Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Fiber Storage

One of my goals this weekend while I had reinforcements, was to figure out a better, more organized way to store my fiber. Most of the small dye batches fit in a plastic bag, and were then basically just in a huge pile in a corner of the fiber room. I would have to dig through the pile, opening each bag, to find the color I wanted. Not very efficient, and the piles bugged me.

I wanted to be able to see the color without having to open something, and I didn't want to have to move ten things to get to what I wanted. I didn't want plastic. After some brainstorming, we came up with the idea of a shoe holder. We looked on-line at different models, and their prices, and I concluded I could make my own. That will be another post, once I get it done. My friend headed home last night, and a few hours after leaving, was back at my door. She had made a pit stop at a department store on her way home, and just happened to find exactly what we were looking for, on sale, plus she had coupons. She bought two, turned around and delivered them to me.

These were designed to hang over a door. The pockets were only 4 inches wide, not quite big enough for the 4 ounce batches I usually dye. I took my seam ripper to the stitching between two pockets, and it turned into the perfect size to store 4 to 6 ounces of fiber. I will use these to store finished batts. These two will hang over the two doors upstairs, one to the guest room, the other to the fiber room. I'll place a few drops of lavender essential oil on each canvas pocket to help retard moths, and eventually each pocket will have a card with weight and fiber content of the batts.

I am making more, and will dedicate those to the dyed roving I use to create the batts. I'll show that when I get them done.

6 comments:

Lilac Haven said...

I was having the same problem and it was really bugging me. Just piles of fiber just sitting around unorganized and in baggies and containers. I'm going right out tonight and getting one of these. Thanks for the great idea!!

Linda Sue said...

Clever- I have used one of those foldy up things that people used to put coffee mugs on the pegs..Clearly I don't know what they are called- But they hold rolled rovings nicely and the little wooden peg with ball on the end keeps them from slipping off. Looks great too, like a palate of colour. when the pegs are all full rovings can fit in between as well.

Lona said...

Excellent idea!

Lilac Haven said...

I got the same shoe holder from Kohl's. Works perfect. Holds all my roving. (stuffed full) When I get it spun then I can put the yarn in the pocket to store it. I'm not getting any more roving until this is all spun.

cornbread hell said...

i keep my tile, etc in drawers and boxes with individual pieces of what's inside siliconed onto the outside for identification.

i love the see-through-ness of your method.

(ah! transparency was the word i was looking for.)

Lily said...

Ooh I can't wait to see what mom comes up with to decorate your fibre pockets!