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(Photo by Gregory Case Photography)

Embellishing with beads or buttons is another way to add interest to a quilt or other sewing projects. So this week, we want you to take time to organize these often overlooked little gems that tend to get stuffed in corners, drawers and other random places. We are not including ribbons and trims as that is your homework for another week, so don't dive into those items just yet.

If your studio collections include beads, buttons, sequins and other small items, chances are they are not particularly well organized. It may not be from a lack of trying, since all of those little packages and containers have a way of becoming one jumbled mess. Finding what you want can sometimes be a monumental time wasting task. Keeping all the assorted shapes, sizes, colors and types organized shouldn't be a chore.  

Good news! Getting your buttons, beads and such organized is another one of those tasks that can be done while listening to some fun music or when watching a well-loved movie. 

1. Sort items by color, size and type in piles. 
2. If items are still in a bag or container, don't remove them just yet. 
3. Having items sorted will give you a better idea of how you might want to store them. 
4. Whether your budget is large or small, there are a number of ways to keep these small items sorted, organized and easily accessible.

Once again, you need to review your current quilting space (or what you are trying to achieve this year) and what that space and budget will allow:

1. Do you perfer a clean and visually clutter free space with tools, books, and fabric out of sight?
2. Do you like a visually stimulating space with areas for art, quilting tools and other items of interest?
3. Does your entire workspace allow for large amounts of horizontal or vertical storage?
4. Do you need a variety of specific rulers such as Longarm, cutting, drafting, etc.?

Whether your budget is small or large, we found a variety of options that just might be the perfect fit for you.

Option 1: 

If you perfer a clean and clutter free space, consider these options for storing your embellishment items. Each solution offers a close at hand and organized solution without being a visual distraction.

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1. The Scrappy Jedi keeps items in zip style bags (available in a range of sizes at the craft store) in labeled drawers. These stackable drawer units can be found in a "big box" or office supply store. Some units come with roller feet as well so they can be tucked away under a table or in a closet.

2. Paint the lids of small jars (remember baby food jars) for a clean cohesive look. Jars can be stored on a shelf or in a drawer. (Pinterest)

3. Use clear spice jars to hold items in drawers. (Better Homes & Gardens)

4. Lauren Vlcek (Show 1206) uses clear square containers to hold her beads, by color family, in drawers. Each drawer is labeled for easy reference. We found similar storage tubes here.

5. Mary at Serious Beader uses small clear round lidded containers (by Darice) for her collections. The clear tray has a lid to keep everything contained. Each tray is a slim 1-1/8" tall x 9-1/2" x 6-3/8", which means that they do not take up a great deal of room on a shelf.  

Option 2:

Do you prefer a visually stimulating space, or are you lacking in large areas of vertical and horizontal storage? These tabletop ideas might just be the perfect solution.

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1. Lisa at TheCraftyPickle uses a well known coffee pod storage rack with lidded condiment cups to hold her sequin collection.

2. A new or upcycled spinning spice rack holds a variety of beads, buttons and sequins. (Diyinspired.com)

3. The Scrappy Jedi uses a coffee mug holder to corrall small items in clear zip style bags by color. A metal ring holds each color group together. 

4.  BluKatKraft uses old spice jars to add a bit of color to her windowsill.  

If these ideas weren't enough, here are more tips for storing your collections. 
Happy Sorting!

Click here for links to other Organization articles.