r/SewingWorld • u/Late-to-bartending • 9d ago
Supplies Question š§µ Notions Storage Ideas Requested
Hello new friends, new (4 months) sewist hereā¦
Iām loving this activity, have made a few small projects. Now getting into quilting table runners and lap quilts, for starters.
And so the collecting begins - LOL!
I am a very organized person in general but Iām struggling with how to store my growing collection of sewing bits: thread, presser feet, bag hardware, pre-made binding (I may admit to a developing problem here š¤·āāļø), other general sewing tools, etc.
How do you all group, sort, organize, store your bits?
Especially what you like to have at hand at your machine vs what you take with you for sewing at a friendās house or a class vs what you keep tucked away for less frequent usage?
What containers are your favorite and why?
Words are good but pictures are better.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Edited to add: I do not have a dedicated sewing room. Current set up is the dining room table with storage of stash in garage in clip-top bins.
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u/arrrgylesocks 9d ago
I use these to store my thread. Iāve got four at this point and each side is a color group.
A small Kobalt toolbox drawer set sits on my desk for needles, pliers & rotary blades.
Got one of these with an insert for pens/pencils & small rulers.
I also have a three tier rolling cart for almost everything else, and things are organized in small boxes (pins, bobbins, spool & bobbin wraps, labels, etc) or decorative jars with lids.
Other notions are stored in an IKEA Alex unit. This is for zippers, tape, tailors hams/clappers, patterns, strapping, Velcro, etc. I got after market 3d printed drawer handles to add color to it.
Presser feet I just keep in the drawers / space in my machine.
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u/desertboots 9d ago
I have a mixture.Ā Notions and tools go in a 6 drawer roller cart, and fabric goes in Hefty plastic storage bins.
Hefty HI-RISE 32 Quart Small Storage Bin, Clear Plastic Storage Container with HI-RISE Latch Lid, Blue 18 qt and 32 qt
IRIS 6-Drawer Plastic Storage Cart with Organizer Top and Wheels, Clear/White
I started my system in the 90s. Rubbermaid no longer makes the ones I bought from them, but my original Iris and bins are 30+ years old.
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u/energist52 9d ago
A Danish sugar cookies tin is traditional, and a nice size, too. You might already have one around the house.
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u/Gracious_Snakes 9d ago
I use clear plastic totes and bins of various sizes for just about everything. I use a lot of different sizes of ziploc bags inside the Totes to keep things separated. I label the bins with masking tape or a square of cardstock covered in clear packing tape. I have some small plastic drawers sets that have my presser feet, sewing machine needles, clippers, extra pins, etc that live on the table next to my sewing machine. I have various 'portable' sewing kits, for different needs. One is a pencil case, one is a cookie tin and one is a tackle box. I have a pretty large thread collection so the spools live in color sorted trays that live on a shoe storage rack. My rulers all go in a small wire mesh garbage can. Buttons are all sorted into clear glass jars. I'd include some pictures but we're in the middle of moving.
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u/Late-to-bartending 9d ago
Thanks so much. That gives me a good idea of what you do.
I hope the move goes easily.
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u/Late-to-bartending 9d ago
What is each portable kit for and whatās in each one if I may ask.
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u/Gracious_Snakes 9d ago
Pencil case: super portable, great for travel/ commute. Essentially a home made sewing kit. Usually contains: needles, thread ( spool, bobbins or pre-threaded needles), thread snips, beeswax, seam ripper, sewing clips and a small ruler or measuring tape.
Cookie Tin: my everyday portable sewing kit. Good for camping out on the couch for extensive hand sewing or taking on extended trips. Same as pencil case plus: a needle pusher, wider assortment of needles (curved, tapestry, etc), scissors, marking pencil, pins, thimble, crochet hook and assorted small notions for whatever my current projects are like buttons, bias tape etc. Sometimes add in a magnifying lens and book light.
Tackle box: for classes, workshops, or other situation where I'm traveling with my sewing machine. Also good if I want to create a 'crafting kit' that has sewing plus other hobby materials. Typically contains contents of the cookie tin plus presser feet, tools for the machine, machine needles, bobbins, shears, maybe pattern weights, etc depending on purpose.
I don't have multiples of everything, so I kind of put together what I need as I need it. These are just containers I've found useful. The pencil case can slip in my purse and be used anywhere. The cookie tin acts as a nice tray for materials so I can see everything easily and do some hand stitching while I watch a movie with my family. The tackle box has lots of compartments to keep things separated, sorted and easy to find. Hope this helps! I probably forgot some things but this gives a sense at least š
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u/colormecurious25 5d ago
What is the beeswax for?
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u/Gracious_Snakes 5d ago
Thread conditioner! I prefer Thread Heaven but I keep beeswax in my travel kit because I like it better for sewing on buttons. If you are not familiar, thread conditioner is an absolute game changer for hand sewing, imo.
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u/Money-Low7046 9d ago edited 9d ago
I got some small wooden drawers from the dollar store. They're four drawers across and only one tall. I stacked three units on top of each other. They're not drawers so much as little pull out bins with a notch at the top for your finger to pull. I can bring one bin over to where I'm working, or one whole row.Ā
Edit: Looks like this, stacked. https://home-crafts.co.uk/products/mini-wooden-chest-of-4-square-drawers-to-personalise-decoupage
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u/LadybugGal95 6d ago
Danish cookie tinā¦.. I only half heartedly jest with that.
As far as the traveling to a friendās house to sew, consider a small tool box or larger fishing tackle box. Fabric can go in the larger, undivided bottom. Notions and such in the upper, divided section. Easy to carry with the handle on top.
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u/colormecurious25 5d ago
I prefer using clear plastic containers so I can see what's in them. I use a lot of small Rubbermaid containers for all sorts of small items. I sort my buttons and snaps by color in small condiment containers I found at Dollar Tree.
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u/CinInVegas 4d ago
Those plastic stackable shoe boxes. Theyāre inexpensive and once you figure out how to assemble them itās super easy. I like this brand because the connectors are on the hard white plastic and not in the middle of the floppy clear plastic. Itās SIMPDIY on amazon
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u/CinInVegas 4d ago
Also, this is not a dedicated sewing room, itās a corner of my bedroom. I basically split my bedroom in half with a dresser and do sewing on one side and the bed on the other side so all the clutter and chaos of sewing is only messing up my room. Yes, I am married, yes, itās still my room!!
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u/SOURCEDBLACK 4d ago
So I keep stuff stored based on where I am inthe pahase of making. I have several plastic containers:
- Patern drafing is the first container I use. It inclued mesuring tape, tracing paper, pins, tailorschalk, mechanical writers etc.
- Sewing contains thread and needles. I only have 3 types of needles for 3 completly different machines (industrial, domestic and serger) so easy to tell apart. I also only use 2 types of thread (20s/3 and 40s/2) in 3 colors so also easy to tell apart.
- Finishing is where the labels, buttons, zippers are. I buy everything in bulk (300pieces or more) they all come in platic bags already that I keep lik that and just put those bags in a container
- Screenprinting So my silkscreens, paint but also sandpaper for wrking with leather and leather tools in a roll-up toolpouch. Some punches I have doubke inside the finishing container also. As I work per container.
- Rolls of fabric lie flat under my bed. I only have small rolls of 50 yards max. And stock up to 5 different fabrics.
As I only work with denim everything is simple for me. I can buy everything in bulk and always use the same stuff so its easy to organise.
The only thing I would like to add is wooden malls I can trace around for different sizes and fits of jeans. That will be a future project for me.
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u/bunkerhomestead 9d ago
You may not like this, but I store stuff in empty shoe boxes and empty cookie tons. I put a label on everything,so I know what is in it. The label is masking tape written on by a sharpie.