I have written in my newsletters about organizing before (see my archive at http://www.shakespearespeddler.com/archive.html), but never about organizing fabric. I usually start by pulling everything out -- so, start with a big flat surface that will accommodate your fabric stash...a table top, a bed, or a football field. You can sort fabric into piles by color or count. If you have fabrics that you bought for specific projects, pull those aside in a different pile. If you want to be an A+ organizer, iron the pieces that look like they need a little TLC. And while you're at it, can I send you some of my shirts?

As you sort, weed out the ones you know you won't use: fabrics too fine for your eyesight, or Aida that you might not use anymore. Pull out colors you don't like, or fabrics you don't enjoy working on. Make up a box or bag of your unwanted fabrics and either ebay them, sell them at a rummage sale, donate them to a good cause, or let a few friends paw through them.

Some fabric companies recommend that you NOT keep their fabrics in plastic bags/boxes, as the plastic can interact with the dyes and discolor the fabric. One way to keep your hand-dyed fabrics nice and neat is to hang them with safety pins from clothes hangers (or you could drape them over the hanger, with a little piece of tissue on the underside to keep the fabric from touching the hanger.) You could, of course, do this with all of your fabrics.

Remember that pile you made of fabrics for specific projects? Why not put the chart with the fabric...you might be inspired to start that project right away. But at least you won't end up using it for something else by mistake. The office supply stores have so many neat folders and envelopes now. Get a few to put these types of projects in.

Now, walk down to the 20 yard line to get started with what's left -- the odds and ends of various counts and sizes of other fabrics. I keep my fabric at home in a tub (NOT a bath tub!) under my bed. I keep very little actual fabric stash at home...just odds and ends and favorites. You can put your fabrics back into your dresser or shelves. Keep them separated by count or color (or both!) I was in a quilter's home once, and she had a really neat open cabinet system for her quilting fabrics, where you could see all of the colors at a glance (and they were organized by color). Only YOU know what kind of storage space you have. If you're lucky enough to have an entire stitching room...can I move in with you? If you're like me and you don't have a lot of storage space at home, it is important to stay organized and keep your stash thinned out to what you like or will use (not always the same things!)

As you bring in new fabrics, make sure they're labeled with color/count and put with their sisters in your drawer/closet, OR keep them with the charts you bought them for. You can get really neat perforated business cards -- make up some with blanks for fabric type, count, and project, print them out, and every time you get a new piece of fabric, label it, staple or pin it to the edge of your fabric, and you'll be so proud of your organizing skills (whatever you do, do NOT look in your spice cabinet or clothes closet...it'll just bring you down.)

I find that just sorting through my stash once a year keeps me updated on what I have, and I almost always find a new project to start on when I do that. "Oh, I forgot I had this! I love it!"

I hope you find plenty to love this spring -- the robins are back, my winter coat is heading toward storage (stupid old thing!), and I'm ready for GREEN! Take care,

© 2007 Theresa Venette. Articles on this site may be reproduced in needlework group newsletters or other handouts with permission of author and proper attribution. Send questions, comments and suggestions to: xspeddler@yahoo.com