Tuesday, March 1, 2011

fabric storage

 At our recent Modern Quilt Guild meeting a few of us got to talking about fabric storage.  It's a challenge, no matter what your living situation. 


I have seen photos of some beautiful, brilliant sewing studios, but such a dedicated space is not in my future: we are a family of 5 in a small downtown house.  My "office" is our living room (thanks to two Ikea cabinets with file drawer bottoms) and my "sewing studio" is our dining room -- thanks to the sewing cabinet that my sweet, sweet, problem-solving, ever-handy husband assembled for me!

Words cannot express how much I love my fabric cabinet.

It's just an Ikea cabinet with some Valori Wells/Sole home dec weight fabric in its glass doors...and I lovelovelove it!


My cabinet houses my serger, sewing machine and all my fabric (other than scraps).  My fabric will never be perfectly stacked, but my cabinet does have doors!  And since I just reorganized, I can actually show you some photos of the interior, without shame.

To the right is garment fabric, flannel, holiday fabric, home dec weight and my serger:


To the right is all my quilting fabric, newly folded, plus a few works in progress and my sewing machine:

 
Even a little peek inside my cabinet makes me want to sew....But, alas, I have material to prep for my classes tomorrow and papers to grade.

The one thing I really have to tackle is the scrap bag.  It's overflowing.  But that will have to be a project for another day.

10 comments:

Tong said...

that's fabulous fabric stash jennifer! and i love your cabinet too, especially the fabric in the glass doors! i can't believe you have to pack up your sewing machine everytime after you sew, i feel so spoiled for having a dedicated sewing space where i can be as messy as i want to be, until my mom comes to visit. and if i had your sewing machine, i would have to have it out all the time just so i can look at it! i'm hoping that by the end of this year, i will finally have some cabinets and new tables for my new sewing room, currently it's doubling as the guest room and whenever my mom comes to visit i can't really use it. and also, i love your sewing machine =P

Prof. S (the enchanted bobbin) said...

Aww, thanks Tong!

I know it seems like a terrible hassle to move the machine back and forth, from cabinet to table (and sometimes I don't *quite* make it back to the cabinet: we have eaten quite a few meals with the sewing machine next to us on the floor...yikes). But it's funny how you can adapt to whatever circumstance you have. I feel lucky just to have room for my cabinet -- and to have my beautiful machine!!

Still a Brooklyn Kid said...

Let's hear it for the sweet, sweet, problem-solving, ever-handy husband!

Donna/Sara from Kindred Crafters said...

I love that you haven't sacrificed your hobby because of lack of space, but instead found a brilliant way to make it work! Impressive stash, too!
~Sara

Sheila said...

What a lovely stash! I spy some fabrics that I wish I had in mine. ;) Right now I'm lucky enough to have a dedicated sewing space, but I know that once I move into Toronto I won't. Life is full of compromises!

Prof. S (the enchanted bobbin) said...

Thanks so much for the comments, Sara and Sheila! I love my stash (tee hee), and am very thankful to have a family who tolerates the presence of a massive sewing cabinet in the middle of our shared space.

verykerryberry said...

Great storage in that cupboard, wow you can fit a lot of fabric in there. My sewing room was the kitchen, it is now the back room which is music/piano room/computer room family shared plus sewing- a squash!

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Wow!! What a beautiful storage, all things in a one cupboard & easy to find anything there. It has a 3 way door which is a plus for it. Really beautiful. 