SEWING ROOM ORGANIZATION CHALLENGE – PART VI – NOTION COMMOTION©

Dec 28, 2007

NOTION COMMOTION

In addition to your Sewing Room, any of these organization ideas can be used in your Craft Room, Scrapbooking Corner and/or Jewelry Making Studio.  Get creative!

Ok…it’s time to get back to work! We have a few little things we need to still need to organize, so let’s get started.

CLOSURES

There are literally dozens of ways to fasten a garment or home décor item. Get yourself some clear containers or cheap photo boxes and start sorting your closures. Make sure you label each container and stack it on your shelves. Here’s how I divide them:

Zippers

Buttons, Snaps, Eyelets, Grommets, Hooks and Eyes

Elastic, Velcro and Snap Tape

ZIPPERS

Teresa Franco’s awesome zipper storage idea

You could also organize your zippers with safety pins, but instead put them on a tie rack:

Revolving Tie Rack from Harriet Carter

Wall Mounted Tie Rack

Just bought my husband this motorized revolving tie rack.  Think he’d mind if I borrowed it for my ribbon?  LOL

Brookstone Motorized Revolving Tie Rack

BUTTONS, SNAPS, EYELETS, GROMMETS, HOOKS AND EYES

There are literally hundreds of ways you can organize these small objects.  I store my snaps and buttons in these See n Store magnetic containers:

I currently have 36 of these nifty containers and plan to add more as needed.  They can be mounted on the wall or free-standing and in a variety of combinations:

5 Tin Magnetic Standing Storage at Organize.com

5 Tin Magnetic Hanging Storage at Organize.com

8 Tin Magnetic Standing Storage at Oriental Trading

Custom Magnetic Spice Racks

Kamenstein Magnetic Spice Rack

Making Memories Modular Storage System

If you’re trying to keep costs down, Make Your Own Magnetic Storage Board.  You only need FOUR things to make this quick and easy board to hold your sewing and craft notions:

1 -STEEL SHEET

• Sheet of 22 gauge steel (available pre-cut at most hardware stores)
• Do It Yourself’s 24″ x 12″ Steel Sheet
• Steelwork’s 18″ x 22″ Steel Sheet
• Steelwork’s 6″ x 18″ Steel Sheet
• Umbra’s Big Magnetic Strip
• Umbra’s Magnetic Board
• Spectrum Purple Magnetic Board
• Cynthia’s Magnet Boards
• Cookie Sheet
• IKEA 99 cent Magnetic Strip
• IKEA Magnet Board

2 – SMALL METAL CONTAINERS

• Grizzly Industrial’s Watchmaker Cases
• Lee Valley’s Watchmaker Cases
• Karen Smallbone’s Watchmaker Cases
• Specialty Bottle’s Tin Containers
• American Bridal’s White Tin Container
• EFavor’s Clear Top Tins

3 – MAGNETS

• Round Magnets
• Magtag Magnetic Squares
• Flexible Magnetic Sheets
• ProMAG Adhesive Magnet Rolls and Squares

4 – GLUE

• Crazy Glue™
• Hot Glue

Have your husband or dad drill four holes in the corner of the steel sheet/board for mounting, if desired.

Hang sheet/board on wall or store in drawer.

Glue a magnet to the back of each container.  Let dry.

Stick magnetic containers to sheet/board.  Done!

Martha Stewart adds Buttons to her Magnetic Containers

Add a photo to your containers if you’d like.

Additional magnetic board tutorials:

Amber’s DIY Spice Rack

Lowe’s Magnetic Board Tutorial

Other clever storage ideas:

Solutions Station Set

Deflecto Revolving Clear Storage at Shoplet.com

Drawer Cabinet at Shoplet.com

Button Bank

Making Memories’ Jars

Economical Glass Jars by the Case

Fancy Jars

Storage Tins

ArtBin 24 Compartment Slide ‘n Store

Making Memories’ Sortables

 

Carousel Organizer

Snap or Button Organizer from Stacks n Stacks

60 Translucent Drawer Unit

Bead and Embellishment Tower

36 Compartment Bubble Box

You could also use a rail system installed on your wall:

Rail System

and add the coordinating wire basket and/or containers:

Wire Basket

I absolutely love my Deflect-o Tilt Out Storage Bins.  They are my favorite storage system in my sewing room:

These bins come in all different sizes to suit your needs and lock together.  They can be mounted on the wall or placed on a shelf:

Deflect-o Tilt-Out Clear Storage Bins at TheNerds.com

Deflect-o Tilt-Out Clear Storage Bins from Staples.com

Provo Clear Mini Drawers

ELASTIC, VELCRO AND SNAP-TAPE
With all the different sizes and applications, it is easy to accumulate a large “stash” of elastic. I sort my elastic into three stacked storage boxes:

Thin Elastic (includes elastic thread)

Foldover Elastic and Decorative Elastic

Waistband Elastic

Here’s my pink leather boxes (once again from Home Goods):

My Velcro and Snap-Tape are stored in similar leather boxes.  Any type of storage container, box or drawer will work:

 

IKEA CD Boxes

GLIS Plastic Boxes

IKEA Decorative Boxes

Interlocking Clear Containers

Clear Acrylic Stackable Storage Drawers

Small Organizer Drawers

10 Drawer Tower Organizer

Foremost Modular Storage Drawer Cubes

You can cover these drawers with either fabric or paper and then use decoupage to seal them:

IKEA Wooden Drawers

You can even make erasable labels on each drawer:

Erasable Label Tutorial

MARKING AND CUTTING IMPLEMENTS

Are you constantly trying to find your favorite scissor or disappearing (literally) marking pen? A great solution is to find some type of utensil caddy which can be placed on your cutting table and then moved next to your sewing machine when needed.  I found this great revolving caddy (pictured above) at my local Home Goods store.

Check out your local office supplies store in their desk accessories aisle for lots of good ideas.
In this type of caddy, you can store:

• Scissors
• Rotary Cutter (check out these new Rotary Cutter Lights)
• Marking Pens
• Chac-o-Liner Marking Chalk
• Havel’s Amazing Seam Ripper 
• Sewing Gauge 
• Fabric Tube Turners

Prior to getting my neat revolving caddy, I used to store all my extra marking pens, scissors, tube turners, etc. in leather containers (also found as Home Goods).  For the items I don’t want to keep on my cutting table, I use one of these nifty Tupperware Utensil Caddies:

Here’s a few more organizers to consider:

The Caddy at HSN 

Rubbermaid Rotating Desk Organizer

Donna Dewberry Storage Spinner

Grabbit Tool Caddy

Cabela’s Revolving Tool Caddy

Cutter Cubby

Portable Supply Caddy

Table Top Caddy

Economical Caddy

Tool Holder

Utensil Holder with Adjustable Dividers

Shabby Chic Utensil Holder

If you don’t have the space on your cutting surface or it’s portable, consider hanging your cutting implements on the wall:

Plastic Perf Board

EZ Wall Organizer

Metal Rail System at HSN

Clotidle’s Peg Board

Wall Hutch

Wall Pocket

Tip:  The height of your cutting surface is so important as to avoid an aching back.  I use these under the legs of my table:

Adjustable Bed Risers

 RULERS

I use a wire mesh letter holder from my local office supplies store to hold my rulers at the end of my cutting table.  You can easily organize your rulers by either hanging them or standing them up like I do.  Here are some ways to do it:

June Tailor Rule Your Rulers

Quilting Ruler Organizer Shelf on Ebay

Ruler Holder Rack on Ebay

Ruler Holder Shelf on Ebay

Ruler and Mat Organizer

Rulers & Ruler Rack Combo Set

Clotilde Ruler Rack

Ruler Korral

Stop your Ruler from sliding on fabric.  I really works:

Quilter’s Review

If you need a paper ruler to attach to the end of your table, here’s a free printable one.  Consider sending this ruler link to those you sew for (family, friends, customers, etc.) to get easy measurements:

Free Printable Rulers

SEWING STATION

There are a few things I like to keep next to my sewing machines:

• Embroidery Scissors
• Thread Clippers
• Seam Ripper
• Stiletto or Sewing Awl
• Pins & Pincushion
• Tweezers for Serger Threading
• Lint Brush to clean machines
• Mini Screwdrivers
• Needle Threader and Inserter
• Thread/Scrap Catchers
• Sewing Machine/Serger Presser Feet

Get yourself a small bowl, container or divided tray (I use a dog dish…LOL) to keep all your necessary sewing supplies next to your sewing machine.  You’ll be able to easily find what you need without going through drawers and cabinets.

Here’s some other ideas:

Sewing Station

 

June Tailor Sewing Station

Make your own Sewing Station:

Sewing.org’s Sewing Station Tutorial

Consider purchasing sewing machine and serger cushioned pads (helps with machine vibration) and thread/scrap catchers:

Pedal-Sta’s Sewing Machine Pad w/ Thread Catcher

Clotilde’s Serger Pad and Thread Catcher

Pedal-Sta’s Serger Pad w/ Scrap Catcher

Pioneer’s Serger Pad Thread Catcher at Joann’s

Joann’s Sew Essential Scrap Caddy

You can also make your own:

K Quilts’ Pincushion and Thread Catcher Tutorial

Kezza’s Pincushion and Thread Catcher Tutorial

SEWING MACHINE / SERGER PRESSER FEET

Do you always find yourself looking blanking at a strange sewing machine foot and wondering what on earth is its purpose? Well, then it’s time to sort through them. I have dozens of sewing machine and serger feet. I use a divided pink leather case to easily store my sewing machine feet. If you label each section, it will be easy to locate the one needed.

I keep my serger feet in a divided leather tray:

You can use a cigar box (decoupage it with fabric):

Cigar Boxes on Ebay Express
or any divided box:

 
Clear Box with Moveable Dividers

Small Parts Storage Case

Budget 12 Compartment Storage Case

and label it like Mean Jean did:

Mean Jean’s Presser Foot Organizer

You can even use a cutlery tray!
 

Expandable Bamboo Flatware Tray

A jewelry organizer will also work!

Jewelry Organizer at Stacks n Stacks

or Jewelry Case

PINK Jewelry Case

You can also purchase a great “foot organizer” from your local sewing dealer or use clear baseball card plastic sleeve protectors in a regular binder:

 

Home Depot’s Sewing Notions Organizer

Nancy’s Notions’ Presser Foot Storage Cases

Or make your own:

Husqvarna Viking’s Presser Foot Organizer Tutorial

Petit Debutante’s Presser Foot Organizer Tutorial

PRESSING SUPPLIES

Keep a small shelf over your ironing board for your pressing supplies. This would include:

• Iron (if you store it after use)
• Mini Iron 
• EZE-View™ Cotton Press Cloth
• Teflon Press Sheet
• Faultless Spray Starch
• Faultless Spray Sizing 
• Water Spray Bottle
• Distilled Water
• Sleeve Board
• Tailor’s Board
• Pressing Ham (hung on my Iron Storage Caddy)
• Sewing Gauge 
• Bamboo Point Turner and Creaser
• Ezy Hem Guide
• Hem Clips 
• Iron Cleaner
• Water Refill Container

I keep two boxes next to my pressing station.  One contains all kinds of fusible tape which I use when I’m taking sewing shortcuts…LOL.  In the second box, I store my small pressing aids such as my Ezy Hem Guide, Iron Cleaner and Point Turner.

I hang both my Tailor’s Board and Sleeve Board on the wall next to my ironing board.

I purchased one of these Slim Drink Dispensers to keep water (holds a gallon!) next to my ironing board. It saves me dozens of trips back and forth to the sink to refill my iron!

You could also use a mounted peg board with hooks to hang all your pressing essentials.

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES

I’m sure you have lots of other supplies which need to be organized and stored.  The list seems endless…LOL!  Here’s two more great storage ideas I came up with:

First, I re-purposed some doll accessory drawers.  These drawers store my size labels, garment labels, bow-making clips, etc.

Next, I came across this neat piano-hinged box at TJ Maxx.

The front cover folds down to reveal my hot fix tool and glues.  I glued a piece of cork board sheeting to the inside of the cover to make a nifty little bulletin board:

Since you’re nosey, here’s a close-up of my stickers:

You can get your own stickers here:

Opinions R Us

Cafe Press

Hope your creative space is finally becoming a place to love to be in–not a dreaded space.  If you have any ideas for additional sewing room organization topics, just email me!

Happy Sewing!

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