Some of the odor comes from the sizing and other chemicals put on the fabrics that go to certain vendors.

I live in a dry windy climate with red dust. Plastic tubs are a must but I don't seem to have a problem with any odor. My lids do not fit super tight and some just sit on top. It seems to keep most of the dust out.

WOW! Renee that looks so organized!! Thanks for sharing!

I use plastic shoeboxes; the first bunch of 93 I purchased at Target soon after Imelda Marcos was in the news about her shoe collection--I don't think anyone believed me when I said they were for fabric! I sort by color and temperature--cool purples, warm reds, etc. I always prewash, so there is no chemical smell. Anything larger than three yards I store on the bolt. I also use different size boxes to store notions and such. I find that if I label them, I WILL put things back where they belong. I have photos on my profile.

Mmmmhhhh...... I think I have just found a reason for buying more fabric - providing I want to have a perfect storage system with everything sorted by colour: Every time I purchase a multi-coloured fabric I have to buy several yards of it, cut it up into one yard pieces and store a yard each with every colour that's on the fabric......

kmouse wrote: You fabric storage looks great. How do you sort it. By type? Color?

I think if I were to choose anew, it would be wire baskets. I have mine stored in plastic stacked drawers that I got from Office Depot and wire racks in the closet, and under-bed plastic bins, and a cherry wood blanket box, and drawers (yes, I have a lot). I have stored fabrics in plastics for decades and never ever had any problem with my fabrics or odor problems, but I keep my house air conditioned all summer and moisture controlled all year. Perhaps that's why. Cheers, BJ

I have to laugh AT myself reading all of these wonderful conversations about storage....because my fabric is stored in ALL of the previously mentioned ways...from plastic bins to a wire system to wooden bookshelves. I guess I've got all the bases covered. I do have to say that my favorite way of storage, even though I know it's not the best, is in the plastic bins because I can see the fabric, and I need to see things. One thing that's good for me is that I don't have a lot of fabric compared to most of my quilter friends. I guess a non-quilter would think I have a lot, but in the eyes of a quilter, I really don't. For the first time in 14 years, I took inventory when I moved to this new little room upstairs a few months ago, and I had 48 one yard pieces of hand dyed fabric which is stored on open bookshelves, 33 one yard pieces of novelty fabrics for baby quilts stored in a wire drawer system, and about 600 fat quarters which are stored in plastic boxes on open shelves......that's it!

I love to hear about and see all the ways quilters approach fabric and storage, etc...it's just neat how we all work so differently. I want to be a fabric collector.....I really do......but I have to wait until I have a room larger than 9 X 10 so I can add more shelves, bins and drawers.

Happy quilting and fabric storage to all!!!!!

"Uber"comes from the German language and means "above". English speakers, particularly in America, have made it to mean "very". The will use it as a prefix to other words. Uber collectors, indeed! I can see why you thought it was a noun!!

So, then, what I was referring to were those of us who have enormous, uncontrolled fabric collections - ME!! And I bought more today. Love the collecting part, and otherwise I am a sane and good woman. :shock:

What is a "UBER"

About the wire baskets being unstable: I, too, had mine hooked together with nylon ties. When I moved into my new sewing room, however, my DH screwed the supports to the wall. They haven't moved since and that way you can have two tiers of the 4-basket sets. I LOVE mine. I live in a very dry climate, too, and the thing I have to worry about is sand from our Great Basin Desert sifting between the layers. I solved that by making "curtains" to go over the top of the baskets and down the sides. It doesn't keep all of the sand or dust out, but it keeps about 90% out. The curtains are also a dark fabric, so the sun, if it could get at the fabrics, now can't. Works well for me.

Get with the humor, for heaven's sake!! I am not referring to the professionalism of any quilter! My comment refers to the AMOUNT of stuff any of us accumulates - am I the only one who subconsciously believes that the more fabric and other quilt stuff I have, the more talented I will be??? Confrontation never enhances a forum, by the way. Wire baskets don't do it for me. My LQS loves me, though. WHAT!?! New batiks?!?! Look out!

I use plastic baskets without lids so I can lift the color I need off the shelf easily. I store the fabric with the folded edge up and stacked sideways like books so I can easily see each fabric. I've had my eye on my DH's lawyer's bookcase for a long time.....

PDQuilt wrote:
I have a dvd by Katie Pasquini-Masopust and she uses wire baskets. I doubt if she or Alex is an amateur.
eileenkny