Fabric storage

After buying some fabric last week I spent the weekend updating my fabric log so thought I would take some photos and share with you how I log and store my fabric.

I start by making a note of the fabric size (selvedge width and metres I have)
I lay the fabric out on the floor folded in half (selvedge to selvedge, right sides together)

laying the fabric flat for measuring

I then fold the fabric around a piece of plastic. These are pieces I have pre-cut to the size of both my fabric shelf and fabric boxes. I know other sewers use comic boards which you can buy from various places. I use the plastic as I can get it free from where I work and can cut it to several different sizes depending on what I need.
I put the plastic in the centre and fold each long side in.

plastic section in the centre of the fabric

fabric folded in on each side

Once both sides are folded in I then fold the fabric along the length of the plastic (short end) until I end up with a rectangle of fabric.

folding along the length

Once folded I put the fabric into a bag (if it is going on the shelf or is delicate) otherwise I just secure the end using either a pin or magic tape.
I then add a number to the fabric (or bag) using a piece of magic tape.
The number on the fabric corresponds to the fabric log binder that I have which holds all the information relevant to that fabric.

bagged and numbered

The fabric then either gets put onto my fabric shelf or into one of my fabric boxes (which I seem to be outgrowing)

these are the boxes

This is an old photo of the shelf - there is a lot more on here now

 The log I have is just in an A4 2 ring binder. I use a sheet by Sew Weekly blog
I have a sheet per fabric type and then just add a sample and all the information I need to use said fabric. I add the numbers so that if I pull a fabric and have several of a similar weight and colour I know which one to refer to in the log.

fabric log sheet

close up showing the information I log

I have a small Filofax that I use index cards in that has a simplified version of the information that I take with me when I go fabric shopping so that I can refer to what I already have or match up a fabric to one I already own.
I also use evernote to log all my fabric so that if I am out and have an impromptu visit to a fabric shop I can still see what I have

I am going to be doing a spreadsheet so that I have an electronic tracking system, this will include photos of the fabrics and also photos of anything I have made from each fabric so that I can keep track of past fabric/project combinations but have not done this yet.

I also use this method to log all of my lace and trims just using smaller pieces of plastic

I hope this has been of some use for those of you trying to organise your fabric.
I will do further post on how I use evernote and when I get around to doing the spreadsheet.