Natalie's Closet

38 comments
For Christmas one of my gifts to my mom is a promise to post 12 times a year on the blog. Freda's Hive is supposed to be a place for the whole family to post about our projects and crafts and ideas but my mom, Nanette, has to twist our arms sometimes to get the rest of us to post. I have a good excuse: I am a very slow crafter/sewer/whatever-er so I rarely have anything to post about anyway. But Nanette works very hard on the blog and there is some pressure to continuously come up with fresh ideas and new content. So I have committed to post at least 12 times in 2009 (in addition to any postings related to projects I ever manage to actually complete/make progress on) to give my mom a break once and a while (for instance when she is in Bryce Canyon teaching her classes in February!).

Now this is going to be somewhat difficult, to come up with fresh posts when I am an exponentially less prolific a crafter/sewer as my mom. But I do get inspiration all the time from the many delightful blogs I lurk on. I also acquire a lengthy list of goodies I yearn to buy or have or make but just don't have the money or time for. So I will most likely be sharing these things with you in my posts unless I come up with something else.

For my first post however, I will be sharing my fabric organization space. I don't have a house or an apartment, I just have a room. So I store my fabric in my closet, along with my shoes and clothes and all my other things. I have managed to save several shelves just for fabric and I frequently make the time to re-fold and re-organize these few meager shelves of fabric. I find it comforting, calming and very theraputic. I love to clean and organize and going through my fabric is a lot of fun! Below is my collection, neatly folded and arranged on assorted shelves (I spared you the shoes and clothes and books and all of the other things I over-stuff my closet with).

These are my animal and/or novelty print fabrics (you can see my books on the shelf below and my bags peeping on there on the right). The thinner stack is cowboy-related fabric.

I've put all my owl fabric together here on this shelf. It makes me so happy to know that the owls all get to be next to each other.

This is all the modern/new fabric.

I keep my solids together, naturally. After cutting squares for my cactus quilt my solid fabric stash is depleted and the sizes of each piece are all mismatched, as you can tell by the sloppy stacking. I suppose I could stack by size rather than color.... maybe I have something to keep me busy tonight...

In the bin is my scraps (beads also at the bottom) along with templates for earlier projects and other miscellaneous items. On the right I have an assortment of wool, mostly cut up pieces from my boyfriend's old sweaters. I like to save old clothes but I don't know what I'll use them for.

Here are my pattern/idea books, sketch note-books and the greatly neglected bento box quilt.

The top shelf is a set of brass (?) owls I found at a DI in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Next to them are all my lovely squares of vintage and feedsack fabrics. You can also kind of see my box and basket of fabric cut out for my planned hexagon project. Not seen is my shelf of cactus quilt pieces - finished, not-so-finished, and some still waiting to be cut out.

Okay, so I realize this isn't all that interesting. But, I am hoping this will give keep me motivated to keep on the crafty trail. I have been working on the cactus quilt project for about an hour a night for the past week so that is certainly progress! Maybe I'll post more about that soon. -Natalie

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38 comments

Rima said...

Lovely organization. I have been trying too... Happy New Year!

Gayle said...

You've inspired me:-). I love the owls!

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

What a nice gift to your Mom, i love to see fabric and just like you, I love to look at it re-fold it, and HUG it. Now I need to see pictures of your projects, even if they are only half done. See you in february! and thanks for sharing!

Kritta22 said...

Thanks for sharing...looking forward to see pictures in February of this cactus quilt!!

Kritta22 said...

PS If you ever need something else to organize...I've got just the place!

Pat said...

I enjoyed seeing your post of your fabric shelves. I think all of us who have fabric stashes are always appreciative of seeing how other folks organize. Some days, mine is very organized and some days...not!!! (Actually, my stash stays pretty good...it's my sewing and cutting areas that look like a cyclone hit!)

Annette said...

Looking at fabric and other gals stashes is always interesting to me. I like how you have it all organized. Very nice!

Karen said...

I think it looks perfect...my girls arranged my stash for me last year when I was recovering from surgery...it's a big mess again so if you feel the need, just let me know;) Looking forward to seeing your completed projects;)

Eileen said...

Yay! I love to hear from you Natalie.. it has been a while! I'm a fan of solids too.. so I loved seeing your stack..even though it was a little Dr Seuess-ish. and your owl fabrics! So nice they all get to roost together. :-)
It will be so much fun looking forward to your 12 posts.. maybe more?? :-)

Di~ said...

Looks good to me and good to hear from you Natalie!

Mimi Sue said...

Do you rent yourself out? I have a huge pile that needs to be folded and organized. So come on up and have a little fun. Mimi

Carla said...

On the contrary, I find it quite interesting! Great post. Looks kinda like mine only on a smaller scale. Wish I could get better organised.

Crafts a la Mode said...

I love your phrase "the owls all get to be next to each other". Love it. And I liked your posting and read the whole thing. You have a nice neat stash.

Sherri said...

It's always fun to see how others organize their stash! Thanks for sharing~!

em's scrapbag said...

Stacks of fabric are some of the most beatiful thing. Yours are lovely. Thanks for sharing.

Sandi Linn Andersen said...

I loved your post, Natalie. It reminded me of when I was a young girl and I had covered shoe boxes that held all my supplies and favorite things. It was all so neat and orderly then! Now 40 years later there is so much more and I can't make it look neat anymore. I am trying, though and your clean, neat, organized shelves are much needed inspiration!!

Farmhouse Blessings said...

Oh I just loved your post, Natalie! I do believe I giggled out loud that it makes you happy that the owls get to be togther.

Your shelves are inspiring and I am shopping right now for the perfect shelves for my fabric stash too!

Blessings & joy,
Lea

Messy Karen said...

i do like to see how others store their fabric. & i look forward to more posts from you. even if it's not the 12 that you promised.

mo said...

You inspire me to go through and refold my fabric this weekend. I forgot how much nicer it looks all organized. It is especially messy after the recent holiday sewing blitz.

mo said...

You inspire me to go through and refold my fabric this weekend. I forgot how much nicer it looks all organized. It is especially messy after the recent holiday sewing blitz.

julieQ said...

So many people are organizing! Your pretty fabric stacks look sooooo good. Inspiring!

julieQ said...

So many people are organizing! Your pretty fabric stacks look sooooo good. Inspiring!

Jeanette said...

I love the way you have your fabrics stacked & organised. Inspiring to me to get mine in order. I nominated this blog for an award.Please check my blog to see.www.jeanettespatch.blogspot.com

Betsy said...

very interesting. Looking at fabrics is eye candy for quilters.

Lurline said...

Hi Natalie,
Nice hearing from you - often wondered if Nanette's daughters were make-believe - I have probably been following this site for only 6 months or so, you see. I love all of Nanette's work and you seem so very organized so looking forward to seeing goodies from you, too!
Hugs - Lurline♥

Susan said...

Those scraps of sweaters can be felted if they are wool. I need to get organized better. Great post!

Nedra said...

Actually I'm quite impressed that Nanette would have a daughter that organized AND into fabric. I'm still wishing one of my daughters would one day want to sew with me. Tell her she's a lucky mama.

strawberrycream39 said...

Hi Natalie! You have a wonderful writing style, just a pleasure to read. I love to organize and fold my fabrics too. I wish I had been as crafty as you when I was younger...I'm playing catch-up now, at 39. I loved seeing your stash, keep the posts coming! --Jen in NY

Carrie P. said...

It is interesting because your collection tells us what you like. I think it is neat that you like fabric with owls on it. You know, I don't know if I have ever seen any with owls but you have a nice stash of owl fabric. Thanks for sharing.

KittyAnn said...

Natalie you have a wonderful selection of fabrics and I love your stash of old BF sweater pieces, lots of things to make from those. I am in the process of organizing my creative room, started a couple of days ago and did furniture rearranging this morning. Still a ways to go before I am satisfied. I think my main issue is I have stuff I know I will probably never use but I am so bad about letting it go! Best, Ani

Dawn said...

Natalie, Thanks for sharing!! I have to say...I especially love the owls!! Way cute!

CJ said...

Nice to hear from you Natalie. You have quite the fabric collection for just having a room, not an apartment or house of your own. If you are working on your cactus project one hour a night you must be making some good headway with it. Come on, show us!!!

*karendianne. said...

What fun, what fascination and I have so say quite a famous stash of Owl fabrics there I'll bet!

Anne Sutton said...

I came over to see your house pot holders (DARLING) and ended up catching up on all your posts. I love your blog so much I have to try and get over here more often. Come over and help me get organized, please! Great job!

Busy Little Quilter said...

It's so sweet of you to help your mom post! I love seeing what you girls are up to, so I will look forward to your monthly post!

Your fabric stash is great! I love how you have it organized. I can't wait to see your cactus quilt.

Tell your Mom that she was right when she said there was going to be something super special about Fabulous Fabric Friday! :)

pratima said...

Hi Natalie,love the way you organized the fabrics.
Very much looking forward to hear more about your crafty adventures :)

Anonymous said...

You are so organised Natalie, you could write a whole series on folding and sorting fabric. I'm always searching for the perfect way to store my fabrics and never get it quite right!

Nan said...

You did a wonderful job of organizing your closet, Natalie! I'm glad you are helping out your mom with the blogging. Great post!