Saturday, July 18, 2020

Over-Dyed Thread Storage System

~ Greetings and Warm Welcome ~

Have you been struggling trying to figure out a way to store your over-dyed and/or specialty threads and fibers? Several years ago I began storing my threads in this fashion and have found it to be a wonderful way to protect my threads from: dust, dirt and light. It is also a great way to easily organize by company line and thread name so that you can easily find and pull threads you need and then, once done with the project, replace back into the system for storage.

To store your threads in the way I do, you will need the following items: 

hanging file folders:
Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

STEP ONE: measure 2 inches down from edge of one side of the file folder and cut straight across - repeat on the other side

Untitled

you will end up having this after step one.
Untitled

STEP TWO: Measure up from bottom edge 1/2 inch, draw pencil line. 
Then measure in (on both sides) 3/4 inch and make a dot on the pencil line. Continue down the line between the ends one inch apart making dots along the pencil line as shown:

Untitled


STEP THREE: punch out the dots along the line.

Untitled

STEP FOUR: repeat 1-3 several times until you have at least 26 file folder ends, cut and punched.

STEP FIVE: stick vinyl letters on key tags a-z, hook key tag onto book ring and then onto the end of one of the file holders as shown:

Untitled


STEP SIX: load the file folder end with rings containing threads corresponding to the letter on the key tag for that row. *note* you may need more than one file folder for a letter in the alphabet - I just make the files with the same letter so that they all can hang together when set is complete.
Untitled

STEP SEVEN: add your file alphabetically to your box or cabinet.
Untitled

if you have a file holder box you will be able to see your threads arranged alphabetically from the side, and be able to immediately locate and find the thread you are looking for:
Untitled

I put the name of the thread company on the front of my file folder box. 

Untitled

This system would be fine housed in an actual file cabinet, but I used hanging folder file boxes for mine. I have a box for Gentle Arts, Weeks Dye Works, Classic Colorworks cottons and silks and NPI silks. This system works well for all of these lines. NPI does not use letters for identification, I store those by their identifying number instead. 

Simple, right?! 
It's a great way to store your threads! Do you plan on using this system? that's great! Just remember where you saw it and who taught you to do it this way. I love to share freely and abundantly, but it is only fair to give credit, where credit is due. Use my tutorials (completely or partly) - I don't care who you are - the appropriate attribution of anything you learn from me or someone else - is to name that person in a social media post, blog post or by word of mouth. 
Thank you for your attribution, acknowledgement of the time it takes to write and share tutorials. That's all the thanks I need. 

32 comments:

  1. That's a neat idea! Thank you for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vonna! As always you are best. You've given me so much aid as a stitcher. God bless.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is so very cool and I can see other applications for that as well. Great ingenuity.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Along with so many others, I appreciate your willingness and kindness in all your tutorials, etc. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank-you for sharing your system, Vonna! Your analytical mind is always at work :) My kinda gal!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for a wonder cost effective solution to thread storage. I am going to give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
  7. WOW.....This is a BRILLIANT IDEA. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is such a great way to store your threads. The visuals are always welcome in my book. Thank you for revisiting this share, Vonna!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So true we need to give credit where it is due! Love this idea Maybe someday I can get mine done. I hate hunting for colors that I have pulled and put with projects! Keep thinking I will keep a notebook with details of where they are. Never seem to get around to that either. Thanks for another awesome idea!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Just got rid of two boxes of hanging folders. Things I keep - never use. Things I discard - always sorry!! Thanks Vonna.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks, Vonna! What a great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You are the best. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great idea! And thank you for your bag making flosstube! I love it, have made my own bags now.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have used your system for a lot of years and I love it! I do need to find a different file box though, my file folders fall off the rails and I end up with a jumbled mess. HA! Love ya, V.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you for sharing this genius method or organization! I have learned so very much from you and I will be forever grateful. XO

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hey Vonna! My uncle wrote, "What Color is Your Parachute?" He was always looking for organizational ideas. He'd have been extremely impressed with how your mind works. Thank you so much for sharing your system! One of these days I'll get my shit together! Xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks for the visuals Vonna! I am needing to wrestle allmy over-dyed threads into some sort of organization. My silks are in a similar arrangement by Annie's. Tat is expensive, so this will do the trick!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank you once again Vonna!🙂

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks, Vonna. I love this system, and hope to try it in the upcoming year.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thank you for sharing. I could probably use this system for my DMC threads too.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great idea! Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Vonna, thank you so very much for sharing this with us. This sounds like a great idea. I am trying to tidy up all my various boxes of threads.
    What do you do with balls such as Verdani? Also how do you store your DMC skeins and the like?
    I will certainly give you credit when telling anyone about it.
    Thanks again. I have just discovered your wonderful site.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Great way to be organized AND see what you have easily! Thanks! I’m going to get totally fancy floss organized this week!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Vonna! System is Genius! Thanks for sharing and the great pictures and instructions. Made it easy for me to understand the "How to" of it. Smiles, Susan

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for showing this! It is exactly what I was looking for. I tried to order the Annie’s Keepers system even at the high cost, but the company seems to be missing in action as the embroidery company I was trying to order from said they hadn’t been able to contact them to get more stock.
    You may have just saved me a bunch of money with your inventive take on the idea.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thank you for sharing! I like that idea!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thank you so much for sharing your storage system for your hand dyed threads!! I've been trying for years to get the supplies and do the same thing as you, but man, they won't quit dying beautiful fabrics!! LOL
    I finally told myself to just do it and I bought my first storage box and folders today. Will pick up one more next week and the other the following week. I didn't get the creative gene like my older sister, so I really appreciate when folks share their ideas with others. If I could just get my sister to stitch!!
    Thank you once again, Ruth.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  30. This is so clever! Thanks for sharing it. Far better than what I'm using now.

    ReplyDelete