NYE Mystery Fabs and Organization!

I will be participating in a mystery event on NY Eve day.  Here are the fabrics I picked out yesterday.   Usually I think my pictures are pretty true to color.  Not today.  The yellow is intense but it isn't this orange looking.  But even off it still matches the focus fabric.  Turquoise, yellow, stars and white.  I'm making a baby quilt.  Now to the cutting done. 

Organizing fabric has been a topic of conversation at Smallquilts yahoo group.  Several folks are organizing and cleaning up their sewing spaces.  How do you organize you fabric?  I've gone through several different methods but am very happy with what I have going now:

First -- all my 1/2 yard and bigger fabric is folded with my 8.5" ruler and piled with like colors on open shelves. Very easy to see and I know I have at least 1/2 yard when I pull them. 

Then fat quarters are all folded neatly and put in open baskets or box tops. (I really like the tops of copy paper boxes...) Recently I color coordinated these.  When I have a quick block to make I always check these boxes first.  They are easy to see and readily available without pulling out bins. 

I use Bonnie Hunter's of Quiltville.com method for strips.  I cut 1.5", 2.0", 2.5" and 3.5" strips.  I mostly have 2" and 2.5" strips. These are kept in a 4 drawer clear plastic unit.  I also have several boxes of squares, triangles and half square triangles made up. (Of course, the hst are never the right size!) 

Sometimes I keep strings for string blocks.  These are currently stored in two lunch-bag-size gift bags.  Hum, probably time to make a few more of these blocks and clear out the bags so I can put more in.  

Last I have several clear plastic boxes where odd pieces are stored with like colors.  Some are small, some fat quarters.  Sometimes I rummage in these looking for a piece that matches another piece.  Eventually, I will move all of these odd ball pieces into the appropriate place.  But for now they hang out near the half yard and more fabric.  

What I haven't figured out is how to store charm packs.  I don't buy turnovers,  layer cakes, or jelly rolls.  Well generally I don't.  But, on occasion I do buy charm packs.  It makes me think I  am getting new, exciting fabric without spending a ton of money.  I should put them all in a basket so they are visible.  

I have been very pleased with my organizational design.  I am pretty good about keeping up with the fat quarters and the larger pieces of fabric.  I am not doing so well on the scraps.  I haven't gotten a basket under the cutting table yet.  (Thanks to many readers who suggested that as a way to contain them.)  My cutting table is big and becomes covered with detritus easily.  

I also use the box/basket system for my projects.  Everything for a particular project goes into a box when I start it.  When done for the day I try to put all the pieces back into the box including the directions and an index card with a note about what needs to be done next.  It keeps everything together so nothing gets lost.  I have a spot under the table where I can stash the baskets if I don't want to work on a project for a while. 

How do you organize?  Are you happy with your method?  Any changes planned for 2011.  Nothing like the beginning of a new year to make you think about what you have done in the past and what you want to do in the future.

Plans Today: 

• Finish loading bow tie quilt on Ruthie and quilt it. 

• Make binding for bow tie and apply it. 

• Finish hand sewing binding on Christmas Pineapple wall hanging

• Start cutting for the NYE mystery quilt

• Start sleeve for Sophia's newest sweater. (oooh, all done but one sleeve and it is so cute.) 

Shoot, if I want to get all that done I need to get up and get going!