Organizing Floss |
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The original question:
I have most of them in the plastic bags. Some are on rings and some are in a box. And some are all over the place! Although I like keeping them in the bags, I think I have heard that this is not "good" for the floss. And the rings and box don't make it easy to find a number, even when they are in numerical order. I have tried the little white card/spools. I really DON'T like winding the yarn on those little thingys.
Seems to me that there should be a way to store floss in a binder of some kind. I was thinking a really big binder with pages for trading cards? However, I think you could get only 4 colors per page, so it would like a bazillion pages!
From: Rae I find that I like keeping my floss wound on little cards with the number written on one corner then stored in a floss box. The numbers are easy to locate (all the numbers need to be in the same corner) and make selecting floss a breeze.
When I start a new project, I pull all my colors at once (then if I need more, I can get them) and put everything I'm going to need (floss, beads, needles, extra floss for low colors, blending filaments, etc) in a small plastic tray with a snap top. It's neat, easy and inexpensive to keep at hand and when I travel, I just pick up the tray, put on the cover and I'm out of there. Everything I need is there and there's room for my scissors and other small items.
The boxes store easily in a drawer or on a shelf. It really takes very little time to wind the floss on the bobbins. It can be done when you're too tired to stitch or your hands are.
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From: Kimberly S McAnnally I do use those bobbins. I have discovered if you take the paper off the thread and carefully separate it into the big "loop" it comes in, then put that "loop" on your wrist, you can wind to your hearts content withought getting knots!
I use a big gray Plano system of boxes to store thread that holds four clear boxes. I have the whole set of DMC in numerical order in three of the clear boxes.
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From: Bonnie Jean Tallman I wind all my floss onto bobbins but I store them in the 8x10 plastic boxes. I have 7 all stacked by number. I have 2 or 3 bobbins of some colors and just pull all I need for one project and put it in the top box (6 stored 1 is for Work In Progress [WIP]).
I always order more as i pull the last bobbin for a project and if a project calls for 2 or more of 1 color I order when I get the pattern out.
I am planning on getting some of the smaller plastic divided boxes for WIP on the run which I found for $1.79 at my local fabric store at Xmas.
I live in a rainforest and EVERYTHING is in plastic air tight containers of some kind otherwise it is either damp, moldy, oxidized, or gone stale immediately in the winter time. I am deciding on [how to store] the flower and rayon floss. [snip] The rayon may just fall off The bobbin. Will need to do something else for the specialty threads.
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From: Chris I use the floss bobbins and love them. I used to store them in the 8" x 10" floss boxes but found that having all those floss boxes a pain to deal with. I really wanted to open one box and be done with it. Then during a recent discussion of this topic, someone on the list suggested Match Box storage cases. They hold all my DMC flosses in one box. I love this method.
When I'm working on a project though, I pull all my flosses for that project out and put them into another smaller box just to keep everything in a secure place.
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From: Beverly Cohen I use the little $3 craft boxes from WalMart. I wind each skein on a cardboard bobbin and place the number and brand of floss on the bobbin. I have 3 clear boxes for my complete DMC line, and pink boxes for my Anchor. And yellow and teal boxes for my individual projects.
I have two extra boxes that I use for my major projects. I pull all my floss at one time for a project, put it in the craft box along with spare bobbins if one should tear, scissors, and needles. Also, I use a thimble. In addition, I keep each project in a large 2 gallon zip-lock bag. This large bag holds not only the chart and fabric and that floss box. I never have to hunt my supplies.
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From: Kim I have stuck small sections of address labels to my plastic bobbins and write on them. Cardboard bobbins are no problem. I make my own out of cardboard packets (cereals, soup, etc).
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From: Tracey C I keep usually 3 bobbins of each color, and replace them as I use them. When I empty a bobbin I put it in a small plastic baggie and take the baggie with me to the store to buy more.
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From: Amy Verseman I keep my floss in a system called Jean's FlossFinder. It is a metal carrying box which has two trays specifically designed to hold floss bobbins. The problem: it seems to be no longer available, and I could use more bobbins.
My extra DMC skeins go into the filecard envelopes and into box which was made to hold 3 wine bottles, with dividers between the bottles.
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From: Inge Helsen I also store my floss on the little white cards but I only use the plastic ones. They are much better and stiffer to use.
It was hard work to put all the colors on them put I like the result a lot.
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From: Beverly I have tried the plastic bobbins also, and while they seem more durable, I find it hard to write on them.. How do you write the DMC/Anchor numbers on them?
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From: KMC528 Have you tried a laundry marker? Or the corner of a Magic Marker (so you get a finer point)? Or use stick-on labels.
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From: Anita S. I too use the both plastic and cardboard bobbins and store them in the plastic floss organizers. With the cardboard bobbins, I write the numbers on the cardboard in the upper corner and then wind the floss on them and store them numerically. With the plastic bobbins, since they ARE hard to write on I cut the number off the band from the DMC and tape it in place in the corner. I have not had a problem with the tape coming off. Been doing it for (mumble, mumble) years.
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From: Tash "felci" I prefer using the plastic bobbins. I mark the colour numbers on them with a fine point 'Sharpie' permanent marker made by 'Sanford'. They dry in next to no time and the bobbins are clearly marked.
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From: Rebecca (Becky) Roberts I use the plastic bobbins, stored in numeric order in plastic comparetmentalized boxes and a separate box with the floss for my current project, also in numeric order.
Instead of permanently putting a number on them, I flatten the wrapper with the number on it to the bobbin before I start winding the floss. I find this handy because I like to have a needle for each color of floss. Once it is threaded, I tuck the needle in the paper sleeve without the worry that I might snag the remaining floss, then wrap the threaded piece around from top to bottom. I adopted this style when I started a Stoney Creek design and found myself constantly threading needles. It can be expensive to supply a needle for every color in use, but if you buy a few at a time, it doesn't seem that expensive.
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From: Alison Hendon I use the finest point Sharpie available (ultra fine I think) in black. The red ink tends to fade but the black is good. I am thinking about getting a set of the labels though, I think Nordic Needle carries them.
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From: Laurel Santanna I use small strips of adhesive tape.
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From: Rita Liesch I belong to the cut the number off the paper ring that comes around the floss when you buy it. This way I can tell which floss is fairly new, which is older, and which is ancient. My oldest floss bobbins have numbers printed in black on a dark, almost metallic gold background. I also have some with sort of silvery numbers printed on a black background, as well as black numbers on an almost white background and the new style with black numbers on a light yellow background,
When I buy replacement floss (I have two bobbins or more of all the DMC colors) I am always careful to change the taped on paper number if the new floss has a number that is done in a different fashion than the empty bobbin I put in my purse to remind me what colors I needed to buy. Any time I do a project that requires more than one skein of a color, I buy that floss separately to be sure that I have enough of the same dye lot.
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From: Sharon [I use bobbins] also. From an organizational point it works great but I don't like the way it leaves the floss with crimps in it.
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From: RaeJ698 I have crimping but it really doesn't bother me. When I can, I try to cut my thread at a 'crimp.'
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From: Kristyne Jouwsma If you run your cut length of floss over a damp sponge it will also take out the crimping. It seems to help the floss lay better as well.
Note from Cameo: I've heard that this dampening of the floss can weaken it a bit. But I admit to using this technique all the time.
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From: KMC528 There is available a Floss Winder to make quick work of those bobbins. It's a plastic thingie that clips on the side of your plastic bobbin box, with a crank to quickly and easily turn those bobbins.
DH found this in some store produced by Westex Industries, Garfield NJ 07026, Item No. 4012, and sells for about $2.
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From: Alison Hendon I have one of these winders but found that I do better by hand. I can get it wound more evenly without the floss winder. But I'm saving it in case I change my mind!
Note: I have read on RCTN that the pegs from a game called Lite Brite fit the floss winder should you lose your
pegs. I am using pieces of an elastic shoelace, the aglet goes in the hole and then the shoelace fills the hole up.
Note from Cameo: I'm the one that posted that Lite Brite tip! But you need to put the peg in backwards (pointy end out)
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From: Tara Dewdney As for the winders, I tried last week to wind 2 skeins by hand, but within seconds I had decided that the winder *WILL* fit on the project box.
I did find my winder did need some *adjustment*. I wrapped an elastic around the outside leg. It now fits snug on the box. The first time I used it, it kept slipping off. But I had some elastics from the bobbins, and have never looked back.
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From: Rae I have a friend who uses a ring and I found it awkward to use and took up more space for less floss [than the bobbins in a bobbin box].
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From: Brenda McCaw Someone mentioned using floss bags stored in plastic shoe boxes. To make the bags 'stand' better, she put a 3" x 5" index card in each bag.
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From: Linda Boudreau I use the plastic bags and prefer these as they keep the little ends of threads that are left over after plying safely tucked in and for travelling from room to room. I do have the three ring binder that holds floss after it is cut and must admit it is the most wonderful item on my list, the only problem being, I have yet to add more to the binder. I have them all on shower curtain rod hooks, one set of colours per hook, and in a large large picnic basket that is covered.
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From: Kandy Fling I use the plastic bags -- but I'm begining to change brand. I used to use the Floss Away, but then I found the bag it. They are similar size and both ziploc, but the Floss Away has one hole near the ziploc and the Bag It has two, on the opposite side. With the two holes I use two rings, and for a large project, they sell a "binder" -- this seems to keep them neater.
My collection is in two drawers of those cardboard drawers that you can buy in the closet section of KMart or such. They fit nicely, two rows, (with space between for floss that need to be bagged). When I pull floss I put in a 3x5 card with the number and the name of the project, so I know I have it and where it is....though I usually just buy a new skein if a color needs to be in two projects.
I really like the bags because they are low time intensive and there's a place for the other strands after cutting a length and taking the one, two or three strands I want to stitch with. I've tried the bobbins (lots of work) and the LoRan (floss got dusty and tangled) and like the bags best.
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From: Kathy Yonts The only problem that I had with the "Bag It" was the floss came out the holes sometimes--it can't do that with the "Floss Away". I found I was leaving a trail.
I store me bags in Rubbermaid shoe boxes and just pull what I need for a project and put it on a ring.
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From: Janet Washb I use the bags that you can put on rings. When I had five jam-packed "rolls" I decided I needed to do something else.
I bought the plastic "shoe boxes" and have been using that system for several months now and am not really that happy with it. I've made cardboard markers to separate the 100s but everything is still kinda flimsy. I keep thinking if there were runners along the bottom that I could use those little holes for that would keep them all in line and no one would fall under another one; however, I wouldn't be able to pull them out for projects.
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Note from Cameo: I believe one stitcher, Christina From: Laurel Santanna Years ago I bought several packages of floss cards called "Thready Bears" and the shape of them resembles a teddy bear. They came with a plastic page of pockets, 20 to a page, that would fit into a 3-ring binder.
On a small piece of adhesive tape, I put the number of the floss on the the card, and a corresponding number on the pocket where it belongs, in numerical order. Between the top arm and neck is a small slot to hold the end of the floss.
When I discovered I had more floss than cards, I used the regular cards and bought pages from a photography store that are meant to store slides. That works pretty well except those pockets are slightly smaller than the floss ones, so I have to hold it closed with a small strip of tape.
When I'm working on a project, I just take my colors out of their pockets and put them into a small compartmentalized plastic box, in numeric order. This box also holds scissors, needles, thimbles, etc. and I can carry it with me.
To store the unwound floss, I use a tackle box.
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From: Kandy Fling I use the plastic bags -- but I'm begining to change brand. I used to use the Floss Away, but then I found the bag it. They are similar size and both ziploc, but the Floss Away has one hole near the ziploc and the Bag It has two, on the opposite side. With the two holes I use two rings, and for a large project, they sell a "binder" -- this seems to keep them neater.
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From: Anita Hennesy I love mine, have 2, since I have mostly all the DMC colors. They are plastic binders, with three rings. There are cards on the rings, with holes down the side, and lines next to each hole to write the floss number. There is a master list in the front, with all the DMC color numbers. You write the page number where that color is on the master list.
Using this system involves cutting your floss. But it is all cut, in about 18 inch lengths, ready to go. You use project card, with holes down one side, lines to write the color number. You can put a whole skein or just a few strands. Just fold the group in half, push the loop through the hole from front to back, reach through the hole, pull the loose ends through the loop and secure. Now when you need a color, just pull off one strand, pull out the number of strands from that you need, and I just put the remainder back through the hole, just above the main wad of floss.
All the colors are lined up, you can sort your colors and take it with you to get fabric, if you are looking for color matching. It fits in the ziploc bag nicely with the fabric, hoop, and chart. When finished with that project just put the floss back where it belongs.
My master list is in one keeper, with either a plain number or a number and a 1 (pg 5-1) signifying that is in the first keeper. My colors are not in numerical order, but in purchase order. I don't have any trouble finding them. I am considering getting another one if my stash of specialty threads gets any bigger. Will adjust the numbers somehow.
I don't use the purchased project cards, I use pantyhose cards, the thing in the package that the hose is wrapped around, they are just the right width to punch a series of holes with my three hole punch down both sides. I write the name of the projects in the middle, the numbers and symbols next to each floss. In pencil, so they can be erased and reused.
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From: Jill I keep mine in Lo-Ran floss binders. I find them really easy to use and once you have all your threads in there they are all ready cut into nice "stitchable" lengths and you just pull them out as you need them. If you decide to give these a try I suggest you try and keep say bluey colours in one, browns in another, greens etc. They soon get quite full.
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From: Nicole Burch I'm in the process of changing over to the LoRan system from using a combination of floss-away bags and bobbins on rings. The LoRan system is far more compact than anything I've used, since all the floss lays flat and straight.
LoRan also makes Needleholder Cards that have a long magnetic strip which holds pre-threaded needles. These are going to come in real handy for the projects with lots of color changes. I'm really excited!
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From: Anita Hennesy Just like with any other system, you do have to do some work in the beginning, but there is no work later. You just pull off all or part of what is on the main card, put it on your project card, and go. No cutting, someplace right there to put what is left. Someone said earlier that the floss got dusty. Mine have flaps that go over the top and bottom, so they are closed, but not sealed. Haven't had a problem with dust, and heaven knows, I would rather stitch than dust, so there definately is that here.
Okay, here is my technical way of making that big loop of floss. I pull it all out of the papers, the sit with my foot crossed on my knee, shoes off, hold one end, and begin wrapping around my big toe. By now I have the distance between hand and toe down just about right, most of the loops come out even. Then hold the loop up, and cut one end. You now have about 20-24 inches, which for me comes out to about 12 since I loop start. It is sooooooo easy.
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From: Mitch I organized my floss several years ago after reading an article in a cross-stitch magazine that suggested this. Fold a 3x5 index card almost in half the short way, staple the sides shut and you have a small pocket. I write the floss # on the little edge that sticks up at the top, put the floss inside and store them in numerical order in a couple of plastic sweater boxes. (This method is also helpful when you have a short piece of floss left over, you can just put it in the pocket too.)
When I'm ready to start a new project I just pull the colors I need, drop them in a large zip-lock bag and I'm ready to go. This set up has worked well for me.
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From: Ellen My method is similar to Mitch. I use the small size envelopes and put the floss in there. Great for the small pieces. Then I store them in shoe boxes in order. When I have a project, I put the colors I am using in a big ziplock bag. It woks for me.
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From: KMC528 I bought one of those huge parts cabinets at the hardware store. It has a lot of little drawers in it, probably 2"x3" and long enough to hold a skein.
Having inherited stash from half a dozen people of various national origins, I have some DMC, some Anchor, some Bates, some Mez, some Lily, some Coats ...., so I have mine arranged by color (all the pinks together, all the reds, the reddish-orange, the yellow-orange, etc. etc.) Where I have enough of a certain color range, especially in the greens and blues, I also split it into light/medium/dark. I do have to refer to the color names to find my floss for a project, but I can sometimes use up some of those off-brand leftovers. (I did a wedding sampler for my best friend and managed to get rid of several partial skeins I could never find matches for; I did have to do the smaller flowers in a different color when I ran out of my great-aunt's 75 year old French thread, but since I saw it coming and planned for it, the bride will never know unless I show her the photo on the booklet and finds out those yellow flowers were supposed to be pink.)
I have been doing some form of embroidery for over 30 years, so I have a lot of stash, not to mention all I inherited. This cabinet holds it all, and when I started the MLI angel series, I was able to get most of the floss for the first four out of the cabinet, which pretty well paid for the cabinet in not having to buy floss.
I especially like dipping into the off-brand leftovers (including the nameless ones leftover from kits) for samplers, since our foremothers often ran out of thread and had to dye more, which didn't match exactly, and I think the slight color variations if I run out make my samplers look more realistic.
My friend stitches only with DMC, so when she saw my cabinet and bought her own, she arranged hers in numerical order like the one at the XS store.
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From: Linda J Flickinger The idea of the parts storage box won my vote too. I was picturing a big metal thing. Went to Lowe's to check prices to see if I should save my pennies or forget it. Well, was I surpirsed! Ended up buying a 60-drawer one for $17.99!
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From: June L. I started out with the File-A-Floss tabs and bags. I had bought this really pretty storage box at the craft show here in Jan., the File-A-Floss Tapestry Box. It is a pretty swirly-type of multi-color pattern on it, and it's made of sturdy type cardboard.
Only two problems...
Now that I've seen all your posts, I think that I'll keep this box for specialty threads. By the way, these tapestry boxes come with two thin metal rods that you put in them, and the File-A-Floss tabs are adhesive, and fit along the top of the baggie, so that when it is all put together, it's similar to a hanging file folder set-up. The tabs also come with pre-printed labels with all of the DMC regular floss #'s, plus a couple of dozen blank labels.
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From: Cindy Baker I am a rabid cross-stitcher. After trying three other storage
systems, I have finally found one perfect for me. I started out with baggies, they ripped too easily. I then switched to boxes and plastic bobbins, but I hated having to cut my floss each time I needed to thread a needle. I tried one that was new a couple years ago, with felt packets and velcro. It was all right, and having the floss already cut to stitching length really helped me speed up. The drawbacks were it took forever to tidy and restock, and always looked messy, with strings hanging all over.
About eight months ago I decided to try "thread beds" (plastic sheets with slots for individual skeins), but the skein slipped out too easily, and I was back to cutting each piece off.
Finally, about three weeks ago I was looking at my felt packets and had a revelation. I got out the thread beds, cut my floss to size, and used Velcro to hold it in place. Then the sheets go in a binder.
I have my whole collection in three binders, two for storage, one a "working" binder. The thread beds are completely enclosed, so it is extremely tidy. I am thrilled!
It did cost the earth -- the velcro itself was over fifty dollars, (I used the sticky back kind) -- but since this is my passion, and I cross-stitch all the time, it was really worth it.
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From: Kimberly S McAnnally I use a plano system of boxes to store thread. A big gray box that holds four clear boxes. I have the whole set of DMC in numerical order in three of the clear boxes, and use the fourth for specialty threads (not on bobbins).
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From: Brenda McCaw Someone mentioned using floss bags stored in plastic shoe boxes. To make the bags 'stand' better, she put a 3" x 5" index card in each bag. I recently finished putting the 100 skeins of Rayon floss I got for Xmas into Bag-It bags and have them in a shoebox (just a regular cardboard one, not plastic) and thought this was a great idea.
The only problem is that these bags are only 3" x 5" and the index cards do not slip in easily. I've contemplated sitting here and trimming 100 index cards to fit into the bags, but then I began to wonder about the acid content of regular index cards. These cards could be sitting in the bag with the floss for a LONG time. If I have to sit and cut something to the right size to fit in the bag, maybe I should use some sort of acid free material -- the question is, what? Hmmmm ... maybe I'll just put up with saggy bags.
I keep my regular DMC floss on bobbins in the 8"x10" plastic boxes. I love to flip the lids open and look at all the wonderful colours...it's just not the same when I look into the shoebox with the Rayon floss....all I see is plastic. I'll be using the bags for my collection of Flower Thread as well as I've heard it can tangle badly when being wound onto bobbins.
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From: Tracey C I have another plastic floss storage box with all my Krinik filiments. (They fit in the compartments). I then have a seperate box with all my DMC varigated colors.
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From: Sarra Wright Beads and specialty fibers are in a plastic shoebox. I dearly want one of the oak floss cabinets with the hanging floss bags.
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From: Amy Verseman My Kreinik products are in one of the cheap plastic storage boxes. I'm starting to collect Anchor, and will probably use those for it also.
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Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 14:44:24 -0800 (PST)
While I have my DMC/Anchor collections on bobbins, I just use baggies for Rayon. Same thing for flower thread and silks. The flower threads seem to tangle easily and I just can't bring myself to wind those beautiful silks on cardboard.
Someone else posted about using making 3x5 sleeves to keep the floss in. I really like this idea since it means the threads will have some airflow around them rather than being in an airtight bag.
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Stitcher's Organizer
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