirgadamo1813]

Ford, I am struggling with floss storage. Why do you choose to bobbin rather than floss drop. I need advice. Thank you

[@ConnieEades]

I'm looking for the larger floss box like shown in the video. What is the brand or where can I find it. Love the organizing tip

[@SonovaStitch]

I got these at JoAnn Fabric. I don't recall the brand.

[@ConnieEades]

Thank you so much! I'll check my local JoAnns!

[@carlacundiff9536]

I’m still learning and finding the best way to store my floss. How are bobbins and floss drops different? Is one way better than another?

[@SonovaStitch]

Floss drops you don't wind the floss up, it more like dangles/hangs. I know people who store all their floss this way, but for me I know it would be a hopeless, tangled mess and I'd just have to set it on fire eventually and start over. Thanks for watching!

[@tarafurnice6097]

I'm a newbie to cross stitch. I've been given a lot of threads/ floss but they aren't DMC or Anchor brands. And some left over from people's projects they've finished. Not sure where to start organising, it's hurting my head 🧠lol 🙃

[@lisaboban]

That sounds painful!! But you can still use them if you are comfortable with choosing your own colors for a pattern. I would just sort them all by color family - reds, blues, greens, greys, etc. When you find a pattern, play around with what pleases your eye, and go for it!! Lots of times I'm kitting up a pattern and I either don't have, or don't like the called-for colors on the fabric I've got. So I go into my stash and find something that works for me. Sounds like you've got the start of a great stash!! Go make something pretty!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thank you for watching! Some great advice here from @lisaboban

[@feidie64]

Love the DMC floss card but I usually hang my floss (can't stand the bends in the floss from the winding), however, I can use the same system (rings instead of columns). Thanks! ❤

[@SonovaStitch]

Glad you found it useful! Thanks for watching!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thanks for watching!

[@kimstolworthy3606]

Thanks for all the informative videos, Ford. Look forward to them every week. Have you ever heard of floss getting a musty odor? I used the bobbins in the storage cases like you. Some had a musty odor, some didn’t. Any ideas? Thanks Kim 😊

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thanks for watching, hopefully Ford can give you an insight as to whether he has encountered this or not but just wondered, is it possible that some could have got damp when stored?

[@kimstolworthy3606]

No. I was very careful to put them in the bobbin storage box and they were kept on a family room shelf. I did purchase the majority from a big name craft store and I live in FL… my first thought was maybe they were exposed to some moisture before reaching the store, but I don’t know which ones I got there. It affected sooo many. It’s crazy… Thank you so much for your reply. 💛

[@susanlearn6625]

Where did ypu get those big boxes

[@SheilaGraves-mv9gu]

Michaels or hobby lobby

[@joanngreen9714]

❤

[@SheilaGraves-mv9gu]

I have 3 big boxes of flosses also I have the color chart

[@SonovaStitch]

I love having the color chart when I'm designing. The color previews on the computer cannot be trusted. Thanks for watching!

[@daniellethompson8669]

I'm currently bobbinating my DMC collection but I can only find smaller boxes for storage and I don't really want 6 boxes of floss I need to store. Where can I find larger boxes like your ones?

[@SonovaStitch]

I got these ones at JoAnn Fabrics. I'm not sure if they still carry them. Thanks for watching!

[@stephaniegray8527]

I just store in order by the number assigned to the thread.

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Definitely have to do what works for you! Thank you for watching!

[@nancybareiss7769]

How do you organize other brands

[@SonovaStitch]

To be totally honest, I only use DMC personally. But I do believe that Anchor has a card like the one I use. There are also some other brands that just use the same number designations as DMC, but they're usually a synthetic blend and not 100% cotton, and I can't stand the feel of them. Thanks for watching!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thank you for watching :)

[@user-el9kc6zs5o]

Why is it called Caterpillar??

[@SonovaStitch]

You'd probably have to ask Sally about that one!

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

we're working on a blog that will explain all :)

[@NeringaJurkutė]

Looks pretty and tidy but one issue is of storing remaining ends of threads after you complete work. I always preserve remaining floss for next work and only ziplock bags work in that way.

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Thank you for watching and for your feedback :)