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Note - these instructions are written in LEFTISH. If you are right-handed - just reverse the directions.
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Right about the time I discovered-
Bonnie Hunter's site (Quiltville.com) and her fabulous "Scrap User's System"
I was looking for other ways to organize my FABRIC STASH. I needed serious help!!
I came across this video on how to fold your fabric. I tried it - and then came up with my own variation. Thanks, Marilyn!!
Here's a quick lesson on FABRIC FOLDING - This Is How I Do It.
FAT QUARTERS (FQ) - 18" x 22"
First, I press the FQ -
after pre-washing, of course! All of my long-term stash is pre-washed. pressed and folded. But I don't pre-wash pre-cuts - 5" charm squares - 10" layer cakes - honey buns, etc.
And I don't use starch - that's just my personal preference. I hear starch attracts bugs - and I don't want to worry about bugs in my fabric stash. If you like to use starch - you can always starch your fabric right before you cut it.
Flip it over and fold it in half - wrong sides together - the FQ is now 18" x 11" -
(I'm still a flippin' lefty!!)
Turn it sideways so it is 11" x 18" - with the fold on the left side - raw edge on the right
Fold it up - again - in half - to make it 11" x 9"
Flip it again so that the raw edge is closest to you - with the fold on the left side - raw edge on the right
Roll it up - away from you
Now it's a nice little roll and it's 11" wide - perfect fit for a 12" shelf
I usually press a whole stack of fat quarters at one time
and fold them one right after the other
HALF YARDS - can also be folded like FAT QUARTERS - with just one extra step -
first fold the half yard in half - so it's the size of a FAT QUARTER - 18" x 22" - then do the steps above.
YARDAGE - anything over half a yard
Press it - selvage to selvage - with the fold on your left - and the excess going off the top of your ironing board -
(I have a basket I put under my ironing board to catch the fabric and to keep it off the floor)
Starting about 5" from the bottom - lay a 6" x 24" ruler across the fabric
Fold the bottom of the fabric up over the ruler
Roll the ruler - away from you - like it is the fabric "bolt" at the quilt store
When you get to the end - fold the top down a bit to tuck in the raw edges - and then fold the fabric down over the ruler (I don't think Marilyn folds the raw edge to the inside.)
Slip the ruler out and fold the fabric in half
See - 6" wide and 11" long
FAT QUARTERS and YARDAGE - all nice and neat - ready to be added to my FABRIC STASH
If the yardage is too "fat" to fold in half neatly - just keep it flat - and put it on the shelf that way.
As an added bonus - this method makes it is really easy to tell how much fabric you have in each "pack". Since each fold is 6" - 6 folds equals 6 x 6" or 36" or 1 yard. Just count the folds - 6 folds for every yard. Easy - peasy!!
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -
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