For people who cross stitch... what do you use to organize all your threads and put your projects in?

Question

The stitchbow organization system is a great idea but there were things about it I didn't like and might not work for my projects. I'm looking for something that can organize all my threads (eventually I'll have all 447 probably) at home and something else that I can use to take out the threads I need and put them and the project in a case I can travel with.

Answer 1

I wee bits of cardstock on which one winds thread are called "bobbins".  The plastic craft boxes that fit 'em are often called "bobbin caddies".  

One upon a time I used an envelope box with a marked envelope for each skein or part of a skein.  This was well-organized, but not toss-into-a-totebag portable.  It was OK for the limited range of Coats & Clarks colors available in the housewares department of the local hardware store.

Then I began gathering my DMC.  With winding full skeins on bobbins, the bobbin caddies soon surpassed half a dozen, which would still stack neatly, but ... when I had a project with over 100 colors, it would require two caddies for the WIP (work-in-progress).

That drove me to cut hanks and rings and zip-lock baggies.  When I open a new skein, it gets transformed into ready-to-use lengths hanging from one hole in Brand+Color# tag.  The second hole in the tag can be recured with a hinged ring from an office supply or needlework store.  I protect the color number and Brand with clear tape so I won't confuse DMC with Anchor, or confuse OLD DMC with current DMC (some shades changed 10-15 years ago).

I can put over 100 hanks on a single large ring, all in number order and no un-wrap and re-wrap as with the bobbins and fussing with re-filing in correct order after each new thread.

The not-in-use threads go into zip-lock baggies, hanks on rings and extra skeins loose with 'em.  There's one baggie for each column on the DMC thread color card. The baggies all fit into two drawers of a jewelry storage chest, lower numbers (plus blanc and ecru) in the upper drawer and higher in the lower, which puts black where I don't need to bend as far.

For less than 100 skeins, all of a sort just goes into a photo storage box or a Whitman's candy tin.  There's one for linen threads.  There's one for silks, There's one for my scanty stash of Anchor.

The stitchbow system must be kept up out of reach of housepets, particularly houserabbits.  Tins and drawers are more secure.

Wee projects go into cosmetic cases, medium into plastic sleeves or zippered notebooks, and large into large tote bags.  My largest tote will hold a 30" scroll frame, wider than I normally need for fabric, but just right to rest on both arms of a comfy chair.

Answer 2

I use Minigrip (zip) bags to storage my threads, and then put all the zipper bags into my plastic sewing storage box. Only one kind of a colour to each Minigrip though!

Answer 3

I bought a thread organizer from my craft shop. This is a large, fairly flat plastic box with dividers inside and cardboard bobbins to wind your thread onto. They also have room on the bobbins to write the number. (If you collect ALL the colours you will need 2 of them.) I have organized them all into numerical order so they are easy to find when I want them. I also have its baby brother to hold the threads for the project I am currently working on. It also holds needles and a small pair of folding scissors.

Answer 4

I have clear storage cases that I use for my

thread. I keep them in numerical order. As for my

projects I keep them in bags right now since I

can't afford any organizer suitcase like the scrap booking cases I've seen advertised. That is what

I plan on getting when I get enough extra money

to buy one.

Answer 5

I had, at one time or another, all the colors of thread that were being sold on the market at the store I traded at.  That store also sold cardboard "spindles" that would hold an entire skein of the thread, with a raised edge that you could put the color number on.  Those spindles fit very neatly into a clear, hard-plastic organizational box (that was also sold there) that would allow you to see at a glance what color thread you had.

If you put your skeins of thread on these spindles, you would be able to carry them with you without tangling them up.  The plastic boxes had hinged lids that you could see through to allow you to see which colors were needing to be replaced.  It took about three of those plastic boxes for me to store all of the colors; but I really had no problem getting the color I needed for any project.

As I didn't have too many projects going at once (else I would never finish any of them), I mainly carried the project I was working on in a plastic bag -- generally the bag that the project was brought home from the store in.

Oh, I also remember that you could get individual, smaller, plastic cases in which you could carry only the colors needed for the project you were werking on.  That way, you wouldn't have to carry the full load of colors with you.