How do you store notions?

[jyanla]

I've just begun learning sewing, and am sometimes frustrated about storing needles, threads, etc. So I'm wondering how do you store your notions? Is there a good organizer that I can buy? Any tips?

Thanks.

[LdyBluNH@aol]

i bought a bunch of pencil cases for like 50 cents each

i use one for machine needles; one for measuring things; etc.

then again i tend to buy a lot of needles when they are on sale and need the big capacity

i put labels on the ends of the cases so i can stack them up and know what's what


the one downfall i found is that when i went to a class i had to take 18,000 pencil cases LOL so now i try to have one case with basic sewing notions and then have my stack for the backups


i havent done so well with the things like velcro and elastics

[Kerrie]

I guess I am lucky as I have an old desk for my sewing desk and it has 5 drawers in it so I just store things in there.

[jyanla]

I went to store and bought a 7-drawer cart (w/ wheels) yesterday, to store my sewing supplies. It looks better now. But the threads are "rolling" inside the drawer. Is there a good way to store the threads and bobbins?

[kerc]

they sell little bobbin boxes that will hold like 20 bobbins. myself i only own about 5 bobbins so that is overkill.

thread i use velvetta boxes. ok not really. but my MIL used to use a lot of velvetta and when we moved her she had about 15 boxes with stuff like trim, etc. in. I use similarly sized boxes inside the drawer I keep them in. I don't put the lids on the boxes and i kind of sort by color. I have mostly white and dark colors so it is pretty easy.

[scheelimama]

-I have a 5 drawer cart from Target. It's not quite big enough, but if you are just getting started, you probably wouldn't need something that big. I would go to Target or Walmart and take a look at the storage items, and see if there is something that looks suitable for your needs. Mine has 4 small drawers and 1 big drawer. I put thread in one; aplix, elastic, and other trim/binding in one, patterns in one (definitely need more space for these), other notions like bobbins, needles, etc. in one, and in the large drawer goes all of my unfinished projects. My recent scraps are in a large canvas bag next to my work area (the rest are in a trash bag in dd's room). I thought this would be enough room when I bought it, but I am already outgrowing it. I need something larger.
-My MIL uses a basket, and my mother uses a small suitcase. Neither of them are as in to sewing as I am, so they don't have a ton of notions. It really just depends on what your needs are.

[Nicke]

I have clear plastic containers that I stack on a wire shelf set I already had. I use the clear draw organizers for the fabric. For a while, I had my notions all in there, but it was not organized enough for me. For the threads, I made a rack that I hung on the wall and all of my spools are up on it. Then I have a thread stand that keeps 8 colors right on my sewing table (I keep my most common colors here; black, white, blue, red, etc.). For bobbins, I have a little tray that was made to hold them, but I don't care for it. The wells are too big and they just slide around or even pop out everytime I move it. I need to find a new way to store those.

[AnnR33]

I also use the pencil cases and other small clear boxes that stack for thread and beads, etc. I got one of the clear tackle boxes with the little dividers for embroidery floss, bobbins, buttons, and other small notions-this works great-I got it at Joanns for $1.30 but they have them at Wal mart too.
I have fabric in stackable bins (too many!) by type of fabric and also in a 5 drawer clear organizer-but alas, I still need more space
Good luck
Ann