I would love to see not just a move-in organisation video when it comes, but also a “sew down my stash” challenge for you. You’re so good at using those stash fabrics to learn and practice techniques and colourblocking, and it would be n’est seeing that taken even further.
If it helps, I use the outer cases of old pillows as scrap bags. Seem like everyone has too many throw pillows or bed pillows that are past their usefulness. I used the old pillow stuffing for new pillows, pet beds, and a Bootstrap dress form.
I use the weird zippered plastic bags that pillows and blankets come in to store small scraps. Makes it easier to see what's in there. Btw, I use the little cloth bags pillowcases and sheets come in to store wigs!
Oh my goodness, thank you for mentioning the Bootstrap dress form! I have been thinking about making my own dress form out of form-fitting clothing because dress forms for plus-sized gals are so expensive.
Yep, of course it’s important to hold yourself accountable and complete projects, but not at any cost. Completion can’t be the only motivation to do something. There has to be something else, however small, to push a project further. Good on you for recognizing that currently, that wasn’t the case for the jumbo bag. Thank you for reminding us of this 😊🤍
I have a thought for your giant bag … if you haven’t already thought of a better solution. Instead of dividers, make small bags to sit inside of it. Make the bags using the color you plan to store in it. That way, when you are looking for a red piece, you can easily pull out the red bag. Also, to save money on interfacing …. I make storage bags twice as tall as I want my finished bag & install my handles at about the halfway point. I fold the top over to the outside, cut cardboard to fit each side and slip into the pockets created. For extra stability sew a straight seam down each corner edge to keep the cardboard in its place. Instead of closing up the bottom of the pocket, I create tabs with button holes or snaps on the end to keep my cardboard from sliding out but still remain removable for washing. Sew the tabs on the bottom of the bag and a button on the side flap
There is a really cool way to fold and sew a tab of fabric to create a slot for a button without actually having to sew a button hole. That’s what I usually do since I’m a bit lazy and I really like the look anyway
Since your giant bag is so pretty, you could just sit it on the floor next to your cutting area and fold up your scraps to put them inside as soon as you finish cutting. Btw, looking forward to seeing mor patchwork and maybe even some actual quilting. You should watch some quilt as you go videos. “Just get it done quilts” recently posted a good one on how to join blocks.
Love this video and that you realized that when a project isn't going the way you expected (or wanted) it to, sometimes it's okay to just step back and set it aside for now. You're doing a fabulous job with these videos. They make me smile every time. Thank you so much. ♡
1. Pillow cases work great for stashes. 2. Cut scraps to strips and sew that into a container for all your other bags...this using scraps, creating a long term patch project, and keeping you busy until you move. (Hope everything got settled fast for you.)
1. Excellent comfort movie! 2. .....It never occurred to me to make bags and pouches. 🤦♀I use pouches for all kinds of things. 3. Yes sometimes it is better to just walk away.
My daughter and I watched your hack video just as she was getting ready for the school year to begin. She immediately pounced on your pouch idea to make a custom pencil bag. 😂 I'm proud of her! She got all the material together (with me making one quick trip to Joann's for fusible fleece), we found a couple videos that showed zipper pouches, then she used yours and the other video to make one. She is incredibly pleased with herself, I am pleased and proud, and now I have to make one to discreetly store period stuff in her locker. Here's hoping she doesn't show me up!
When it comes to pre-wash, I've made a rule that fabrics can't go into my storage area UNTIL they've been washed. I'm just washing the last of too many loads of laundry from a remnant binge this summer, but now I have hundreds of yards of fabric I won't have to wash again until they're made and worn! Bonus points - I can swap between projects now, as everything from the fancy sparkle-lined lace to the cotton muslin is now clean. :) I also can make sure that the fabrics can even HANDLE being machine-washed, as I can't see being not-lazy enough to wash things by hand. 😂😂 That way I don't waste time on fabrics that the washer will tear up AFTER I've spent too much time making them into something pretty. 😊
I'm starting to do that too now, especially for remnants that might be used for a quick small project or an "OMG Im short of fabric!" panic. I even wash the unwashables like wool and rayon, cause if it's gonna be in a garment going on me, it's gonna need to get washed sooner or later, best to find out now than later..
@bunhelsingslegacy3549 Exactly. :) If it's in my bins, I've washed it (after taking a picture if it has any kind of identifying mark or label for reference).
@@thebookwyrmslair6757 I tuck a note into the folds with approximate yardage and fibre content when I put them away. Or I reunite it with the little tag that comes wrapped around the remnants at my fabric store that often has that information.
@bunhelsingslegacy3549 I can't wait to not share stash with a kid who likes the same fabrics I do... 😆 until then we have the notebook to establish who called dibs on what. :D
When my mother died at 91, she had a large enough fabric stash to fill 80 large tubs of neatly folded fabric. She made quilts, not clothing. My sister only has about 45 small tubs of neatly folded fabric. She makes artistic 'quilts' or wall hangings. Between the two of them, they filled a master bedroom with tubs of fabric. You need to learn to either plan to keep all those scraps for ever, or start using them for stuffing or throw them away. Not to mention 7 sewing machines, enough equipment to stock a Joann's. It seems easier to store rather than discard, but learn to discard scraps that are too small to make something completely. Cheers at moving fabric that you aren't going to use for years (if ever), every time you move.
Oh so relatable! A few minutes in my head was screaming: transparent bags or containers! Since you like the sorting so much make it easy on yourself. If you put the cotton scraps per color in transparent ziplock baggies (push air out) and stack them in a nice rainbow in a laundrybasket you can easily pull it out and it looks nice. I have transparent boxes for small scraps so I can see from the outside where a color of pattern is. I rolled my knitscraps and placed them standing up in a laundbasket (protect the top against sunlight). For inspiration you can look up some of the bee type organizing videos of Cas from clutterbug. And yes, make a scrap pouf with a zipper on the bottom and al your micros make it a nice floorpillow.
I was scrolling through the comments looking for this! Gallon (or 2 Gallon) sized zip baggies would be perfect just dropped down into the large scrap bags, because the colors would be visible instantly.
No worries was nice to see that you moved forward and separated the fabric's in to different sizes and types. I have been putting that off for a long time. You motivated me to do the same so good work. The rest can wait till you are ready as it will not spoil.
My fabric stash, is tiny. He says I have too much. So to keep my stash "full", once I use some, I'll replenish the amount I used. So, I'm always using and getting a few every two weeks. My stash pile stays the same size, but fabric changes. 😊
OH MY!!! Why did that not ever occur to me that pillowcases could make great bags. Thank you so much for this comment!!!! I have so many pillow cases from bulk good will buys when they get overstocked, mismatched, unmated, stained, etc. I will not use them because if they are more polyester than cotton, to me that's mock up material, been challenging myself to use only natural fibers for clothes and bedding as of late.
Protip: you can use leftover bits of similarly weighted fabric scraps in places of interfacing. (This is very traditional and a great way to use up fabric you don't want to look at anymore!) I do this with my mockups once I've finished using it to make adjustments to a design. 👍 been enjoying your videos stuff i wish you a speedy and smooth transition into your new (and owned!) Home 💜
"There's already fur all over it." 😂 the joys of sewing with pets. This is really making me want to organise my scraps. Also, looking forward to seeing your new craft space. I hope moving goes as smoothly as possible!
Here's hoping you get your papers all signed and your keys and your house very soon! Enormous Bag With Compartments is a hard project to just wing it on, good on you for prioritizing your brain not melting.
I absolutely _love_ your channel. I relate to you and the facets of yourself you present so very much. It has been so incredibly healing for my unmasking process to watch your process and hear your stories, and feel validated by how much I see if myself in you. Thank you.
Not sure if anyone has suggested this, but here's a possibility for the ginormous bag. Fold it back into the flat 'form' you had before stitching up the side seams, cut it in half, and stitch up two new side seams. That would give you two much more manageable bags and not waste all that effort. 😊 Just an idea. Love you're creativity!
Hi, I found Sarah Homfray Embroidery on RUclips, she has some really fun and great ideas to work your tiny pieces of fabric scraps into pretty and/or usable things. She calls it slow stitching. No stress, just fun to do, since it really doesn't have to be perfect. I love her ideas and made a needle book with scraps. (To keep your needles organized.) I thought you may like it too, since you don't know what to do with the tiny pieces either. My needle book turned out so cute! And it works, lol! Have a beautiful day, good luck with the moving, and thank you for your videos!
Thats is the most usefull video on organising your scraps, that I ever seen. Start simple, get overwhelmed, get sidetracked, have fun, and end up with a soluion. Thank you. ❤ Juliane from Dortmund, Germany
My entire fabric stash is in homemade fabric bags made out of curtains. It made me better at sewing bags, they're easily moved, and each bag is a different category/colour. It's very handy, but it does make the room feel a bit cluttered. 😅
I keep my stash in totes but am considering sorting them into bags so it's easier to get to what I want, if you're feeling too cluttered in by bags, maybe putting the bags in a clear tote or three so you can see them but they're contained in some semblance of order?
Mine is in an old pine wardrobe. I simply removed the clothing rail and put some shelving instead. It works a treat and I can store a all my fabric in it, plus sewing machine, patterns and so on.
I just want to tell you that I absolutely love that you do voiceovers your entertaining personality. When you don't talk during your project I understand but then when you explain what's happening it's way better than the typing and I was just listening to another RUclipsr not appreciating their voice over and just wanted to let you know that I really do appreciate yours It does make me want to watch your shows over and over again and also share them with my friends😊❤
This came up on my queue while I was doing extreme fabric haul/scrap organization (yay, estate sales) but also EXTREME button organization. Hundreds and hundreds of buttons organized meticulously by color, then by size, then by pattern, then by... you get the picture. It's SO satisfying when you're done though! Side note, congrats on your recent channel growth! I've been watching for a few years and it was wild to see your numbers more than double in what felt like overnight. You're doing great!
I just finished the same!! Estate sale of a lovely seamstress netted me a box the size of a mini-fridge STUFFED with sewing notions!! I'm talking lockable shoebox containers FULL of carded and uncarded buttons, a shoebox full of zippers - plus a real, multiple reels of webbing, shoeboxes of ribbon and lace, etc. It's been overwhelming deciding what to keep or donate and how to store everything in half a closet. 😂
Can I ask how you organised all those buttons? I just have a big jar so every time I need some, it's all dumped out and I never know if I'll have enough of the ones I like. How do you store them? Do you see all of them at once so you can choose?
@ettaz I first sorted into what I wanted to keep vs. give away, with the intent of only keeping what I liked best. Then, I sorted the keepers into colors. I strung button sets together with a string so I could easily find, say, the 8 button dark purple set. Finally, I got a three-compartment storage box that looks like a bento box to me. On one side I put all of the assorted white buttons I kept (roughly three handfuls) that didn't need to be tied up. The other small compartment was for pretty one-offs, where I didn't even have a second button but the one just made me smile. Lastly, I put all of those tied button strings into the large compartment. In this exercise I decided to only keep what filled the one bento box, because I simply don't USE that many buttons. What I kept will probably last my lifetime! This also allowed me to fill one shoebox for donation, and allowed each of my kids to grab a jelly jar full of ones that pleased their eyes. :) If it sounds excusing and tedious.... it was. It took two afternoons and an evening. But now I know exactly what I have and can plan accordingly. (I also imposed this limit with the zippers, ribbons, and lace, condensing 8 shoeboxes down to 3.)
@@ettaz I'll try to explain in a way that makes sense over text; it's easier to see. They're organized in hanging bags on long pegboard hooks in two rows. TOP ROW: - Each hook on the top row has a color, so (from left to right) >> White, light medium, medium, dark medium, black, colorful - Then another row has a hook with weirdly shaped buttons (because despite color, they aren't standardized in any way), and additional hooks that have misc buttons also organized by color, but I'll get to that momentarily. - Each of the color coordinated hooks (top row) ONLY have bags of buttons that have 2 or more completely identical ones. These are identical in terms of size, shape, number of thread anchoring holes, and pattern on the button (if applicable). Since these are organized by color already by being on the individual hook, I can then further organize them by shape. So, on each color-coordinated hook, they are organized from largest to smallest from rear to front, respectively. The largest buttons are at the back, the smallest are in the front, creating a gradient of sizes. - The "colorful" buttons hook, from rear to front, is organized in rainbow order. So red is in the back, purple is in the front. SECOND ROW: - Each of these hooks are ALSO organized by color, but slightly differently. All of the bags on this row are comprised of buttons that only had singular appearances. These I organized by color, then by general size. Because I only had 2-3 bags of buttons per color this time, I adjusted the color gradient to save space. I'll explain below: - So, from left to right: >> Hook 1 (from rear to front): >>> Big white, medium white, small white, Big light medium, medium (sized) light medium, small light medium >> Hook 2 (from rear to front): >>> Large medium, medium (size) medium (color tone), small medium, large dark medium, medium (size) dark medium, small dark medium >> Hook 3 (from rear to front): >>> Large black, medium black, small black >> Hook 4 (final hook): >>> I had some weirdly shaped buttons that did not quite fit anywhere else, so this is the hook for them, organized by type. Wooden buttons in abnormal shapes are in one bag, resin buttons in abnormal shapes are in another bag, toggle fasteners are in another bag, and finally toggle fastener circles are in their own bag. There are some other hooks with other styles of closures, but these are the button hooks. ......... Is this extra? Absolutely, yes. It took forever. However, I regret nothing. Every single time I want a button, I can look and see EXACTLY how many I have of that style available and determine if I have enough of the right size and color I want to finish my project, or I can choose a button from the miscellaneous bags without worrying that I will no longer have a matching set to a button if I want it later.
I recently organized everything right before a move and am now reorganizing post-move-I can relate to the chaos and the need to soothe it somehow lol And totally support calling it the end on a project that’s not helping anymore; sometimes you just gotta go “well, maybe later. Or maybe never. But certainly not right now!” Haha 😄 I also love that your music background tracks for videos are not lowfi hip hop, I way prefer your fun picks!
I would recommend that you have all your storage containers the same size, then they stack together more easily. Also don’t have them too big, because then they get too heavy to lift when full, a solid fabric cube 10”x10”x15” is plenty heavy enough to shift about.
Great Bags I LOVE Making bags for organisation. All my projects (fabric and yarn) are kept in bags - so much easier to pick them up and go. If you make the BIG bag, rather than having sections - pop each other smaller bag inside, to corral them together.
I actually have a semi-broken laundry basket for my medium to large cabbage (patchwork, trim, or doll clothes), and medium bucket for the tiny scraps that are cut up into "coleslaw" aka stuffing material. 😂😂😂 It's not quite as in-depth as your adorable new bags, but it's a far cry better than everything being stuffed into trash bags and dying cardboard boxes so I'm happy with it. (I may delve in there and make some bags now, though. 😅)
Charlie, I'm so glad I found your channel. Even your videos that don't involve sewing clothes specifically are such a treat and a joy to watch. And since I so thoroughly enjoyed watching sort your fabric scraps, I think I may try to tackle some of the pile of stuff next to me. (Not fabric scraps, just art supplies in general.) See you in the next one!
My suggestion for the rework of the big "bag" is to stop trying to box the corners and think of it like you would a cardboard box. Cut squares out of the corners and sew up the straight seams. New techniques are cool but drive you nuts when used in the wrong settings. Hope this helps ☺️
I would have never thought of sewing the containers I want to organize into. I would have just used reusable grocery bags and big empty cardboard boxes. I like your dedication. Great job.
It is wonderfully refreshing to see your honesty about your mt scrapmore. I just recently did a major sort out and my mountain was a little bit bigger than yours but not by much 🤣 I spent a couple of days sorting it into a system that I hope will work much better and have set myself rules around it (I really struggle to throw things out!) I sewed a giant collection bag that is inside a large wicker basket at the end of my sewing table. This can gather all the scraps that I know I won't use regardless of size. This is also the free for all that my kids are welcome to go fossicking in (My kids have a mini sewing machine they love playing on!). I got a set of drawers that are coloured and have put all my woven useable scraps into it in colour sorting, and my knit fabrics are still in a box because I haven't quite figured that out -maybe a second set of drawers? I want to get some smaller boxes on top of my drawers for long strips (that could be made into string, or cuffs, that sort of thing) and one for smaller scraps that are big enough for crazy quilting (the only kind I enjoy).... My rules are that I deal with all the scraps as soon as I cut out a pattern before I can sew. And that I need to do at least one scrap project between every other project, so I am always chipping it down, be that a matching headband, a pillow, some kind of jewellery, coasters, whatever. Fingers crossed that keeps it from becoming mt scrapmore again!! (Who am I kidding?!)
Sometimes there is greater wisdom in stepping away from a malfunctioning project rather than forcing a conclusion that doesn't make you happy. I've not met a fabric artist who doesn't have at least one project hidden away somewhere that may never be complete.
Loved this. I have one ikea kallax box filled with little scraps for stuffing, and one with bigger scraps. I keep the big scraps of the same fabric together with massive safety pins which works really well
I find it very amusing that you have the same "must organise, has to be seperated, don't like the mess" mentality that I do. and then also have the "ah, we'll wing it" sewing mentality too. not often that you actually get both! now i feel like I should deal with my scraps bin from the last 6months. but really don't wanna make the mess, to make it organised.
clear plastic totes is what i use. It works well for seeing the colors/fabric & u can label by type of fabric as u want. And it definitely helps keep the fabric clean & folded.
Omg! I took your advice from other videos and finally went to Remainders…officially obsessed, I’ve already been back twice this week! Now I’m going to have even more fabric scraps to organize 😅
Back when I had the sewing business there was a big cardboard box under the cutting table, and when it got full, I'd sort it. Just like this. But the tiny scraps went to a rag bag, the palm to arm sized things got turned into purse & wallet fixings, and bigger things got cut up for hats, bags, mittens, slippers, etc. It ended up being about one week every 3 months dedicated to The Cabbage.
As a organized person, overall (my brain requires this) I loved this video because you organized by HOW future you would need to retrieve the fabric. Kudos! That’s giving scrap busting a chance for success. Good luck in all your sewing and stitching endeavors!
I think I would take the easy way out and store each color of scrap in a gallon or 2-gallon sized plastic bag, which I then put all together in a large fabric bag. That would have the added advantage of being able to pull each color of scraps out neatly. It would not make a challenging and interesting sewing project, however. 😁
I sort by color/ sizes and zip bag flat / folded, since zip bags come in all sizes and are cheap at $1.00 stores. Bigger pieces are folded and wrapped around cardboard. Greetings from the middle of Michigan, rural area. Thanks for making these interesting and so entertaining educational videos. You’re easy to watch and listen to and make me smile.
Cheaper than interfacing: Pet food bags. The kind that's plastic but woven. You can sew though it. Just wipe the bags down to remove any food residue. You can also make them into tote bags as is, no fabric.
Thanks for keeping me company while doing dishes. I love your voice and personality, as you always make me laugh. Also, thanks to this video I organized my scraps last week, and took a bunch of them to make a patchwork coat thanks to you and Shannon Makes.
It’s fine to put projects in “time out” when we hit a mental stumbling block with them. It’s not giving up - yet. At a later time you can reevaluate it with a clear mind and with less worry about your sunk time. Either you find a way to make it work, or you decide it’s just not going to work and repurpose the fabric.
There's a free poof pattern that a lot of people make to put their small scraps into and then when it's full they finish it. Just a thought for your smaller stuff. I made a interior bag for the poof and stick everything in it. Can't wait to finish it!
i totally feel your pain, the big bag could be turned into a garment bag, or a laundry bag? i like to be able to see my scraps so my fabric is in a shelf unit. i have a very very small stash. my mom is a quilter and never throws anything out. she has a dresser with drawers that are meticulously organized. mostly. mom in law is more chaotic with stacks everywhere. 😅😅 before she moved she stash was in clear totes with lids labeled by color. the bags are a great idea for groceries as well. hope that helps. to each their own. 💜💜💜💜💜
My suggestion as a life-long garment sewer is to get rid of everything but the large scraps. You can cut them into smaller pieces if you have a quilting type project. It will reduce your stress, save lots of space and you will never miss those small scraps.
I think it depends on your sewing style. I save, and use anything over 1.5". As a scrappy quilter who also does crumb piecing, I would miss those pieces. But i also do my best to keep them sorted by type of project. I keep my crumb pieces in their own bin, my strings in their own bin, my smaller scraps in their own bin.... etc. I use scraps so much that friends and family send them to me bc they dont want them.
I understand that it works for you because you are a quilter. But, she is primarily a garment sewer and I doubt that she would ever use those very small pieces. I've been in her situation and getting rid of fabric pieces that I would probably never use, was a great relief. Out of site, out of mind. You just gotta do it! :)@@trinam2503
As a fellow longtime sewer I feel this. I've tried hard to use up my smaller pieces of fabric. I've sewn quilts, repaired worn squares in old quilts, made quilted bags, patchwork clothes, but the amount of leftover fabric sometimes feels like an endless burden. I hate throwing out the smallest pieces but it's worth it for my sanity, especially after decades of sewing projects.
You can also try to find someone who makes doll clothes, purses, jewellery, etc on a regular basis, and therefore specifically need a constant supply of those smaller sizes. Also, mixed media artists use small scraps for fabric postcards and bookmarks, journal covers, and so much more!
do i have several projects waiting for me? yes. did i just start a new one? also yes. thanks! LOL I also want pretty fabric bags now. i only have fabric bags that i don't find very pretty.
Maybe pride and prejudice is the universal comfort movie but since the algorithm blessed dme with your channel it's my new comfort/hyperfixation channel so ha!😂😂😂
Regarding the big bag, when you showed the rough dimensions that you wanted, my brain just went into brainstorming mode. I would have started small, break it down, compartmentalize it- Overall bag will be X-Y-Z dimensions, so start with the dividers, seams out, sew them together, as you are doing that you start seeing the bags dimensions in real scale. It is at this point that say you have 6 of these prepped sections and say "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!!!!! this is too big" you can start them by breaking it into 2 smaller large bags. I have never made even a simple bag in that manner, so what I am suggesting could be methodically wrong in some way by order of sewing/prep steps, but that's what my thought process was. Great job on the simple ones though. I may just steal your idea for my arts and crafts supplies, maybe even try that thought process for a compartmented one to see how it works out. Best of luck with everything- the move, sewing, whatever it is that you choose to tackle.
For future big bag storage consideration- make a larger version of those make up/toiletries bags that have the separate triangular compartments and then you just roll it up into a cylinder with handles.
Thank you for cheering me up. I was thinking how did you end up with so much stuff. This thought as I stacked random balls of left over wool into vacuum seal bags in the hope it looks less. A must to make room for my embroidery stuff which needs organised to make room for some fabric I have bought to take up garment sewing again, ah yes that's why 😂😂 sending positive vibes for completion and moving soon.
This was refreshing to watch. Especially because, yea sometimes you just have to stop. I just love your channel. I binge watched a bunch of older videos of yours yesterday while I was hand finishing up a walk away dress version for my 12 yo Granddaughter. It turned out so cute and I used knit, for the first time! 🎉 I am in love with knit, bought a ton and have lotssa plans😊 Just a few thoughts on the big bag: maybe cut it in half make it into 2. Use sturdy cardboard or plastic in between tomake it a bit more solid. Just thoughts. Can't wait for the next video.
I always enjoy your thought process and that you say it aloud. Kindred brains! For me, clear, stackable storage bins (and even bins or ziplock within bins) and I still print removable labels to put on one short and one long side of the bins. I like your bag idea, but, for me, those sometimes take up too much room on their own (not as easy to stack). Please continue to entertain us and give us ideas! Now, where are those darned keys to the new house?!?
@@mx.noname4710 Sorry for the delayed response. I've been using Avery Multi-Use Labels #5444, but they make other shapes and sizes. The 5444 is two 2" x 4" labels per sheet and I use my printer to print, but you could certainly just write on them. I usually print two of the same then put one label on a short end and another on a long end of the storage container. That way no matter how the containers are stacked you should be able to see a label. Just make sure the plastic surface is clean before applying the label. And if you're interested, Avery has a free online program where you can design a label, make it a PDF, then print with your printer. Plus Avery will save your labels in a project file to access/edit later. I have templates I created with various fonts and for some I've even added an image to make it easier to to see in case I've added a lot of text that's too small to read from a distance. (And, yes, I have ADHD, which is why I probably gave you more info than you expected or wanted!)
If you really love patchwork, with your wovens you can make smaller "pre-cuts". These include 2.5, 5, 10 inch squares. I do this with my fat quarters and my leftover wovens so the are ready for a quilt. Also for my small scraps, threads, and knit too small leftovers, I make a "scrap dog". He is a large felt stuffed animal and he weighs almost 8 pounds.
I love your Videos, you always manage to lighten up my day. I love making bags and I made quite a few for my crocheting and knitting projects. I can not yet sew garments, but I will try one day.
Absolutely not a disaster... take your ginormous bag lay it out flat at what ever stage its in n cut that longer side up the middle... n finish off into 2 big bags... done n dusted... love your videos... I too get overwhelmed with scraps but can't throw away... comes from my grandma teaching me how to sew...I have her stash n my stash in big plastic bins (30ish)... 8 of have rollers n are big enough each to hide a dead body in... lol... fingers crossed your house closes soon... I'll keep my toes crossed for you cause I need my fingers to sew... 😊
One thing I use when I need stability in a bag is the little thin felt blankets that I get around Christmas time. They are two layers and I take them apart and quilt the layers. I love how you organized all the different fabrics. Looking forward to seeing how you do your sewing space in your new house. ❤
For something you don't plan on washing, try using starch you've made yourself. I have previously starched fabric to be as stiff as wood. Don't recommend, but very stiff fabric can be very useful. Moths love starch so if you have lots of them where you live, think carefully about using starch. Lightly starching patchwork fabric makes cutting and sewing a breeze. (Mix cornstarch with boiling water and cook it until it is smooth and thick. Dilute with water until it is cloudy. Soak damp fabric in mixture and lay out to fry. Ironing before it fully dries is easiest. The milkier the water, the stiffer the starch will be.)
As someone who recently got diagnosed with autism at age 41, I thank you for making such incredibly relatable videos! Life isn’t always perfect and things don’t always go to plan, but that’s okay and we still succeed regardless ❤
You've got my brain racing! As I was watching I was thinking about adding dowling to the edges to make it more structured. Or boning? What about something like the accordion files? I really hope I'm not stuck thinking about how to make this work for too long! Hopefully all the paperwork and what not will be done soon!
I inherited 8 bins of quilting fabric and am still learning to quilt. I organize by color. Then by project. Because I live in the DUSTY high desert I keep all fabric in 1 gallon ziplock bags. As I sew quilts, I reuse the bags. Then I found 5 old file cabinets to hold all the baggies. So far this works for me. As they become quilts, they fold nicely into the big bins the fabrics came in. Goodness, I don't know how to organize the clothing fabric, but do not want to mix them up. Aaarrrrgggghhhh
I’m glad that you were able to let the large bag project go for now. If something isn’t critical you can delay it or even just give up on it for your sanity. ❤. I thought I was gonna make an amazing dress for a MonsterHigh Doll, but had to give up on it after trying for several hours to understand the awful instructions from a pattern I bought on a certain crafty website. I was nearly in tears and realized it wasn’t worth it! I did a lot of prep work for the project but the stress it caused me wasn’t worth moving forward with it. ❤ I hope the move goes well! 😊
For the bottom and dividers you can use foam board. It will stiffen the bag up enough to make it usable. See just get it done you tube. Karen has a ton of organizing ideas.
This may sound weird but I get lots of free pillowcases from a thrift store & i make them into shorts/culots or summer blouses for me here in Texas. They work great as clothing for working outside in the garden or even for work clothes for cleaning up in the house. And just as a note i store all my fabrics of different types & sizes in clear or light colored totes with sealing lids. It is so much easier to see what i have & to keep it cleaned & organized. Walmart has this type of totes for just $10. I just grab me a couple totes from Walmart every couple of weeks as i need one.
I would love to see not just a move-in organisation video when it comes, but also a “sew down my stash” challenge for you. You’re so good at using those stash fabrics to learn and practice techniques and colourblocking, and it would be n’est seeing that taken even further.
If it helps, I use the outer cases of old pillows as scrap bags. Seem like everyone has too many throw pillows or bed pillows that are past their usefulness. I used the old pillow stuffing for new pillows, pet beds, and a Bootstrap dress form.
Ooooohhhhh..... THANK YOU for some excellent ideas!!
I was going to suggest the same thing.
I use the weird zippered plastic bags that pillows and blankets come in to store small scraps. Makes it easier to see what's in there. Btw, I use the little cloth bags pillowcases and sheets come in to store wigs!
Oh my goodness, thank you for mentioning the Bootstrap dress form! I have been thinking about making my own dress form out of form-fitting clothing because dress forms for plus-sized gals are so expensive.
Genius! I have guinea pigs and tbh, I didn’t even think to use them to contain hay/poo while washing (bc i rent I SHOULD) their bedding! 😮
Aww, puppy is freaking cute. I just want to hug him.
Yep, of course it’s important to hold yourself accountable and complete projects, but not at any cost. Completion can’t be the only motivation to do something. There has to be something else, however small, to push a project further. Good on you for recognizing that currently, that wasn’t the case for the jumbo bag.
Thank you for reminding us of this 😊🤍
I have a thought for your giant bag … if you haven’t already thought of a better solution. Instead of dividers, make small bags to sit inside of it. Make the bags using the color you plan to store in it. That way, when you are looking for a red piece, you can easily pull out the red bag.
Also, to save money on interfacing …. I make storage bags twice as tall as I want my finished bag & install my handles at about the halfway point. I fold the top over to the outside, cut cardboard to fit each side and slip into the pockets created. For extra stability sew a straight seam down each corner edge to keep the cardboard in its place. Instead of closing up the bottom of the pocket, I create tabs with button holes or snaps on the end to keep my cardboard from sliding out but still remain removable for washing. Sew the tabs on the bottom of the bag and a button on the side flap
There is a really cool way to fold and sew a tab of fabric to create a slot for a button without actually having to sew a button hole. That’s what I usually do since I’m a bit lazy and I really like the look anyway
Since your giant bag is so pretty, you could just sit it on the floor next to your cutting area and fold up your scraps to put them inside as soon as you finish cutting.
Btw, looking forward to seeing mor patchwork and maybe even some actual quilting. You should watch some quilt as you go videos. “Just get it done quilts” recently posted a good one on how to join blocks.
That's genius!
Watching in ADHD horror as I try to pack up my crafting space for my own move. Big hugs!
I swear, everyone who has ADHD, is also a crafter of some sort with a ton of stuff.
@@StephBer1I feel targeted and that's ok bc it's oh so true!
@@StephBer1 me just going to close my eyes and pretend I did not read this. Of not read it it's not true
Love this video and that you realized that when a project isn't going the way you expected (or wanted) it to, sometimes it's okay to just step back and set it aside for now. You're doing a fabulous job with these videos. They make me smile every time. Thank you so much. ♡
1. Pillow cases work great for stashes. 2. Cut scraps to strips and sew that into a container for all your other bags...this using scraps, creating a long term patch project, and keeping you busy until you move. (Hope everything got settled fast for you.)
That is such a great idea going to use that. Thank you!
my favorite episodes start with you saying you don't know what you are going to do then proceeded to do the thing
finished is better than perfect. you finished sorting your scraps. job done. you can micro-manage it another day.
1. Excellent comfort movie!
2. .....It never occurred to me to make bags and pouches. 🤦♀I use pouches for all kinds of things.
3. Yes sometimes it is better to just walk away.
My daughter and I watched your hack video just as she was getting ready for the school year to begin. She immediately pounced on your pouch idea to make a custom pencil bag. 😂 I'm proud of her! She got all the material together (with me making one quick trip to Joann's for fusible fleece), we found a couple videos that showed zipper pouches, then she used yours and the other video to make one. She is incredibly pleased with herself, I am pleased and proud, and now I have to make one to discreetly store period stuff in her locker. Here's hoping she doesn't show me up!
That's so cool!! I'm super proud of her too!
I love that you are openly human and not perfect. I can relate
She is so funny even when she is frustrated. You're getting there girl !!!!
When it comes to pre-wash, I've made a rule that fabrics can't go into my storage area UNTIL they've been washed. I'm just washing the last of too many loads of laundry from a remnant binge this summer, but now I have hundreds of yards of fabric I won't have to wash again until they're made and worn! Bonus points - I can swap between projects now, as everything from the fancy sparkle-lined lace to the cotton muslin is now clean. :) I also can make sure that the fabrics can even HANDLE being machine-washed, as I can't see being not-lazy enough to wash things by hand. 😂😂 That way I don't waste time on fabrics that the washer will tear up AFTER I've spent too much time making them into something pretty. 😊
I'm starting to do that too now, especially for remnants that might be used for a quick small project or an "OMG Im short of fabric!" panic. I even wash the unwashables like wool and rayon, cause if it's gonna be in a garment going on me, it's gonna need to get washed sooner or later, best to find out now than later..
@bunhelsingslegacy3549 Exactly. :) If it's in my bins, I've washed it (after taking a picture if it has any kind of identifying mark or label for reference).
@@thebookwyrmslair6757 I tuck a note into the folds with approximate yardage and fibre content when I put them away. Or I reunite it with the little tag that comes wrapped around the remnants at my fabric store that often has that information.
@bunhelsingslegacy3549 I can't wait to not share stash with a kid who likes the same fabrics I do... 😆 until then we have the notebook to establish who called dibs on what. :D
When my mother died at 91, she had a large enough fabric stash to fill 80 large tubs of neatly folded fabric. She made quilts, not clothing. My sister only has about 45 small tubs of neatly folded fabric. She makes artistic 'quilts' or wall hangings. Between the two of them, they filled a master bedroom with tubs of fabric. You need to learn to either plan to keep all those scraps for ever, or start using them for stuffing or throw them away. Not to mention 7 sewing machines, enough equipment to stock a Joann's. It seems easier to store rather than discard, but learn to discard scraps that are too small to make something completely. Cheers at moving fabric that you aren't going to use for years (if ever), every time you move.
Oh so relatable! A few minutes in my head was screaming: transparent bags or containers! Since you like the sorting so much make it easy on yourself. If you put the cotton scraps per color in transparent ziplock baggies (push air out) and stack them in a nice rainbow in a laundrybasket you can easily pull it out and it looks nice. I have transparent boxes for small scraps so I can see from the outside where a color of pattern is. I rolled my knitscraps and placed them standing up in a laundbasket (protect the top against sunlight). For inspiration you can look up some of the bee type organizing videos of Cas from clutterbug. And yes, make a scrap pouf with a zipper on the bottom and al your micros make it a nice floorpillow.
I was scrolling through the comments looking for this! Gallon (or 2 Gallon) sized zip baggies would be perfect just dropped down into the large scrap bags, because the colors would be visible instantly.
No worries was nice to see that you moved forward and separated the fabric's in to different sizes and types. I have been putting that off for a long time. You motivated me to do the same so good work. The rest can wait till you are ready as it will not spoil.
My fabric stash, is tiny. He says I have too much. So to keep my stash "full", once I use some, I'll replenish the amount I used.
So, I'm always using and getting a few every two weeks. My stash pile stays the same size, but fabric changes. 😊
OH MY!!! Why did that not ever occur to me that pillowcases could make great bags. Thank you so much for this comment!!!! I have so many pillow cases from bulk good will buys when they get overstocked, mismatched, unmated, stained, etc. I will not use them because if they are more polyester than cotton, to me that's mock up material, been challenging myself to use only natural fibers for clothes and bedding as of late.
Protip: you can use leftover bits of similarly weighted fabric scraps in places of interfacing. (This is very traditional and a great way to use up fabric you don't want to look at anymore!) I do this with my mockups once I've finished using it to make adjustments to a design. 👍 been enjoying your videos stuff i wish you a speedy and smooth transition into your new (and owned!) Home 💜
"There's already fur all over it." 😂 the joys of sewing with pets.
This is really making me want to organise my scraps. Also, looking forward to seeing your new craft space. I hope moving goes as smoothly as possible!
Here's hoping you get your papers all signed and your keys and your house very soon! Enormous Bag With Compartments is a hard project to just wing it on, good on you for prioritizing your brain not melting.
I absolutely _love_ your channel. I relate to you and the facets of yourself you present so very much. It has been so incredibly healing for my unmasking process to watch your process and hear your stories, and feel validated by how much I see if myself in you. Thank you.
That means so much to me to hear, thank you!!
I super appreciate that you still posted this even though you gave up. That feels very genuine and I appreciate that.
Maybe you could get some of those over the door or hanging shoe racks to hold all of the patchwork bits by color? Then you can see what you have
Ooooooo we are thinking the same!!!
Not sure if anyone has suggested this, but here's a possibility for the ginormous bag. Fold it back into the flat 'form' you had before stitching up the side seams, cut it in half, and stitch up two new side seams. That would give you two much more manageable bags and not waste all that effort. 😊 Just an idea. Love you're creativity!
I live for the honesty in this video!!!! 10/10 thank you for reminding me that we’re humans, not robots
Hi, I found Sarah Homfray Embroidery on RUclips, she has some really fun and great ideas to work your tiny pieces of fabric scraps into pretty and/or usable things. She calls it slow stitching. No stress, just fun to do, since it really doesn't have to be perfect. I love her ideas and made a needle book with scraps. (To keep your needles organized.) I thought you may like it too, since you don't know what to do with the tiny pieces either. My needle book turned out so cute! And it works, lol! Have a beautiful day, good luck with the moving, and thank you for your videos!
Thats is the most usefull video on organising your scraps, that I ever seen. Start simple, get overwhelmed, get sidetracked, have fun, and end up with a soluion. Thank you. ❤
Juliane from Dortmund, Germany
My entire fabric stash is in homemade fabric bags made out of curtains. It made me better at sewing bags, they're easily moved, and each bag is a different category/colour. It's very handy, but it does make the room feel a bit cluttered. 😅
I keep my stash in totes but am considering sorting them into bags so it's easier to get to what I want, if you're feeling too cluttered in by bags, maybe putting the bags in a clear tote or three so you can see them but they're contained in some semblance of order?
Mine is in an old pine wardrobe. I simply removed the clothing rail and put some shelving instead. It works a treat and I can store a all my fabric in it, plus sewing machine, patterns and so on.
Hell yea it's the best comfort movie ever!!!! Hands down my favorite version of Pride and Prejudice... it's magical.
I just want to tell you that I absolutely love that you do voiceovers your entertaining personality. When you don't talk during your project I understand but then when you explain what's happening it's way better than the typing and I was just listening to another RUclipsr not appreciating their voice over and just wanted to let you know that I really do appreciate yours It does make me want to watch your shows over and over again and also share them with my friends😊❤
This came up on my queue while I was doing extreme fabric haul/scrap organization (yay, estate sales) but also EXTREME button organization. Hundreds and hundreds of buttons organized meticulously by color, then by size, then by pattern, then by... you get the picture. It's SO satisfying when you're done though!
Side note, congrats on your recent channel growth! I've been watching for a few years and it was wild to see your numbers more than double in what felt like overnight. You're doing great!
I just finished the same!! Estate sale of a lovely seamstress netted me a box the size of a mini-fridge STUFFED with sewing notions!! I'm talking lockable shoebox containers FULL of carded and uncarded buttons, a shoebox full of zippers - plus a real, multiple reels of webbing, shoeboxes of ribbon and lace, etc. It's been overwhelming deciding what to keep or donate and how to store everything in half a closet. 😂
Can I ask how you organised all those buttons? I just have a big jar so every time I need some, it's all dumped out and I never know if I'll have enough of the ones I like. How do you store them? Do you see all of them at once so you can choose?
@ettaz I first sorted into what I wanted to keep vs. give away, with the intent of only keeping what I liked best. Then, I sorted the keepers into colors. I strung button sets together with a string so I could easily find, say, the 8 button dark purple set. Finally, I got a three-compartment storage box that looks like a bento box to me. On one side I put all of the assorted white buttons I kept (roughly three handfuls) that didn't need to be tied up. The other small compartment was for pretty one-offs, where I didn't even have a second button but the one just made me smile. Lastly, I put all of those tied button strings into the large compartment. In this exercise I decided to only keep what filled the one bento box, because I simply don't USE that many buttons. What I kept will probably last my lifetime! This also allowed me to fill one shoebox for donation, and allowed each of my kids to grab a jelly jar full of ones that pleased their eyes. :) If it sounds excusing and tedious.... it was. It took two afternoons and an evening. But now I know exactly what I have and can plan accordingly. (I also imposed this limit with the zippers, ribbons, and lace, condensing 8 shoeboxes down to 3.)
@@ettaz I'll try to explain in a way that makes sense over text; it's easier to see. They're organized in hanging bags on long pegboard hooks in two rows.
TOP ROW:
- Each hook on the top row has a color, so (from left to right)
>> White, light medium, medium, dark medium, black, colorful
- Then another row has a hook with weirdly shaped buttons (because despite color, they aren't standardized in any way), and additional hooks that have misc buttons also organized by color, but I'll get to that momentarily.
- Each of the color coordinated hooks (top row) ONLY have bags of buttons that have 2 or more completely identical ones. These are identical in terms of size, shape, number of thread anchoring holes, and pattern on the button (if applicable). Since these are organized by color already by being on the individual hook, I can then further organize them by shape. So, on each color-coordinated hook, they are organized from largest to smallest from rear to front, respectively. The largest buttons are at the back, the smallest are in the front, creating a gradient of sizes.
- The "colorful" buttons hook, from rear to front, is organized in rainbow order. So red is in the back, purple is in the front.
SECOND ROW:
- Each of these hooks are ALSO organized by color, but slightly differently. All of the bags on this row are comprised of buttons that only had singular appearances. These I organized by color, then by general size. Because I only had 2-3 bags of buttons per color this time, I adjusted the color gradient to save space. I'll explain below:
- So, from left to right:
>> Hook 1 (from rear to front):
>>> Big white, medium white, small white, Big light medium, medium (sized) light medium, small light medium
>> Hook 2 (from rear to front):
>>> Large medium, medium (size) medium (color tone), small medium, large dark medium, medium (size) dark medium, small dark medium
>> Hook 3 (from rear to front):
>>> Large black, medium black, small black
>> Hook 4 (final hook):
>>> I had some weirdly shaped buttons that did not quite fit anywhere else, so this is the hook for them, organized by type. Wooden buttons in abnormal shapes are in one bag, resin buttons in abnormal shapes are in another bag, toggle fasteners are in another bag, and finally toggle fastener circles are in their own bag.
There are some other hooks with other styles of closures, but these are the button hooks.
.........
Is this extra? Absolutely, yes. It took forever. However, I regret nothing. Every single time I want a button, I can look and see EXACTLY how many I have of that style available and determine if I have enough of the right size and color I want to finish my project, or I can choose a button from the miscellaneous bags without worrying that I will no longer have a matching set to a button if I want it later.
@@thebookwyrmslair6757 sounds roughly similar to what I did, I just used bags on a pegboard haha.
Closet Core patterns has a pouffe pattern that uses fabric scraps. You can have a look if it is something that might interest you. Love your videos.
I love scrap poufs! Such a great way to use those tiny scraps.
I recently organized everything right before a move and am now reorganizing post-move-I can relate to the chaos and the need to soothe it somehow lol And totally support calling it the end on a project that’s not helping anymore; sometimes you just gotta go “well, maybe later. Or maybe never. But certainly not right now!” Haha 😄
I also love that your music background tracks for videos are not lowfi hip hop, I way prefer your fun picks!
Yaaaas end the lowfi hip hop background music craze!! XD
ohhh wow, the patchwork that looks like seed envelopes. beautiful!!
I would recommend that you have all your storage containers the same size, then they stack together more easily. Also don’t have them too big, because then they get too heavy to lift when full, a solid fabric cube 10”x10”x15” is plenty heavy enough to shift about.
This timing is perfect, I had planned on going through all my scraps this evening lol
Great Bags
I LOVE Making bags for organisation. All my projects (fabric and yarn) are kept in bags - so much easier to pick them up and go.
If you make the BIG bag, rather than having sections - pop each other smaller bag inside, to corral them together.
I love how honest and normal you are and whole heartily agree if I have mess then my brain is messy
I actually have a semi-broken laundry basket for my medium to large cabbage (patchwork, trim, or doll clothes), and medium bucket for the tiny scraps that are cut up into "coleslaw" aka stuffing material. 😂😂😂 It's not quite as in-depth as your adorable new bags, but it's a far cry better than everything being stuffed into trash bags and dying cardboard boxes so I'm happy with it. (I may delve in there and make some bags now, though. 😅)
Oh my goodness, I'd never heard the small bits called coleslaw... I love that! XD
Charlie, I'm so glad I found your channel. Even your videos that don't involve sewing clothes specifically are such a treat and a joy to watch. And since I so thoroughly enjoyed watching sort your fabric scraps, I think I may try to tackle some of the pile of stuff next to me. (Not fabric scraps, just art supplies in general.) See you in the next one!
Using scraps to store your scraps is a great idea!
My suggestion for the rework of the big "bag" is to stop trying to box the corners and think of it like you would a cardboard box. Cut squares out of the corners and sew up the straight seams.
New techniques are cool but drive you nuts when used in the wrong settings.
Hope this helps ☺️
As I don’t know where in California you live, I’m glad to see you’re safe from all the weather atrocities occurring in your state right now.
I use vinyl bags that bed sets or blankets come in. Or for a pretty option wrap a cardboard box in fabric or sticky vinyl and line with old sheets
I would have never thought of sewing the containers I want to organize into. I would have just used reusable grocery bags and big empty cardboard boxes. I like your dedication. Great job.
It is wonderfully refreshing to see your honesty about your mt scrapmore. I just recently did a major sort out and my mountain was a little bit bigger than yours but not by much 🤣 I spent a couple of days sorting it into a system that I hope will work much better and have set myself rules around it (I really struggle to throw things out!)
I sewed a giant collection bag that is inside a large wicker basket at the end of my sewing table. This can gather all the scraps that I know I won't use regardless of size. This is also the free for all that my kids are welcome to go fossicking in (My kids have a mini sewing machine they love playing on!). I got a set of drawers that are coloured and have put all my woven useable scraps into it in colour sorting, and my knit fabrics are still in a box because I haven't quite figured that out -maybe a second set of drawers? I want to get some smaller boxes on top of my drawers for long strips (that could be made into string, or cuffs, that sort of thing) and one for smaller scraps that are big enough for crazy quilting (the only kind I enjoy)....
My rules are that I deal with all the scraps as soon as I cut out a pattern before I can sew. And that I need to do at least one scrap project between every other project, so I am always chipping it down, be that a matching headband, a pillow, some kind of jewellery, coasters, whatever. Fingers crossed that keeps it from becoming mt scrapmore again!! (Who am I kidding?!)
I just reorganized all my fabric scraps for a move and it was…. Something. Good luck!
Oh, another good idea for scraps is making rope bowls and wrapping scraps in places for pops of color. Makes great gifts.
lol you're adorable!! I'm enjoying stress scrapping with you!
Sometimes there is greater wisdom in stepping away from a malfunctioning project rather than forcing a conclusion that doesn't make you happy. I've not met a fabric artist who doesn't have at least one project hidden away somewhere that may never be complete.
So fab to see progress and a healthy 'yeah, I need to stop this one thing'.
thank you for showing the reality to life.
Loved this. I have one ikea kallax box filled with little scraps for stuffing, and one with bigger scraps. I keep the big scraps of the same fabric together with massive safety pins which works really well
I find it very amusing that you have the same "must organise, has to be seperated, don't like the mess" mentality that I do. and then also have the "ah, we'll wing it" sewing mentality too. not often that you actually get both! now i feel like I should deal with my scraps bin from the last 6months. but really don't wanna make the mess, to make it organised.
Making those contradictions in our personalities work for us!
Same here 😅
For the colorful organised scraps something like the clear shoe organisers that you hang on a door could work
We are on the same wavelength!!
Transparent plastic bins are what would give you the greatest amount of knowledge and control later on.
clear plastic totes is what i use. It works well for seeing the colors/fabric & u can label by type of fabric as u want. And it definitely helps keep the fabric clean & folded.
Omg! I took your advice from other videos and finally went to Remainders…officially obsessed, I’ve already been back twice this week! Now I’m going to have even more fabric scraps to organize 😅
Yaaaaaaay more trips to Remainders!!
Watching you waffle over your cabbage bin is exactly what I needed today. Thank you for making me not feel alone in these decisions.
Back when I had the sewing business there was a big cardboard box under the cutting table, and when it got full, I'd sort it. Just like this. But the tiny scraps went to a rag bag, the palm to arm sized things got turned into purse & wallet fixings, and bigger things got cut up for hats, bags, mittens, slippers, etc. It ended up being about one week every 3 months dedicated to The Cabbage.
I have had to put a "pause" on several projects in the past. I always feel better when I come back to them later.
I made fabric boxes with cardboard inserts, like the ikea ones . Itsaved me the interfacing and I reused lots of cardboard.
As a organized person, overall (my brain requires this) I loved this video because you organized by HOW future you would need to retrieve the fabric. Kudos! That’s giving scrap busting a chance for success. Good luck in all your sewing and stitching endeavors!
I think I would take the easy way out and store each color of scrap in a gallon or 2-gallon sized plastic bag, which I then put all together in a large fabric bag. That would have the added advantage of being able to pull each color of scraps out neatly. It would not make a challenging and interesting sewing project, however. 😁
Exactly what I have done with my scraps.
I sort by color/ sizes and zip bag flat / folded, since zip bags come in all sizes and are cheap at $1.00 stores. Bigger pieces are folded and wrapped around cardboard. Greetings from the middle of Michigan, rural area. Thanks for making these interesting and so entertaining educational videos. You’re easy to watch and listen to and make me smile.
Cheaper than interfacing: Pet food bags. The kind that's plastic but woven. You can sew though it. Just wipe the bags down to remove any food residue.
You can also make them into tote bags as is, no fabric.
Thanks for keeping me company while doing dishes. I love your voice and personality, as you always make me laugh. Also, thanks to this video I organized my scraps last week, and took a bunch of them to make a patchwork coat thanks to you and Shannon Makes.
It’s fine to put projects in “time out” when we hit a mental stumbling block with them. It’s not giving up - yet. At a later time you can reevaluate it with a clear mind and with less worry about your sunk time. Either you find a way to make it work, or you decide it’s just not going to work and repurpose the fabric.
There's a free poof pattern that a lot of people make to put their small scraps into and then when it's full they finish it. Just a thought for your smaller stuff. I made a interior bag for the poof and stick everything in it. Can't wait to finish it!
i totally feel your pain, the big bag could be turned into a garment bag, or a laundry bag? i like to be able to see my scraps so my fabric is in a shelf unit. i have a very very small stash. my mom is a quilter and never throws anything out. she has a dresser with drawers that are meticulously organized. mostly. mom in law is more chaotic with stacks everywhere. 😅😅 before she moved she stash was in clear totes with lids labeled by color. the bags are a great idea for groceries as well. hope that helps. to each their own. 💜💜💜💜💜
My suggestion as a life-long garment sewer is to get rid of everything but the large scraps. You can cut them into smaller pieces if you have a quilting type project. It will reduce your stress, save lots of space and you will never miss those small scraps.
I think it depends on your sewing style. I save, and use anything over 1.5". As a scrappy quilter who also does crumb piecing, I would miss those pieces. But i also do my best to keep them sorted by type of project. I keep my crumb pieces in their own bin, my strings in their own bin, my smaller scraps in their own bin.... etc. I use scraps so much that friends and family send them to me bc they dont want them.
I understand that it works for you because you are a quilter. But, she is primarily a garment sewer and I doubt that she would ever use those very small pieces. I've been in her situation and getting rid of fabric pieces that I would probably never use, was a great relief. Out of site, out of mind. You just gotta do it! :)@@trinam2503
As a fellow longtime sewer I feel this. I've tried hard to use up my smaller pieces of fabric. I've sewn quilts, repaired worn squares in old quilts, made quilted bags, patchwork clothes, but the amount of leftover fabric sometimes feels like an endless burden. I hate throwing out the smallest pieces but it's worth it for my sanity, especially after decades of sewing projects.
I sa6 similar, but just throw put the small scraps
You can also try to find someone who makes doll clothes, purses, jewellery, etc on a regular basis, and therefore specifically need a constant supply of those smaller sizes. Also, mixed media artists use small scraps for fabric postcards and bookmarks, journal covers, and so much more!
do i have several projects waiting for me? yes. did i just start a new one? also yes. thanks! LOL
I also want pretty fabric bags now. i only have fabric bags that i don't find very pretty.
Every time I watch this video I desperately want to make a Quilter outta ya! You have great scraps!❤
I Totally agree. Sometimes quitting is the way to go! you got what you wanted in the end. All is good.
Maybe pride and prejudice is the universal comfort movie but since the algorithm blessed dme with your channel it's my new comfort/hyperfixation channel so ha!😂😂😂
Awwwww that's such high praise, thank you!!
Regarding the big bag, when you showed the rough dimensions that you wanted, my brain just went into brainstorming mode. I would have started small, break it down, compartmentalize it- Overall bag will be X-Y-Z dimensions, so start with the dividers, seams out, sew them together, as you are doing that you start seeing the bags dimensions in real scale. It is at this point that say you have 6 of these prepped sections and say "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!!!!! this is too big" you can start them by breaking it into 2 smaller large bags. I have never made even a simple bag in that manner, so what I am suggesting could be methodically wrong in some way by order of sewing/prep steps, but that's what my thought process was. Great job on the simple ones though. I may just steal your idea for my arts and crafts supplies, maybe even try that thought process for a compartmented one to see how it works out. Best of luck with everything- the move, sewing, whatever it is that you choose to tackle.
For future big bag storage consideration- make a larger version of those make up/toiletries bags that have the separate triangular compartments and then you just roll it up into a cylinder with handles.
This sounds cool, are you talking about those circular bags that close up with drawstrings or am I picturing it wrong?
Thank you for cheering me up. I was thinking how did you end up with so much stuff. This thought as I stacked random balls of left over wool into vacuum seal bags in the hope it looks less. A must to make room for my embroidery stuff which needs organised to make room for some fabric I have bought to take up garment sewing again, ah yes that's why 😂😂 sending positive vibes for completion and moving soon.
This was refreshing to watch. Especially because, yea sometimes you just have to stop. I just love your channel. I binge watched a bunch of older videos of yours yesterday while I was hand finishing up a walk away dress version for my 12 yo Granddaughter. It turned out so cute and I used knit, for the first time! 🎉 I am in love with knit, bought a ton and have lotssa plans😊
Just a few thoughts on the big bag: maybe cut it in half make it into 2. Use sturdy cardboard or plastic in between tomake it a bit more solid. Just thoughts. Can't wait for the next video.
I always enjoy your thought process and that you say it aloud. Kindred brains! For me, clear, stackable storage bins (and even bins or ziplock within bins) and I still print removable labels to put on one short and one long side of the bins. I like your bag idea, but, for me, those sometimes take up too much room on their own (not as easy to stack). Please continue to entertain us and give us ideas! Now, where are those darned keys to the new house?!?
What kind of removable labels? What are they made of? How do they attach? (Asking because it sounds like you’re onto something!)
@@mx.noname4710 Sorry for the delayed response. I've been using Avery Multi-Use Labels #5444, but they make other shapes and sizes. The 5444 is two 2" x 4" labels per sheet and I use my printer to print, but you could certainly just write on them. I usually print two of the same then put one label on a short end and another on a long end of the storage container. That way no matter how the containers are stacked you should be able to see a label. Just make sure the plastic surface is clean before applying the label. And if you're interested, Avery has a free online program where you can design a label, make it a PDF, then print with your printer. Plus Avery will save your labels in a project file to access/edit later. I have templates I created with various fonts and for some I've even added an image to make it easier to to see in case I've added a lot of text that's too small to read from a distance. (And, yes, I have ADHD, which is why I probably gave you more info than you expected or wanted!)
It is always hard to stop! Well done you for spotting it. And I sympathise...
Very satisfying to watch while cutting up my tiny fabric scraps for stuffing :)
If you really love patchwork, with your wovens you can make smaller "pre-cuts". These include 2.5, 5, 10 inch squares. I do this with my fat quarters and my leftover wovens so the are ready for a quilt.
Also for my small scraps, threads, and knit too small leftovers, I make a "scrap dog". He is a large felt stuffed animal and he weighs almost 8 pounds.
Thank you! Love the fact that you show use the real things. Makes me feel so much better! Love you!
Good luck with the move! Hoping the final paperwork was finally sorted out
I love your Videos, you always manage to lighten up my day. I love making bags and I made quite a few for my crocheting and knitting projects. I can not yet sew garments, but I will try one day.
Absolutely not a disaster... take your ginormous bag lay it out flat at what ever stage its in n cut that longer side up the middle... n finish off into 2 big bags... done n dusted... love your videos... I too get overwhelmed with scraps but can't throw away... comes from my grandma teaching me how to sew...I have her stash n my stash in big plastic bins (30ish)... 8 of have rollers n are big enough each to hide a dead body in... lol... fingers crossed your house closes soon... I'll keep my toes crossed for you cause I need my fingers to sew... 😊
One thing I use when I need stability in a bag is the little thin felt blankets that I get around Christmas time. They are two layers and I take them apart and quilt the layers. I love how you organized all the different fabrics. Looking forward to seeing how you do your sewing space in your new house. ❤
For something you don't plan on washing, try using starch you've made yourself. I have previously starched fabric to be as stiff as wood. Don't recommend, but very stiff fabric can be very useful. Moths love starch so if you have lots of them where you live, think carefully about using starch. Lightly starching patchwork fabric makes cutting and sewing a breeze. (Mix cornstarch with boiling water and cook it until it is smooth and thick. Dilute with water until it is cloudy. Soak damp fabric in mixture and lay out to fry. Ironing before it fully dries is easiest. The milkier the water, the stiffer the starch will be.)
I started cleaning up my craft room over the weekend. It's not going well. However, I think making a few bags might be a great plan to help organize.
My back was hurting just from watching!
As someone who recently got diagnosed with autism at age 41, I thank you for making such incredibly relatable videos! Life isn’t always perfect and things don’t always go to plan, but that’s okay and we still succeed regardless ❤
I absolutely Love the black and red dress with plaid dolman sleeves!!!
You've got my brain racing! As I was watching I was thinking about adding dowling to the edges to make it more structured. Or boning? What about something like the accordion files? I really hope I'm not stuck thinking about how to make this work for too long!
Hopefully all the paperwork and what not will be done soon!
I inherited 8 bins of quilting fabric and am still learning to quilt. I organize by color. Then by project. Because I live in the DUSTY high desert I keep all fabric in 1 gallon ziplock bags. As I sew quilts, I reuse the bags. Then I found 5 old file cabinets to hold all the baggies.
So far this works for me. As they become quilts, they fold nicely into the big bins the fabrics came in.
Goodness, I don't know how to organize the clothing fabric, but do not want to mix them up. Aaarrrrgggghhhh
You're awesome! Just found your channel. Just love your ramblings! Be kind to yourself, big breath, you've got this!
That big bag is like one of those "waste management" bags!!!
I’m glad that you were able to let the large bag project go for now. If something isn’t critical you can delay it or even just give up on it for your sanity. ❤. I thought I was gonna make an amazing dress for a MonsterHigh Doll, but had to give up on it after trying for several hours to understand the awful instructions from a pattern I bought on a certain crafty website. I was nearly in tears and realized it wasn’t worth it! I did a lot of prep work for the project but the stress it caused me wasn’t worth moving forward with it. ❤ I hope the move goes well! 😊
For the bottom and dividers you can use foam board. It will stiffen the bag up enough to make it usable. See just get it done you tube. Karen has a ton of organizing ideas.
This may sound weird but I get lots of free pillowcases from a thrift store & i make them into shorts/culots or summer blouses for me here in Texas. They work great as clothing for working outside in the garden or even for work clothes for cleaning up in the house.
And just as a note i store all my fabrics of different types & sizes in clear or light colored totes with sealing lids. It is so much easier to see what i have & to keep it cleaned & organized. Walmart has this type of totes for just $10. I just grab me a couple totes from Walmart every couple of weeks as i need one.
I have a shirt out of that seed packet print. One of my faves!