WEB BONUS --- McCall's Quilting June 2007 issue.
Ready, Set, Organize Web Bonus by Linda Turner Griepentrog Plastic Possibilities There is controversy among quilting experts over the use of plastic containers for long-term fabric storage. Some note that fabric can't breathe in plastic, while others say that loosely stacked fabrics are fine. Caution should be taken in humid climates, as closed plastic containers (without desiccants) can be instrumental in mildew formation. Plastic containers from Rubbermaid, Sterilite, etc. offer organizing options in a multitude of sizes, shapes, colors and capacities from half-pint to 21-gallons. Some containers have snap-on lids, others latch, and larger-size bins often have wheels for portability. Look for translucent and opaque versions, with carrying handles for toting. For extra storage and sitting space, consider hard-sided plastic containers that will support a person's weight. A clever fabric cover-up and no one is the wiser to what's inside! Or if things really get out of control, look for Rubbermaid's hard plastic storage sheds for the garage.
An Inside Look... We've all secretly wondered about the sewing rooms of notable fabric artists, and McCall's Quilting had the chance to visit elinor peace bailey's Vancouver, Washington studio for a sneak peek at this colorful creator's storage strategies. elinor likes to be stimulated, not only by bright colors everywhere, but also by her fabric. She hates wasting time looking for things, and gets annoyed when her studio seemingly "eats" something she knows she has somewhere. So, she says she's not a fabric collector, and constantly purges things to keep the essentials of her work handy—those "jewels" she uses for her famous dolls. A lover of containers and drawers, elinor uses old printer's chest with shallow divided drawers for organizing the button stash (by color, of course), and another set of roll-out trays for the novelty papers she often combines with fabrics. In addition to these two furniture pieces, her modest studio holds many plastic tubs and shelves of color-arranged fabric cuts, plus an array of baskets and small pieces of old luggage. The suitcases store treasures, including her traveling dolls and their miniature possessions. Bolted trims cover almost an entire wall of the studio, with vibrant ends hanging for inspiration. Other "tools" form displays in the room--colorful pens and crayons for her signature artwork and journaling, and a vertical divided tray to house rubber stamps. Describing herself as a "compulsive finisher," elinor likes order, and proudly touts that she "reorders" her studio after a project is done, so that she can systematically start the next adventure. elinor's theory is that if something is coming into the studio, something must leave to make room for it. Her next storage challenge—daughter Heather Bailey has just designed a new fabric collection for Free Spirit, and elinor "just had to order" all 42 pieces of the collection!