Having the correct supplies for your job is important. Firefighters need boots and helmets, dentists need that crazy metal picking thing they use. I need fabric for my job. (along with lots of other things!) That makes keeping track of it all an important part of my life. And, as with all supplies, they need be taken care of properly.
As I re-organized my sewing room a few months ago, I found a lot of fabric sitting in the bottom of the closet because it wasn’t pre-washed. I didn’t want to mix the washed and pre-washed becuase there wasn’t a fail-proof way to distinguish the two. #sewistproblems I also realized that I didn’t know important information about the fabrics in my apparel fabric section – like what they were made from, or if they were suiting fabric or chambray, or where I bought them.
That led me to design some simple labels that I’ve been using for a few months now. Pre-print a few pages of them and use them as the fabric goes onto the shelf. They are quick and easy to fill out. And I found it’s really helpful to know the exact details of at least 1/2 of my fabric. (I decided only to label the “stuff on the floor”. Yes, imagine 1/2 of my stash on the floor… yikes!)
Since I’ve loved using these I thought I’d share them with you. Click on the link below to download the free PDF and print some of your own! I used standard 1″x2″ label sheets from my big box office supply store. If you don’t have any, print these on plain paper, cut them out and pin or paperclip them to the fabric instead. In case you are worried about sticky residue from the labels – so far they haven’t left anything on my fabric and are removed easily. (You may want to test your own brand of labels though!)
* CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR Fabric Label PRINTABLE *
How do you keep track of your fabric?
I have a tag shaped paper punch combined with interesting bits of paper. I simply write the info on my tags and safety pin them on. It’s very easy to read the tag without removing the fabric from my stack and no worries about sticky residue or lost stickers.
Good idea Melissa! Pins would definitely take care of that problem! I like to hide my stickers under the folds of fabric to avoid them getting lost, it works pretty well, but sometimes I do find one hiding among the threads on my pant legs!
I prewash everything before it goes into my sewing room and then I tag it with a cardstock tag and a tagging gun (like they use for price tags on clothes).
I love the tagging gun idea Rebecca! Where do you find one of those?
Mine is by and from Eddie’s Hang-Up (a Vancouver based company I believe). I’ve had it and been using it for a long time.
Thank you! I’ll have to check it out! 🙂
Great idea! I’ll have to start doing this!
Yay, Laura! At the rate you are destashing you should just use up the stash and then start labeling – might be faster? 😉
These are great!! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for tomorrow evening that features your printable: http://sewing.craftgossip.com/?p=85498 –Anne
Thanks again Anne! It is always very much appreciated!
What a great idea. It sure beats relying on memory 😉
Thanks Reece. You’re right about that memory thing. I ran across a random piece of unlabeled pink plaid this week and I think I might have to go through my receipts to find out where I got it – ack!
thanks so much for the printable Sherri. My sewing room is a disaster area ! I have tried a couple of times to start organizing but it takes so long that I get distracted looking at the fabric and then just start sewing something ! One of my organizing attempts involved using a marker on painters tape to list fabric purchases as I unpacked my shopping bags it worked well but not too pretty.
I’m so glad you like it Colleen! I hope it helps 🙂 I would love to get distracted and sew. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) I sew best when it is clean. When it’s a mess I tend to be uninspired and not do anything at all! Argh!