Have you been bitten by the solids bug yet? I certainly have. I've been slowly building up a little collection of solids {whenever I find I need a color, I try to pick up a yard or so if it is something I'm likely to use again!}. But, as I started collecting solids, I realized I needed a way to keep them organized.
So, I've started using little scraps to make labels, telling me the manufacturer and color, that way I don't accidentally buy duplicates, or if I need more, I can get the closest match possible. I just pin these to my fabric bolts.
Also, I often back my mini quilts with a coordinating solid, leaving a rather large piece of fabric left over, so I've started just rolling that piece back onto the bolt to keep so it is handy for the next mini quilt or mug rug.
Have you started collecting solids? If so, do you have a method to keep them organized?
I have recently been using solids. I bought several cuts when a webstore was clearing out some colors to make room for new fabric. They had a label (address type) on each fabric with the name, skew, and yardage. I cut a 2" x 3" piece of the fabric and put the label on it. I keep them safety pinned together to use as swatches when I go fabric shopping. I have some that I got as a bundle at a local quilt shop, but I don't know the color names. I put my own label on them with the bundle name, maker, and shop name (Beach Glass, Moda, Material Girls QS). I have found using the swatches keeps me from pulling so much fabric out of the closet. I guess when the fabric is gone I will just put my swatches in my scrap bin.
ReplyDeleteI have some solids, but not many. I want to get more, but like you, I didn't really know how to keep them organized. I have been putting mine in those plastic folders with the clasp to keep them together. In my bees, I get a lot of requests for Kona White and Ash, so I try to keep them together so I know that even the scraps are the right shade.
ReplyDeleteI always get a couple solids every road trip our bee makes. They can be used so many ways and are a good "I need a color now" back up to have in my stash.
ReplyDeleteI've started collecting solids as well. I cut a 2" x 3" piece as well, and write directly on it with the brand and colour name, and number if I know it. i.e. Bella White 9900. That way I can take my swatches with me to match up to prints when I buying new ones.
ReplyDeleteI recently started collecting solids. I decided that I'd limit my purchases to Kona and Moda Bella Solids, so I bought the color cards for each line. I pencil in the yardage I have right next to the color. The fabric stays stacked neatly in the cubbies in the closet and I do all my matching up with the color cards, where I don't have to rustle through the fabric stacks to see what I've got. (I do the same thing with my threads). If I'm going shopping I'll take my cards with me so I know what I've got already adn don't duplicate.
ReplyDeleteI love Kona!! Snow, White and black are a staple. I like to buy the bolt with those. Others I keep in a seperate drawer, but pin on the salvage so not to damage the main body of the clothe. I also like Shot Cottons - different texture to them. And they are in another drawer the same way. I like to keep my fabrics covered or in drawers to keep the dust and possible sunlight off them.
ReplyDeleteI have a few solids and I am really getting into them. great tips.
ReplyDeleteI really need to come up with some kind of organizational system, although it seems that I stash solids less frequently since I often buy them specifically for a project and use up the bulk of the yardage. I do have a lot of solid scraps though.
ReplyDeleteI have been buying mostly solids lately. I do have a Kona color card, which helps pick out solids to order (my selection in town is pitiful) and also to identify any unlabeled yardage. I tend to not care about what color scraps are, but for the yardage I keep the sticker on the fabric from the online store, if there is one, or else I have been writing the color name on masking tape to put on the fabric.
ReplyDeleteI too have some solids from who knows where but for the ones I have been adding to my stash I have written in the selvedge the name in a blue wash out pen. That way, I don't have to worry about losing stickers or pinned on papers.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to label them... Yes I have a pile of solids in my stash though they are mainly pinks!
ReplyDeleteI've always been a big fan of solids, but I'm just now beginning to have a decent stash of them. I do a lot of mini quilts so I keep my smaller scraps of solids all in a large zip-lock together. That way if I only need a little bit of a blue I can just grab from there rather than searching through all my scraps for it!
ReplyDeletePS I just found this document with the names of Moda's new solids. I have a stack of them and had no idea what to call them! http://www.unitednotions.com/fcc_bella-solids.pdf
ReplyDelete