Different Storage for My Ribbon Spools

I thought I had a good storage solutions for my ribbons.

Up until this morning, I kept them in this paper suitcase.  It was better than what I had before, when I stacked all the large spools into two columns and stuck bamboo stakes through the center holes.  I always kept the little spools in that silver oval tub, and when I unstacked the columns and put them in the suitcase, I was glad there was still room for the tub.

Now I have a different storage solution for my ribbons.  This weekend, my favorite flea market was open.  They had this hanging on the wall, and it was holding spools of ribbons.  I had a brilliant idea - buy it and put MY spools of ribbon on it.

The only change I made was to swap out the ribbon on this heart.  Their ribbon was red/white gingham; I used something a little more modern and colorful, to give it some glow.

 

I like the clock on the top.  I need to find cute little doodads like that so I can glue them onto things.  Where does one find such trinkets?

All my spools fit, with room to spare.  In the drawers, I put my tiny spools.

Left drawer.

Right drawer.

Cute button paper on the drawers.

Now the ribbons are more accessible and visible and inspirational.  I just need to do a little rearranging to find a spot to put this cabinet.

Fabric Storage

When I think about it, I realize I sort and store my fabric according to favorites.  And the favorites are usually the ones I bought most recently.  For some reason, probably irrational, I don't like to mix them all together.  I have five separate storage areas (for now).

This is where I keep my favorites, in a brand new open-sided faux birdcage.  I have other favorites that are already in project buckets, too.

A detail from one of the shelves. 

My second-favorite group is kept in large baskets.  These are all candidates for the front of quilts.

On my orange bookcase is where I keep my third-favorite group, arranged by color.  Some of these might be on a quilt top, but most will be pieced into backs.

To make me like these fabrics more, I bookended them with some fun color-coded accessories.  This napkin holder is metal.  I like painted metal very much.

The Leah Duncan fabric in the orange metal pail should really be in the bird cage with my favorites, but it looks pretty displayed like this.

I don't have very much purple fabric.

 You've seen this blue teapot before.

Lots of green, so it got stacked.

Blacks and whites.

Reds and pinks.

My fourth-favorite group is large yardage that I  keep in a white wire basket.  This isn't very attractive, so I keep it stashed away so I don't really see it.  

And then at the bottom of the heap, the fifth group consists of very old fat quarters, totally out of favor, that I use for practicing free motion quilting.  This group isn't even allowed in my sewing room.  I keep it in a chest of drawers in another room.

So this is how my fabric storage looks today, but since I change things around in there all the time, no doubt it won't last long.  In fact, a little tweaking has already taken place since I took these photos last week.

Now I think I'll stop moving fabric around, and go so sew.

Scrap Happy, At Last

My scrap fabric had been disturbing me.  It wasn't the fabric, really, it was the lack of a good storage solution.  

I used to store it in small wire baskets, two to a stand, that were originally designed to store CDs.  That was OK until they got too full.  

Next I tried a stack of letter trays.  This was equivalent to storing your sweaters in those plastic bags where you suck all the air out.  It was a smashed mess.

Then I put each color in its own large plastic bag, and clipped each bag to its own rung on my Leah Duncan ladders.  Boy, was that ever unattractive, and dysfunctional, as well.  That lasted about an hour.

Logic told me to go to the basement and make use of the large assortment of baskets down there.  The problem is, I wanted something matching and compact, and those old baskets didn't fit the bill. 


 
So I went shopping and after considering all kinds of options, I bought these little chests of drawers.  Now I have something that works perfectly for me.  I hated to buy more plastic, but other than that, I like everything about them.

 

They come in several sizes.  Two large and one medium fit just right on my shelf, when sitting side-by-side.  And they're lightweight enough that you can easily lift them down and onto a work surface.

The drawers pull in and out very smoothly, and slide straight back.  You've probably used drawers in the past that rock from side to side as you push them back in, which is annoying, but you won't have that problem here.

I love opening and closing the drawers.  Let's do that and look at each drawer, separated by color. 

Sometimes it's fun to stack them all.

And sometimes it's fun to sniff out one's favorite color.