What does everyone store their fabric in? Do you store it in a cupboard? do you put air fresher things in there or moth balls etc? Do you store them in crates? I store mine in crates because i have no cupboard space. however i just thought the other day that it is starting to get cool here so with the moisture in the house I'm going to put those littke satchels of silica balls in my crates. Do you think its a good or bad idea??

My fabic is also stored in crates. We've moved house in December and my sewing room used to have enough shelving space. Unfortunately not in the new house, but it has a little attic. Problem is I really have a great fear for heights and I had to climb over about a meter space into this room Luckily I convinced my husband he had to buy me a special ladder to get there. But I am even more lucky as in the forthcoming schoolholdidays we've got furnishers who is going to build in my shelves and cupbards to give me what I had and I can bring everything down agian. Can't wait and I will post you befrore and after pictures.

2 comments

by boo305 22 Apr 2010

very cool :) do you air your fabrics or have they been in the crates for a while?

by eleen 23 Apr 2010

The fabric used to be packed on the shelves and I've only put them in the crates in December. I've been in them quite frequently since then and also our weather is so nice and hot that I don't have a problem with it. I've however not aired it spesifically.

Well, I'm in southern South Australia - dampish, cold winters and hot, often very humid summers - and the fabric in my small sewing room became awfully musty while I was working and the house was closed up all day. I resorted to Hippo absorber tubs, too, and put one in each of the spare bedrooms, one in the little sewing room, and two in the master bedroom - one in my big built-in wardrobe and one in DH's smaller wardrobe. As well as that, I put ice-cream tubs of BBQ beads, no lighter stuff in it, in each room when we were away in America for three months. When I returned the house smelt quite lovely, slightly reminiscent of a pleasant BBQ, but no musty smell at all.
The Hippo tubs and the BBQ beads dealt with the musty smell in my small 7' x 11' sewing room.
I am amazed at how much water has collected in all of the Hippo tubs. I've replaced them twice.
I now have a very big sewing room with the end wall made into a wall-to-ceiling cupboard. I keep BBQ beads in that room all the time but the room is so roomy that it probably doesn't need it. I have a lot fabric stashed on the shelves behind the sliding doors and they are kept fresh smelling by using the doors continually and letting fresh air in.
I think the overload of moisture in the house began when I had to air damp clothes in the house during winter when I was away from the house and working full time. The musty smell has been incredibly difficult to eradicate but I'm persisting because the fabric is way too valuable to destroy and over time it has dried out and the smell in most of the fabrics has disappeared. However, I know that the mustiness could return so I'm keeping on with my Hippo tubs and BBQ beads.
The little sewing room has shelving built right across one wall from floor to ceiling and the fabrics are stacked on them, open to the room, but that room never gets sunlight.
I've never kept fabric in plastic tubs, with lids i.e., but I think you'd need to air them and turn them around fairly regularly to keep them fresh.
I'm wondering if the silica balls would be enough in largish tubs. It's worth a try.
I'm not sure about air freshener things, either, because of the chemicals in them although some of them do smell gorgeous but lavender bags and baskets are brilliant, and other dried herbs in little gauze bags would certainly work nicely. Moths don't like lavender.
I really think the secret might be to have a good hunt through your fabrics every so often and just give them a bit of an airing.
AlmaG.

1 comment

by boo305 22 Apr 2010

woah! that must have taken a while to type.. thanks for all that info. never heard about bbq beads. but i must give these hippo containers ago. off to the supermarket tomorrow :) i'll check then.. and wow you must have lots and lots of fabric!!

I store all my fabric in those 60litre snap on lid containers and label roughly what is in each even though I can see thru the plastic. I add a air freshner sachet to keep them smelling nice. I will not post photos of mine - I will just let you imagine how much space these (at last count) 40 containers take up.

1 comment

by boo305 22 Apr 2010

OMG!! you have thousands of metres of fabric!! thats crazy! i thought i had a small problem with my 5 100litre crates

do you fold or roll your fabrics?

I too am in Qld and I have mine stored in a pantry cupboard with a hippo(damp rid collects the mositure)
Plastic containers often get mould. I did use these for a while until I went to use some fabric and it was mouldy. The joy of living in this climate!! Wouldn't change it for the anything!

2 comments

by boo305 21 Apr 2010

eeekk i'm concerned about the mould. where did you get the hippo from??

by julie1963 22 Apr 2010

All super markets sell them in the household cleaning section There are two types Hippo and Damp rid then damp rid have refill packs and I just keep emptying the water and topping up the beads. They are great. If the humity is high they fill up fast. If we put anything away damp it will often get mould on it. But I've learn't to keep it a bay now.

I put my fabric in large, clear plastic boxes with snap on lids. THen I label the side of the box with the type of fabric, or sometimes I sort them by color, flowers, etc. Since they are clear, I can see what's in them. I wouldn't store them in a non-air conditioned space, that's just asking for mold where I live.

Hi Boo,

I notice you live in one of the most humid states of Australia - Queensland. I can empathise with you, sometimes Newcastle during Jan tgo March is gross with humidity! Yuck I hate it!!!!!!

I store all of my fabrics etc in plastic baskets and everything is colour coded, call me anal, but I know where everything is. My husband always says a place for everything and everthing in its place!!!

I notice in your previous questions too no-one gave you an answer for a free Rainbow applique. I've added an address for you if you are stilll looking. It's from Embroidery designs there is another one on there as well. You can get 3 per week free if you join the website.

Love and blessings Chris

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1 comment

by boo305 21 Apr 2010

Thanks for that info Chris. yes the humidity is gross! if only we were all that organised.. i do have all my crates labelled with what is inside them. and thank you for the rainbow :)

I agree that it is a good idea. I am fortunate because I can store my fabric on shelving units as long as I protect it from the sunlight. No fading allowed. We have cental air and heat so humidity is not a problem. I would love to learn of everyone's tips.

Good idea!