My Stash

A few friends of mine have shown how they are organizing and storing their quilt fabric stash. I thought I would join the fun and show you how I store mine. Most of my fabric comes from thrift stores. Some of it is new, but very few pieces.

Here is the first creative place I store my 'stash'. See this stack of vintage suitcases? Yep, fabric in each one.

This is an antique seed packet cabinet. The fronts of the drawers have a space about 6" deep all the way across for displaying the packets of seeds. Nope, not me! I have cones of thread and fat quarters! Behind the fronts of the drawers are vintage irons, quilting supplies, more fabric, DMC floss, oh, just everything and anything a quilter needs!So, what can you do with an empty sewing machine drawer? Fat quarters, of course! You can also fold them and tie a ribbon around them! (They also make awesome gift baskets for your quilting friends, and can be found at flea markets, etc.)This large piece of furniture is actually a library card catalog cabinet. I found it at an antique shop. Even though it is not antique, I knew when I saw it what I wanted to do with it! File fat quarters! Where did I get so many fat quarters? Our quilt group has an exchange each month. It is so much fun, and when I need a fat quarter for a project, I just go to my 'card cabinet' and pick one or two or three....or four.... I also cut up my odd pieces of fabric if there is enough for fat quarters, then the rest goes to another place for scraps or donated to my friend who loves scraps and has made beautiful quilts from all of our scraps, (then we get jealous and yell, 'Give me my scraps back right now!) The first 3 rows of drawers from top to bottom are crammed full of folded fat quarters. The rest of the drawers have more fat quarters, and other folded pieces of fabric. (Yes, I'll admit, I open and shut the drawers several times before I find what I need, but much easier than digging through the next place I am about to show you!) See that beautiful spool cabinet on top of the card catalog cabinet? My sweet Louie made it for me several years ago for Christmas.This little 3 drawer, one door cabinet came from Goodwill for $2.38. Yes, I said $2.38. One of the drawer slides needed nailed back in place and a little polish, but it is really very heavy, and a nice piece of furniture. The drawers have some fat quarters and some other goodies, but the 'door' part of it has pieces of fabric inside too.The next place we will visit is 'Michelle's Closet of Fabric'. I put the sheers up to keep moisture from summer and moisture from the humidifier in the winter out and keep everything dry. All the fabric is in plastic drawers and has never been in danger of moisture. I have a clamp lamp plugged in, in there, and it was on while I took the picture, otherwise, all you see is the curtain, and not the fabric while you are in the room. This closet is in our basement living area, next to one of my sewing machines.Here are a couple big plastic bins that sit on one of the shelves in 'Michelle's Closet of Fabric'.Inside the curtains, you can see my two floor to ceiling stacks of plastic drawers. Some drawers are not so big, others are big. This closet also stores the parts for my quilting frame, Quilters Cruise control, etc. while the frame is down. Here's a peek inside some of my fabric drawers.This drawer is ONE of my drawers that have folded up flat sheets for quilt backing, or if I decide to use them for fabric, I will cut them up. I think there are a few tablecloths in there as well, and a couple large yardage pieces. I love to use sheets so that you don't have to piece them and it is also much more economical. ...another drawer of fabric............ Here are some of my blankets that I use for batting, and for projects that need batting. I also have a couple containers which hold 5" squares that I have cut.The two suitcases on the bottom of the pile here also have fabric. (Notice the fake ivy garland disguising the sewer pipe? LOL! Disguising something disgusting..............)