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A Simple and Affordable Way to Organize Your Fabrics
Why do you need a simple and affordable way to organize your fabrics?
Because as soon as you start learning to sew, you magically become a serial fabric hoarder.
No one knows exactly why, but everyone starts giving you fabrics with a “You can use this.” Meanwhile, you begin buying fabric scraps at the market because “They’re so cute, I’m sure I’ll make something with them.”
Fabrics start piling up in a big box, and as the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind. By doing this, you inevitably forget about them and end up buying more fabric.
One day, I told myself I couldn’t keep rummaging through the fabric box looking for “that fabric,” only to find it all wrinkled at best or not find it at all at worst.
While browsing the web, I discovered this simple and affordable solution, which I want to share with you to help you organize your fabrics.
Materials Needed:
I wanted a solution that was practical and inexpensive, using materials that are easy to find and reusable once the fabric is used up.
Sometimes I ask fabric stores if they have unused cardboard tubes for wrapping fabrics, or polystyrene “shuttles” or “soap bars.” However, these are not things you can find regularly or use for very small or irregular fabric scraps.
With this solution, we will only need a few things:
- A cardboard box
- A printer
- A cutter
- A ruler or a square
- A pencil or a marker
- Paper clips
Steps
1. Download and Print the File
By entering a few details below, you can download a free file containing two templates for cutting your cardboard pieces. One is for larger fabric scraps, while the second is for smaller fabric remnants.
Simply print your template on an A4 paper sheet or cardstock. Remember to set the print scale to 100%.
The dimensions of 35 X 32 cm are designed to fit inside a Kallax (the famous IKEA shelf) in an upright position. This will allow you to remove and insert fabrics without having to move the others already in place, keeping your shelf neatly organized.
2. Create Your Template
Assemble the sheets of the larger template by cutting along the dashed line with the scissor symbol. Glue the white margin of the second sheet and attach it to the first, overlapping and aligning the lines.
Now, for both templates, cut out the black arrow-shaped lines with the cutter, as well as along the outer line. This way, you will obtain a large 35 x 32 cm rectangle and a smal 17,5 x 16 cm rectangle. Both will have a groove in the shape of an arrow in the inner part.
You can click on the images below to view each step in a larger format.
3. Cut the Cardboard
Open your cardboard box and place one of the newly created templates on the cardboard. Trace the outline and mark the position of the two arrows.
Now, use the cutter to cut out the cardboard along all the traced lines.
Here you have created your support for wrapping the fabric.
You can click on the images below to view each step in a larger format.
4. Wrap the Fabric
Take your fabric and fold it until one side matches the height of the cardboard piece. Use the cardboard as a reference for measurement.
At this point, place the cardboard on top of the fabric and insert the edge of the fabric between the arrow-shaped cuts in it.
Once the fabric edge is secured, roll the folded fabric around the cardboard along its entire length.
5. Secure the Fabric
The best way to secure the fabric is with simple paper clips. If possible, avoid securing the fabric with a pin, as over time it tends to rust due to the humidity retained by the fabric.
The Final Result
Perfect! Now have fun organizing your fabrics in the order you prefer and enjoy the sight of all your fabrics and their vibrant colors.
If you liked the result, you can also start organizing your fabric samples by following the guidelines in our blog article: How to Catalog and Organize Fabric Samples.
