I sort by color, and they are kept in drawers folded side up. I fold them to all approximately the same size, and I have three rows of folded fabric per drawer. I keep different (non-cotton, flannel, etc) fabrics in a separate drawer.

Well, this is a question of good timing. I have just finished refolding and reorganizing my entire stash (not that it's much, mind you).

I have folded all my yardage using a 6" ruler (so it stacks uniformly) and have it stacked by color on open shelves. I then have all my border prints stacked the same way in a separate pile (they're multi-colored anyway so don't fit in the color piles).

I did have a difficult time deciding where to put one collection of solids...They are all one type of fabric, and cross a color spectrum. I finally decided to separate them and put them with their individual colors.

Anything that is small pieces is put in a wire baskets in a Elfa storage system. Some colors share bins.

Novelties, Christmas, Halloween, charms are in separate shoeboxes at the moment... sure what I'll do with them yet. Flannels will be going into a big Rubbermaid until I feel I need them.

HTW. I'll try to post before/after pictures soon.

When my husband and I built my sewing room, we built in floor to ceiling shelves on one 12 foot wall. My stash is on those shelves for the most part. I sort by color with a few exceptions. Novelties and those that are multi-color are separate. My 30s repro fabrics are in a separate bin. My CW fabric is separate. I also have 3-drawer bins that have all my scraps in them sorted by color. I have been using the scraps lately in a couple of quilts but I have not made a dent in them...

Jackie

Plastic bins, sorted by colour (sort of). Some which I call "fancies' have their own bin.
But even with this semi-organization, things get a little messy and need to be tidied up quite often. When I do that, I find all sorts of goodies I didn't know I had.
I wonder if there is a perfect way.
Theresa

I use tubs about 5" deep and fold by "type" such as batiks, hand dyed, polka dots, Civil War, Xmas and so forth. Then I have some tubs that are just by color. They are on shelves in a closet of my sewing room when they aren't scattered all over my cutting table. I also have a pile I've used from just waiting to be re-filed. That's the biggest pile, of course.

Re-organizing my stash is one of my next projects too. Right now it's mostly in wire bins, but I want to get it on shelves, sorted by color.

I thought I'd share with you my before/after photos of my closet...

the before (this was taken awhile ago, but it looked very much the same)...

And here is the 'after'... It's well worth the time spent.

[Oh, and that hole above the blue box (& the white batting) is the water main.]

At this time.....I can barely get into the mess that is my sewing room. All the weaving stuff, two rigid heddle looms, bags of yarn, and totes of accessories have migrated to the dining room. There is only a place mat sized area left clear where I can eat my meals.....sigh.....

I really do need to: a) make a space in my spare room (the junk collector) for my weaving stuff, and b) clean-up my sewing room before I start another project.

Guess what I will be doing today?

My organization method? fabrics are arranged by color, landscape fabrics are separate, 1930's reproduction fabrics are in their own small cardboard suitcase, backings for baby quilts are separate and batiks are grouped together.....sort of.

Teresa

You've all given me some ideas...
Jen, I have folding envy, all to 6", it's so neat!...mine ended up neatly folded, but sizes vary.
Those 5" deep bins Toolgranny mentioned are nice...I found one in our house and it worked great...may need another.

I ended up sorting mostly by color, but did separate batiks, specialty fabrics by theme and fabric collections that are WIP projects (in my head). I have one too many projects going in my head...so need to retire so I can work on these projects!

V.

Since I never buy fabric except for a specific project, all I have are scraps, a few fat quarters that I decided against, and left-over yardage, usually about a quarter yard. It's all sorted by color in scrap-booking drawers that are rapidly becoming over-loaded. I guess I have to make a few scrappy quilts. I've got a few ideas. I just need to get motivated. I also have a bin with more Marimekko scraps that I am slowing cutting into strips for a pair of twin bed quilts for my great-nieces. I better get moving on those too, before the girls grow up.

Oh boy! Most of it is separated by TOT color. But then there are the flowers/large prints, novelties, holidays, 30's, Kona's, Batiks, wide backing, whites/WOW, muslin, flannels, baby, patriotic.....etc. All folded in clear containers so I can see the contents. There are various sized containers and the fabric gets moved around as it's used up except for what I consider basics and those are kept in easily accessible plastic pull out drawers. My scraps are sorted into 2 1/2", 2" and 1 1/2" strips and squares and triangles of all sizes. Since my 'crumb' marathon, I probably don't need to keep the odd sized scraps sorted, but probably will. Then there's the basket I throw stuff in to separate or put away when I get around to it, or want to feel fabric but not able to sew.

TMI???
SharonG/FL