My Epic Sewing Room Sort Out Part 1: Organizing & Destashing my Fabrics!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

What are your best fabric storage tips?

[@jackie1k227]

I have cut foam board to fit my shelves and use it as mini bolts to wrap fabric around. Also, if I am sourcing the fabric for a specific quilt, that get a ribbon wrapped around it with something in writing stating what quilt it is for

[@ScrapFabricLove]

I like that ribbon idea!

[@jackie1k227]

@@ScrapFabricLove …. Being relatively new to quilting, I was afraid I would accidentally use material for a quilt on another project. I just love watching your videos!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks so much!

[@elliefox1419]

This may sound backwards but my best storage tip would be getting rid of what you don't use and don't feel bad about it. I used to save everything and then it just becomes too overwhelming and you don't use it anyway. 🙂

[@graybynature2449]

Thank you for your "real" mess shot. My hubby said to me - 'hey she sorts a mess like you, the floor and dinning table.' 🤣🤣 You book case looks really nice. For yardage I wrap fabric around comic book boards in drawers and FQ's folded into a square on the edge in drawers. I hate dusting so I don't have it on display.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

😂 love it! Knew I wasn’t the only one with such a hectic process!

[@quiltcrazyhiker]

My favorite statement you made…..”it’s sorted in my head”! Loved seeing your decision process.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! 😂 Yes the sorting in my head is definitely specific to me not sure anyone else would understand it!

[@belindasantamore4054]

Great job, always Love when room is tidy

[@ScrapFabricLove]

I know makes everything feel so much better!

[@ShadowMoonFarms]

I'm usually a "buy the fabric without a pattern in mind" person and I tend to buy in 1 or 2 yard pieces on sale or end of bolts. 1 yard pieces I fold with selvages together and then again with the fold meeting selvage so I have about 11 " wide X 36" long. Then I fold the raw edges to meet at one end and then fold again in thirds with the raw edges in the center. It ends up about 7" X 11". 2 yard or bigger pieces are laid out with selvages together on my table. I have an 8" X 24" ruler that I place on one end and start "rolling up" the fabric while smoothing and keeping the selvages even. One raw edge is in the middle of the "roll" and the other raw edge is folded under at the end. Then I pull out the ruler and fold the whole roll in half so I end up with all the raw edges in the middle and a bundle about 11" X 10"-11". All my fabric is stored in 11" baskets by color on my shelves with the baskets on their side so the open end is to the front. I can see all the fabric and pull out the piece I want. I only have to "unroll" as much as I want to press & cut, then roll it back up, fold and put back. I love having it all on display to choose from and can easily guess how much I have. 3 and 4 yard rolls are noticeably bigger than 2 yard rolls. 1 yard rolls are much smaller and are together at the top side of the basket. I have all the fat quarters folded much like the 1 yard pieces but they end up about 5 1/2" X 5 1/2" and are stored in baskets that are 6" X 12" again stored on the shelf so the open end is to the front. Of course this does not include all the "project boxes" that have the pattern and the material stored together for that specific quilt on those times I buy that way. I also have a couple of bins of pre-cuts, but I don't usually buy those. I would much rather buy 1yd pieces of the 5 or 6 fabrics I actually like in a collection rather than buy a jelly roll or layer cake and have a bunch of pieces I don't like. Sorry, this ended up such a long comment.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Love it! Wish I could see your lovely sounding sewing room! Love that you have a system for getting your fabric to perfectly fit in your boxes too!

[@LTDQuilting]

It is so funny to me that we save cardboard boxes! I do the same thing! I've been crazy busy with my longarm business and speaking and teaching these past several months, but now that winter is setting in, I'm hoping to pull out the quilt top you sent me and do something with it! I haven't forgotten! I'll be sure to tag you when I do it:)

[@ScrapFabricLove]

No worries! I’m just happy someone wanted to do something with it! Good that you’ve been busy! Sounds like business is booming for you!

[@LTDQuilting]

@@ScrapFabricLove I love that I have plenty of work, but hate that I don't have plenty of time! lol!

[@heathermoreland6015]

Your rolling of fabric is a great idea. I’m going to do that too next time I sort out my fabric.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! Glad you liked it! I’m still liking it too - it’s helping me keep things neater.

[@kenolive921]

That was a good video. Learned a lot about storage options too!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks so much!

[@lalagamma4452]

You are truly the fabric whisperer!! Bravo 🏆🐞👏

[@ScrapFabricLove]

😂 thanks!

[@elliefox1419]

Love the baskets and rolling the fabric, definitely makes it easier to see. A clean and organized sewing room always inspires me. Yours looks so great, thanks for sharing!!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks for watching! It was a long one 😂

[@ag6787]

Thanks, great ideas!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks so much!

[@noemir8262]

Comic book boards on Amazon are my go to for wrapping and storing bigger pieces. They’re thinner than cardboard and since I once heard roaches lay eggs in cardboard, that kind of gross me out. Your room looks great after the sort out. 😊

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! Yuk about the roaches! Glad I wasn’t leaving the cardboard in! I just used it to get the shape and took it out after it was folded.

[@luciflorey5757]

This was so helpful! Thank you very much! 😁

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Oh good! Glad it was useful. Thanks for watching!

[@paulaweston5242]

Excellent video. Most helpful. I love the folding method with the recycled cardboard. Nice to know I don't have to invest in comic book boards. Looking forward to part 2.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! I don’t leave the cardboard in by the way it’s just to fold it to the shape. I suppose you could leave it in but it would take up more room.

[@rebeccadees2300]

I'm overwhelmed with mine. Currently it looks like yours.. but worse.. until you started putting things back.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Aw - you’ll get there! Just sort or get rid of one thing it a time and eventually you’ll see the floor again! Good luck!

[@anneinstx1969]

Great idea using the cutlery trays for your thread. Your room look really nice and organized. Bravo!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks!!

[@Charlie-cz3jh]

You crack me up Kristen 🤣👍Love this show! I love the new look of your sewing room! Very nice🥰

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks!

[@delwyngraham4033]

Love the before and during and after photos great job

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks!

[@coreygilles847]

I love putting the fabrics into sections by color ;)

[@ScrapFabricLove]

It’s the little things isn’t it? So satisfying to have them all color coordinated!

[@saleenahaffenden8292]

Hi Kristen,, new subscriber here from Australia. I saw your sewing session on crumb quilting with Sean from The Guy Who Sews. I love your new room clean out. I admire your wooden floors too, I have hoop pine floors in our 1937 home and they are lovely. Your organistation is great and I look forward to catching up watching your videos :) Saleena

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks for coming over to have a look! My floors were original to the house too but we had them sanded and stained a dark walnut colour when we moved in. The whole place was a big Reno project! Thanks again for watching!

[@connieking9873]

Kristen great start looking forward to next video. Great ideas. Just an idea when folding your bigger pieces if you stretch out lengthwise the fabric then fold to size you will not have to totally unfold your fabric to use. It works really well if you are just using a small portion of fabric. Used and arranged everything well. Congratulations

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks for the tip! And thanks for watching!

[@KaysPurpleWall]

I don't know why the word harvest made me laugh so hard, but the next time someone asks me why I'm hoarding old pillows now I have new terminology to use 😏

[@ScrapFabricLove]

😂 yes! Although the pillow stuffing isn’t going to grow any bigger over time though I suppose…

[@sueowen9434]

Brilliant x

[@sherimcgill5139]

I like how you used your machine free arm storage piece in the drawer of your cabinet. I’m going to do that...thanks!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Fab - glad you got something useful out of it!

[@lalagamma4452]

Great tips! Stay been mis COVID girl 💕🐞💓

[@dakin7612]

I don't think you are causing any damage to the fabric with the elastic bands. I love the rolled fabric storage.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Yes I’ve not had any issues and I’ve been using this system long enough now I think I would have noticed if it was damaging it.

[@jeanettewithrow9641]

Your room is a major improvement. Feels good to get it all organised. Think you can get comic boards to wrap fabric on too. Nice job

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! I would never have the patience to re-wrap fabric around comic book boards every time I took it out 😂. I’m sure that would descend into chaos in no time . But then this setup might too! Time will tell…

[@helentucker2060]

Amazing transformation!!! I’m hoping to jump into a similar adventure. Very overwhelming!!😆😆

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Good luck with yours!!

[@dorothydishman4664]

What a lovely room...I see lots of wonderful projects coming out of that studio. Good job.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Aw thanks!!

[@Charlie-tb6un]

Love the coffee crumb boxes!!!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks!

[@ShadowMoonFarms]

I don't think those clear plastic hair bands would hurt the fabric. Old fashioned rubber bands (do you call them gum bands) would deteriorate, get hard and stain the fabric.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Oh good! Cause I really like using them!

[@Charlie-tb6un]

Great vid! Thanks for walking us through your re-org! Going to start rolling my fabric now. 🥰

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Fab! Good luck with it!

[@knitknack2285]

Just found you today. Love your videos and boy did you do a good job! I like how you folded your fabric. I’ve got a big job ahead of me to clean my sewing room lol thanks for the ideas, I always roll my clothes when I pack as well. I don’t know why I haven’t applied that to my sewing room. You have some good ideas and it turned out great!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks so much! I don’t know why I didn’t think of the rolling thing sooner either!

[@jackie1k227]

Absolutely loved this!! I am always struggling to keep my small space neat and I love your ideas! Thank you!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks so glad you liked them!

[@theresamitchel7056]

I am sitting in my mess of a sew space right now and I was getting soo overwhelmed trying to figure out how to sort the fabric etc. and then I took a break to eat and decided to look up sorting and bam there you are! wahoo! I'm going to try the rolling. I also do this to pack, I don't know why it didn't occur to me. Thanks

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Yeah! - glad you found something to try in the video! It definitely is overwhelming in the middle of it all but it is so great when it is all done - promise! Good luck!

[@MarieH528]

You did a great job of reorganizing! This is just what I needed to inspire me to just get it done! Your space looks awesome and Beautiful, like ahhhhhh You can Breathe again; that’s how I want to feel again, My space is out of control! Thank You 😊 for Sharing and I’m looking forward to seeing You decide on selling and pricing; that may be in my future too. I know I have a lot of fabric and notions that I’m never going to use and most are brand new never used items! Take Care and have a great week ahead!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! So glad this found you at the right time! It’s hard in the middle of it all but it is much nicer when it’s done!

[@corinaromero6949]

I think you made great strides! I even felt good after like if I had done my room. Ha ha

[@ScrapFabricLove]

😂 thanks! It was a huge mess!

[@jmur8784]

Looks great, Kristen!! I need to do a big summer sort out, as well. Maybe next month! We'll see...

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Good luck when you get to it! You don’t actually have to make as much mess as I do in the process 😂

[@marinaabad4995]

Karen of the channel Just Get It Done has a great video on "Organize Your Sewing Space- Part 1, plus 2 other parts. It's how to organize your work sewing space to be more efficient when sewing. How to store your tools, your ironing, and just having an ergonomic sewing space. Worth looking into.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! I feel like I might have seen some of that a while back but not 100% sure.

[@nancyguss6739]

I'm in the process of clearing things out and organizing

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Good luck! It’s hard work!

[@agnieszkaacka6733]

It,s very nice mess.🙂🙃

[@ScrapFabricLove]

😂 thanks!

[@sadiejosiemom]

I'm the worst at organization and to be honest, I'm probably a hoarder though I tell myself I'm a "collector"! I've tried so many ways to organize my fabric but non of them have been the best. Partly because I have a stash of over 20 years old to present. It's hard for me to let go of it. I have a huge box in the garage I was going to take to the local quilt shop for the Project Linus groups and others but covid happened and I never made it there.The other problem is that because my space is so cluttered I'm overwhelmed to start a project. There's no way I'm going to sew up all this fabric in my lifetime! I'm looking forward for the video on pricing and selling stuff.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

It can be really hard - especially when you’ve had stuff for years. It’s so easy to get emotionally attached. For me I struggle to get rid of relatives clothes after they’ve passed on even when I have no practical use for them. I can argue I’ll make some into a quilt one day but I won’t use it all and I didn’t have that excuse when I stored it in the first place as I didn’t quilt then! Good for you for recognising that the fabric clutter is getting too overwhelming. It can feel full on to sort it out but it is definitely better when it’s done!

[@sadiejosiemom]

@@ScrapFabricLove I get you about relatives clothing. I lost my husband over 4 years ago and he had tons of Hawaiian shirts but he wasn't a fancy dresser and didn't have a professional job. I thought about saving it. One day I had a couple of my boys come over (he was their stepdad but they loved him like a dad) and they were brutal. I sat in the living room and let them have at it instead of asking me. It was much easier but I do sort of regret it. I saved those Hawaiian shirts for his cousin and his cowboay boots. They cleaned out the garage too but now they'll need to clean it for me!!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Sorry for your loss. Good you have your boys to look out for you 💕

[@teriadams7398]

I think you need to decoupage your scrap bits boxes with scrapbook papers in the coordinating colors

[@brendabiffibaldovino8306]

💗💗💗

[@judyl3490]

I really enjoyed your video. 😊 (The camera work was giving me motion sickness, though. )

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Sorry about that! Not my best camera work in the midst of all that mess! Wasn’t using a proper tripod. My other videos aren’t like that btw!

[@judyl3490]

I subscribed, so it wasn’t that bad. You seem into details so thought you would want to be aware. Have a wonderful day!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Yes it’s good to get feedback! Thanks!

[@sandraengstrand2784]

I am only @7:45 in--it always gets worse before it gets better 😵‍💫🙄🤣🤣🤣

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Oh definitely! 😂

[@geralynlima9152]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks!

[@janetcozens5756]

Hi there I'm just doing the self same thing and it's no one room it's 2 gigglesssss 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Good luck!

[@shannonbrown7488]

My guild is making tissue holders (the small ones that hold tissues that go in your purse). I'm using a lot of the fabric I'm not fond of for this. They need a lot of them for an upcoming event, they are easy and fast to make, and I'm getting rid of fabric I have no interest in.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Brilliant! Sounds like a great way to use it. Quick and easy is the key!

[@krystleroy3068]

Hey I I was wondering idk if u have a cricket machine or cameo but I don’t have a printer I have a cutting machine if I use a pen to make paper piercing

[@ScrapFabricLove]

No I don’t have either of those! I print FPP patterns on printer or cut EPP templates with my accuquilt- not sure which one you mean!

[@tinabodel3454]

Hi could I ask that you slow down the camer movement a bit.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Sorry about that! This one was tough to film moving around the sewing room. Usually I’m sat still!

[@pammeinzer8178]

I try to roll. If the pc. Is to big I fold

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Yeah! I am loving the rolls!