Well that took longer than I thought!

Firstly, I just want to thank everyone who has bought some of my old stash! I was very surprised and delighted to discover that most of my buyers were people who read my blog - Thank you!
I have lots more to list in the next couple of weeks, I will post a link here when I am ready.

It all started when I was gathering supplies ready for my new term of embroidery classes, I knew I had some dark blue silk thread, but I could not find it, after much searching through numerous boxes, I did find the thread, but it made me stop and think how much time I always waste by being so disorganised - time I could spend stitching!

I don't know how you all store your threads, but I have always stored embroidery floss by manufacturer e.g. DMC and then by number in small plastic bags. This system works well if you do lots of cross stitch and need to find certain threads quickly. It doesn't work so well if like me you have a collection of lots of different threads by different manufacturers and chose threads largely based on colour. Once I had decided to change things around, I also thought I should quickly go through unfinished projects etc and decided whether to finish them or return the supplies to my stash.  I then thought I might as well sort through all my quilting stash while I was at it. Well several weeks later, I have been through every box, every drawer and basket!

I have discovered the best storage thing ever! (well for me anyway) These 9 litre really useful storage boxes fit four to a shelf on my bookcase perfectly

My hand embroidery threads are stored by colour

I have taken them out of the plastic bags, so I can see what I have, they also take up much less room this way and are pretty to look at! I do have a couple of thread charts so I should still be able to find certain colours quickly if I need to.

My quilting scraps have their own boxes, again by colour

Trimmings, hand quilting threads, beads, buttons etc etc all in their own boxes

I love these boxes! They are really good for current wips too - no chance of losing bits if it's all together

Applique and piecing threads are hung on wooden racks

My hoops and frames are all together in one place, with all the bits that go with them!

Current quilting projects need bigger baskets - an empty basket means I can start something new!

Bags hang behind the door

All my scissors are in one place

I have always stored my patchwork fabrics in these wire baskets by colour, but I still need to go through them and cull some fabrics and tidy them up a bit - I think that's a job for another time!