Fabric Organization – at a glance, scraps and all!

I started sorting through and organizing my fabrics this week. I am organizing them by colors. Here are the greens and the reds:

I am very happy with my current system in that I can get a glance at ALL the fabrics I have in a color. I also put in a scrap box in the tub to hold all the scraps of the same color. That way, I have both fabrics and fabric scraps all in one spot at my disposal.

This system is super handy when I am working on scrap quilts, especially scrap applique quilts. Currently, my scrap quilt project is the Civil War Bride quilt. So, when I am looking prospects for a particular leaf on my block, I break out my green tub and start shopping there. It’s pathetic, but I like to exhaust all my options before settling for a particular fabric for a particular applique piece on a block. That’s another reason why I am so slow in my Civil War Bride progress:

To get an organization system like mine going, you only need:

1. A long and wide plastic tub (but not so big that you can’t lift it after it is filled with fabrics) – I like to not stack my fat quarters more than one layer deep. So, my tubs are no more than 6 or 7″ deep.

2. A second smaller plastic tub to go inside the big tub. I have been using those plastic salad mix tubs from the grocery store.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a fun weekend. Meanwhile, I’d better get back to work.

Disclaimer: I am not a fabric-aholic even though I work with fabrics all the time, but I am surprised at how much I have amassed over the years. I guess the moral of the story is that we always seem to have more than we need or know. :)

14 thoughts on “Fabric Organization – at a glance, scraps and all!”

this is similar to what i’ve done, only i now need bigger tubs! i think longer ones of the same depth i have would work. i’ve tended to have a little roll around cart with scraps in color families so i can have it close by when i’m doing machine embroidery appliques, but your idea of a smaller container inside the larger tub is a good one.

I like your method of organization. I do have all my fabrics separated by color, but unfortunately I have the largest bins imaginable that two colors go into. I think that I have too much stash! LOL

Hi Wendy, what a good idea for organising everthing. Love all the colours in your stash. The new quilt that you are doing looks interesting. The one with the white background. How is red going.

Well all that fabric looks very nicely organized. I do love a clear plastic tub!!

I am looking close to pick which ones I don’t have haha! Looks beautifully organized Wendy – Have a great weekend – Hugs Natima

I love all the colors together like that. There’s something inspiring about a stack of folded fabrics. All the possibilities!

What a great way to organize the fabric — I love the idea of keeping the scraps of a particular colour in with the larger pieces of that colour!!

Very organised Wendy…I am impressed. Have a lovely weekend

This is the engineer’s mind – organized and systematic!

I wish all of my fabrics of one color would fit into one tub! lol!

I take that back. No I don’t. I’ve worked very hard to build a stash that completely overwhelms me.

Like you, I do have my fabric by color in tubs (that keep getting subdivided all the time–I’m going to need to separate out the turquoises from the blues), but never though about including a smaller tub for scraps. Right now, they’re all in one mixed up box at the bottom of the closet.

Lovely applique!

Boy you have a fantastic collection of fabric! I’d love to see your whole sewing area! I have a hard time color organizing because I have those colors that make me go “uhh… where… does… this go… ???” hah.

Nice organization. Seems like you’ve been busy too figuring out how to organize your stash.

I making a small dent in my stash the last couple of weeks. I’m testing ‘the system’ as we speak – trying to see if it’ll work and if I could keep it up. I had a couple of hiccups as I try to flush out my organization … it’s tough. Time, space, feasibility and the ability to keep it up is all factors that come into play.

Good luck with your system and I hope it works :).