One of the trends people who scrapbook love to do is take an
ordinary, everyday item, and make it part of the scrapbooking family of
supplies. Ribbons, laces and other
fabrics, which have long taken their rightful place in the sewing world, are
also part of the scrapbooking and paper crafting world. These items are used for every piece where
paper is often of for handmade crafts such as mini book covers, embellishments
on cards, and on alternated items.
Fabrics, like their paper counterparts can also be stamped on, made into
borders, and turned into flowers.
If you have a fabric stash alone with your paper stash, you
know or will learn very quickly that one small swatch can build up to your own
personal mountain if you are not careful.
So keeping them organized and undamaged is just as important as the rest
of your supplies. These rules applies to
all crafts from quilters to people who scrapbook.
First of all, find all of your fabrics. If you are saving a swatch of last year’s
prom dress you daughter no longer wants to wear, find the dress. Find that pile over in the corner, and bring
it in.
Now purge what you no longer need. Yes, I know, it has sentimental value to
it. Cut off a swatch and toss the
rest. Ask yourself this question, “what
project is this fabric for? If you do
not remember, go to question #2: can I
use it in another project? If the answer
is yes, put in the keep pile, if no, put it in the toss pile. Before you toss, ask yourself this
question: Can I donate it to a sewing
club, or of it is a something that you can wear, can it go to a thrift store or
consignment shop? If the answer is yes,
put it in the donate pile, if not either toss it, make it into cleaning rags,
or just throw it away altogether. In
your donation pile, call up your locate shelter to see if they can use it. Chances are there is a free store or a charity
who would be glad to take the clothing off your hands.
Now that you have purge what you do not need, it is time to
organize.
Develop a system. If you have been following along in this
series of decluttering your crafting supplies, that system might be the same
system that you developed to organize your paper. If not, may I suggest the ROY G BIV
system? The name stands for red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, and I added an “N” for neutrals, because
you cannot have enough neutrals in your life.
Put the fabrics into like piles, and prepare to put them in
containers. This goes for all of your
ribbon, laces, swatches, and things like zippers.
Now it is time to shop…for containers, if you do not already
have them. I do suggest that it is a
container that is free from dust. The rolling
bins you see make excellent containers, because you can see what you have
inside. If must have a non-see-through
container, take a picture of the piece of fabric, that way you know what you
have in the boxes. They also serve as
excellent labels too. For spools of
ribbon, you can either put them on a pre-made ribbon holder or create on out of
dowel rods. They can go the length of
the wall. Laces can be put in see
through boxes as well. Label the containers.
Finally place all fabric in one common area of the room,
that way you do not end up playing the hunting game again.
Keeping up with fabric should be the least of your worries,
once you have a system down. Just remember
to not buy too much fabric, know the washing instruction and keeping that
information in a binder will also keep down the clutter.
Next time in part 4, it is rubber stamping time. Until then,
be blessed.
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