These five ideas will teach you how to organize your sewing supplies and store them more efficiently:
1. Picture-Perfect Thread Holder
2. Budget-Friendly Bobbin Holder
3. Keep Your Cutting Mats Out of the Way
4. Perfect Pegboard Display Wall
5. No Space for a Sewing Room? Make Some.
1. Picture-Perfect Thread Holder
If you’ve been sewing for a while, you’ve probably started a large collection of different colors and types of thread. Easily see what you have by storing them on rows of small shelves, like this thread holder from The Creative Homemaker. They’ve even added small nails under each color of thread to store a bobbin that is wound with the same color. Not only will this thread holder make finding your thread easier, but it can free up another shelf or storage box for something else. When hanging any kind of thread holder on the wall, consider where your windows are in your sewing room. Repeated and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can fade and damage thread. Make one yourself: Sewing {Thread} Holder
Related videos and articles: No More Tangled Thread, How to Prevent Sewing Thread Breakage, Different Types of Thread for Sewing, Prevent Thread Breaks and Tangles, Keep Your Thread Long and Strong
2. Budget-Friendly Bobbin Holder
If your thread holder doesn’t have thick enough shelves to store bobbins under the thread, consider this fun idea from Sew Many Ways. Repurpose an ice cube tray that is meant to make long, skinny ice cubes for water bottles as an easy bobbin holder. Some of these trays can be made of silicone, so they are flexible enough to hold any bobbin, even if yours many be slightly smaller or larger depending on your machine brand. The silicone also helps to grip the bobbins so they stay in place.
Check out your nearest Bed Bath and Beyond or big box store to purchase a tray like this, or find them on Amazon here.
Related videos: What Size Bobbins Do I Need?, Bobbin Storage & Transfer, Understanding the Benefits of Bobbin Winders, Understanding Different Bobbin Sizes, How to Wind a Bobbin Correctly Every Time
How to Store Bobbins
3. Keep Your Cutting Mats Out of the Way
Once you have your many spools of thread and bobbins organized, it’s time to move on to rulers and cutting mats. Since they both come in a variety of sizes, some being rather large, it can be difficult to find a good place to store them. This is especially the case with cutting mats, since simply propping them up against a wall or another surface can cause a permanent bend in the mat over time. Double Nickle Quilts came up with this great idea to store both.
By hanging the cutting mats and rulers on the wall and behind the door, they are out of the way when you don’t need them and are easy to find when you do. It also helps prevent them from getting bent or broken.
Related blog: All About Cutting Mats
4. Perfect Pegboard Display Wall
When it comes to organizing a sewing room, many times the small miscellaneous items get overlooked and simply tossed in a drawer or storage container. While this might keep them out of the way and your sewing studio looking clean, it can make finding those items difficult when you need them. Fynes Designs came up with a fun peg board way to store everything from scissors and rotary cutters to needles and buttons. You can even store small pieces of fabric on your peg board as color inspiration for your next project. If you have lots of small items, consider making more than one peg board and grouping together similar items on each one. Make one yourself: Craft Room Organizing Ideas
5. No Space for a Sewing Room? Make Some.
If you are just learning how to sew, you should consider creating a designated sewing space! An unused closet can make a surprisingly cozy sewing room for those lacking in space. However, it is much harder to know how to organize your sewing supplies when you are working with cramped quarters. Gwenny Penny shows us that a closet-turned-sewing-nook can be just as organized as any other sewing room. Making the most of your space by placing storage boxes or shelves under tables and hanging items on the wall can make any space feel larger.
More ideas here: My New Sewing Closet
With these great ideas and many more available, we hope you are inspired to spruce up your space with fun sewing storage ideas that enable you to spend more time sewing!
What are your best tips for learning how to organize your sewing supplies? Let us know in the comments.
Have something to add? Leave a comment or email editor@nationalsewingcircle.com.
Love the idea for mats.
We live in a rental and try to be careful about attaching anything permanent to the wall. I hang my cutting boards on the inside of the closet doors with command hooks. I made a ‘tool’ holder from a midweight canvas fabric and the decorative holders in complimentary fabric. The holders are for
a 24″ x 6 ” clear ruler, a 18″x 3 clearer ruler, 3 pair of scissors, 3 different sizes of quilting rulers, fabric markers, frixion pens, ink pens for notes, pin cushions, rotary tools. A n inch pocket is at the top that a dowel rod goes through to hang. It hangs on the front of the closet door on two plastic over the door hooks. I like to keep my thread and bobbins together. It saves time when you have several colors of thread within a shade of each other. I have a cabinet with adjustable shelves that came from Michael’s. One shelf I drilled holes an inch or so apart and put the longest golf tees into the holes I cut. This works great great for standard spools of thread. The tee is long enough for the bobbin to sit on top of the thread. The thread from Hobby Lobby is to long for the tees, so I got the peh board door that goes with the unit. The door is to small for the slots, so I laid it on top of a sliding shelf. I cut 3″ long pieces from dowel rods and glued them in the holes. This also secured the peg board to the sliding shelf. Now the bobbins will fit on top of the spool of thread.
We live in a rental and try to be careful about attaching anything permanent to the wall. I hang my cutting boards on the inside of
Love your behind the door storage for cutting boards. Also the ruler hanging, I am always looking for the right ruler
Thanks
I have my storage container under neath my sewing table
Great ideas!
I just checked your “show us your projects” page and cannot find any photos of sewing areas/multiple-use rooms used for sewing. Like Marjorie Dunphy, our guest bedroom will also serve as my sewing room so everything needs to be very compact while preserving the closet for clothing. Do you have any posts or photos from members on compact, efficient sewing setups in multi-purpose rooms such as guest bedrooms, home libraries, home offices, etc.?
We had space problems, 2 quilt frames, 5 sewing machines and accessories. the cutting table, ironing board, desk with computer and printer and scanner. lighting , parts tables, chairs , etc. we had a deck going bad at the end of the house, so replaced it with an enclosed porch, 10 x 30 . Much moved out there.
This is very helpful! I am just finishing the work on remodeling a 1956 ranch style house so we can move in. I have my eye on the front bedroom a library-sewing room-guest bedroom and space is at a premium. I don’t have a spare closet but the pegboard and other hanging tips are great. BTW, I count my three sewing machines as part of my power tool collection. (The collection also includes a chop saw, circular saw, jig saw, table saw, 4″ grinder, Dremel tool, Shop-Vac, cordless drill and impact driver, band saw, and drill press.
Love your Ideas! Thank you
ideas
This is very helpful as my sewing room is our guest room too.
Marjorie- How is your sewing room/guest room laid out? Got photos? This is very helpful! I am just finishing the work on remodeling a 1956 ranch style house so we can move in. I have my eye on the front bedroom a library-sewing room-guest bedroom and space is at a premium. I don’t have a spare closet but the pegboard and other hanging tips are great. Thanks! Jon
Love your idea for using closet for a sewing area. Easy to close the doors and your room is clean. I used a closet for my little girl’s play kitchen. She loved it. Now that she is grown and gone, I will turn it into my sewing closet.
I got 3 fishing cases from our local tackle shop then removed the cross divides. Thread spools fit perfectly! In other cases I store various tools and elastic, trims, needles, and bobbins. Everything is easy to carry around to comfy work spots.
Moved to much smaller space. Anticipating sewing again. I am absorbed with your ideas. Thank you.
Very ingenious hacks!!
I am always looking for the best solutions for my sewing stuff. I have the plastic bobbin holder but as mentioned, there are always loose threads trying to escape and tangle with others. I shrieked with joy at the toe separator option and ran off to get my spares, AWESOME idea. The ends are corralled! I’m sure I have a container to place them in. Love reading the comments. We all have different areas available for our craft. I am fortunate to have a spare room. But it’s not enough! I think I just need better organization. Will continue to read comments. Thanks!
none today
Really like all.
Like, my clothes closet’s don’t have that much room.Are there any ideas that I might uses. I live in a small apartment thank you
Great ideas
Love this site
I like your idea
I think your sewing storage ideas are very interesting
I love to sew and to organize! These are some great ideas. I have some more to share with you. Can I send you some pictures of my sewing room organization ideas?
Hello Debi,
Thank you for contacting us.
You are welcome to post photos to our Project Gallery. Here is a direct link: https://www.nationalsewingcircle.com/article/show-us-your-project/
If you have any other questions, please chat, email, or call Customer Service.
Sincerely,
Sarah
National Sewing Circle Video Membership
Sarah – I just checked the link that you gave to Debi but could not find any photos sent by members on how they organize their sewing areas. What search parameters should we use? Do you have more posts on organizing sewing areas as part of a home library/office, guest bedroom, or other multi-use room?
My Hubble bought himself a new tool chest and was going to sell his old one. I confiscated it and am using it in my craft room for all my sewing and craft supplies! It’s amazing how much it holds !
My husband bought me a new snap on tool box for my sewing supplies. The top is as big as a kitchen island that he added. Best hubby ever
Great idea! I have been using TWO tool plastic boxes (one 24″ long, one 26″ long) to store my sewing tools and supplies. I need to consolidate them down to one when we move. The large, stable trays work well for needles, chalk, small scissors, and all the tiny stuff. Small plastic jars in the bottom hold buttons, iron-on patches, sewing clips, and other miscellany that I have in quantity. My spools of Molnecke and Guttman thread fit vertically into a large plastic Stanley case made for screws and hardware.
I have very small sewing room and I definitely need suggestions on organizing it.
Great ideas 💡
Do you have a suggestion for fixing a bumpy cutting mat?
Hello Eileen,
Thank you for contacting us. We would be happy to have you apart of our online community. Here is a link to a Premium membership at a deep discounted rate for a full year: https://go.nationalsewingcircle.com/C34153
Sincerely,
Sarah
National Sewing Circle Video Membership
I made a thread holder with dowels long enough for the bobbins to store under the spool.
John- I’m interested in your thread and bobbin holder. How big is it? What threads did you design it for? What size dowels did you use? Does it hang on the wall or slide in a drawer?
I guess I am the luck one because I have two antique Coats and Clark store display cases. No the larger spools wont fit but everything else does fit. In my guest bedroom I had a long counter installed. I took cup hooks and long dowels and shirred fabric (matches the wall paper) and screwed them into the edge. Hides extra storage. I should have had it placed lower as I have to use stools instead of chairs. Plenty of room for my serger and sewing machine.
Can you send me a picture
When I’m sewing drapes, I use cheap white twin sheets for lining. Some come in a clear plastic pouch that I save to store leftover fabric. Also save the clear bags sheets and tablecloths come in and use them for larger leftovers. You can store them in a cardboard office box or hang them from a rod with leftover clip on skirt and pants hangers.
Hi Mary-I had a similar issue with a table and chair height so I went to a used office furniture store and bought chairs for use at drafting tables. They are like chairs from an office supply store but taller. They adjust up higher and you can swivel, etc. Much easier than a stool.
I loved the idea for hanging the cutting mats but mine were too heavy & pulled right out of the hanger clips. They are the large Olfa mats that clip together to make one large mat so nothing exotic about them. I had separated them, so it wasn’t as if I was trying to hang them ad one unit. Is it a special brand of hanger that was used? Space is at a premium in my room so I would really like to use this tip.
Hello Marilyn,
Thank you for contacting us.
I’m not sure the specific brand of the hangars used in the photo, but I searched for “heavy duty hangers” on Amazon.com and found some that looked promising for holding up heavy Olfa mats. This one says they hold up to 15 lbs:
https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Hangers-Stackable-Adjustable-Cascading/dp/B07CHY11Q2/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=heavy%2Bduty%2Bpant%2Bhangers&qid=1642617622&sr=8-11&th=1
Another option: if you have some binder clips that pinch very strongly, you can clip them around the hanger bar and onto the mat.
If you have any other questions, please chat, email, or call Customer Service.
Sincerely,
Sarah
National Sewing Circle Video Membership
Marilyn – Go to the hardware store and buy steel or plastic spring clamps for holding wood or other projects to a workbench: small 1″ or 2″ opening ones should do for your use. You can drill holes in the handles and screw the clamps into a solid closet or cabinet door or a small (1″ x 2″ or 1″ x 3″) piece of smooth fir that you can screw into either the studs in your wall, a solid-wood closet or cabinet door, or the solid wood frame inside a hollow-core interior door. (Use a stud-finder to locate the center of the studs or the center of the solid-wood frame in your interior hollow-core door.)
You could also use a pre-made coat rack on a wood base for attaching your cutting mats. Find one that is wide enough to span the studs on your wall or that will fit inside your solid-wood closet door. Just remove the original hooks, attach the clamps for your cutting mat(s), and hang it securely. (I always use 1 1/2″ or 2″ screws that go well into the studs when hanging anything on the wall. Make sure to add the thickness of your wood cross-piece plus 1/2″ for the thickness of your drywall when selecting the length of your screws: you want AT LEAST 1/2″ of that screw to be biting into the solid wood studs.)
Such good ideas that do not cost too much, thanks
Liked the ice tray for bobbins and the hanging at the door one. Very original
My sewing area is separated from our very dusty back yard by a sliding glass door, not enough to mount my threads/bobbins as in several of your examples. I have my threads organized by color families in transparent plastic drawers to prevent dust and some sunlight damage. My fabrics are likewise separated by types (cotton, brocades, flannel, etc.), then colors, then seasons, etc. and are in transparent plastic boxes with covers. I’d love to have a better system, but this is what I can do with the space I have.
Many of us have started sewing in small spaces and as children have left the nest, we have found a little more space for our sewing. Not everyone is blessed with “magazine beautiful” sewing areas. I have cut & sewn using my kitchen table growing up at my parents and in my own home, clearing it to eat a meal then returning the sewing project after clearing/cleaning the area. We work with what we have at the time and make it work.
Thank you
Love the organization for a sewing clothest, small sewing areas
looks awesome
Perfect solutions, most of which I would never have thought of.
Thank you.
New to this. So don’t know what to say. Sew for family and fun.
Love the bobbi
I have the plastic bobbins and I write on the bobbin, the number (in a fine permanent marker) off the thread. Saves time in matching thread to bobbin!!
Great
I keep my threads and bobbins together
I love your storage ideas. Closet is a great idea for a sewing room.
I drilled a small hole, centered on one side of my cutting matts, so I could just hang them up on a nail in the wall. Easy to grab when needed.
Excellent Ideas!
Love these suggestions
Love your ideas.
These were great ideas!
Great ideas
I love to quilt ! I am still learning to quilt, I would like to learn more simple things.
Love all the storage ideas – especially the hanger for cutting mats. I also want to send a “thank you” to Joanne for the lesson on thread. Good to know!
12 years ago I realized I had so much thread I had to store them better. I bought 3 plastic, flat containers the size of ordinary sheet cake pans with lids. I sorted the threads in color groups: 1) red, pink, orange, 2) blue, purple, green, 3) black, gray, white. I rarely have to buy thread but I do have to be careful that thread is the right weight for each project.
super nice!
I love the ice cube tray/bobbin holder.
Love the ideas, even the ones I can’t use are inspiring. I have an older Singer with the flat plastic bobbins–no center holes! I put matching teensy hair scrunchies around them to corral the thread, and store in a pretty glass container at each machine. When I use an unusual type thread, I slip a rubber band in the bobbin’s groove and around the spool to keep them matched. —-Keep inspiring us! You light up my life!
OL
The best idea is using the multi-skirt hangar! I have patterns I’ve made that need to be stored and that idea is the perfect solution. Thanks!! I also like the ‘spice rack’ for thread with a nail below for the bobbin.
Some great ideas, thank you.
I’m a self employed seamstress and keep my threads in sets of plastic drawers made for a4 paper. Each drawer is colour coded and I have one for sewing threads and another for overlooking cops. Everything else is stored in clear plastic boxes with lids and stored on an old dresser next to my sewing station, so I don’t need to even stand up to reach thread, elastic, bias binding, lace edging, etc!
I store my fabric on multiple book shelves. I use tension curtain rods to hang curtains to block out sun and lighting. It is easy to just slide aside for selecting fabric.
Love the closest sewing room ❤👏👍
I have another way to store bobbins. I use tread mate ( spool and bobbins pegs) by June Tailor in Joanne fabric
Walmart sells a spool rack that’s very sturdy.
I like all but one of the five clever ideas for storing your sewing supplies. The one that I have a problem with is The Perfect Thread Holder. Thread, especially cotton thread, should always be stored in closed containers. All cotton thread has a certain amount of time when it’s useable, then it will eventually become too old and brittle to use. To prolong it’s life it should be stored in a closed container and out of the sun. Polyester thread and many other threads that are not made from natural plant or animal materials have a much longer shelf life but they also shouldn’t be stored out in the open where they can collect dust and other pollutants. Good quality thread is not cheap and it needs to be stored in closed containers. The idea looks great, especially because the bobbins are hung underneath the thread so it’s easy to find, but storing cotton thread this way will reduce the life span of the thread significantly. My nickname is “The Thread Lady” because I use so much thread while making my Art Quilts. I’m also a wholesaler for a large thread company and my knowledge of thread is extensive because I use so many different types of thread that I’ve done lots of research on threads and the way they’re manufactured. If you want your thread to run through your sewing machine with as few problems as possible you must store it all in thread boxes on a shelf that doesn’t get any sunlight.
To improve on the thread holder-just create a back and a door to enclose the thread holder.
Thank you Joanne for the education on thread storage, I have always kept my threads in a closed container . I have thrown away too mujch thread that becomes dry rotted. THere is more to be worried about storing thread. Thank you.
I have some cotton thread that’s 20+ years old and have not experienced any degradation…
I agree… I’ve got some 20 yrs and holding… all good with them!
IF YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR FABRIC ON OPEN SHELVES JUST MAKE A BLACKOUT CURTAIN FOR IT
Just got a new machine and am anxious to sew again.
Love the ideas. I have converted a son’s bedroom into a sewing room. To organize fabric I just purchased 2 sets of hanging cloth shelves for the closet. Each shelf is a color of folded fabric. Works great. Also have saved Oui yogurt glass jars and am going to separate buttons by color and place the jars on a shelf.
Love the ideas for an organized sewing room. I am having difficulty with this.
Love these ideas
Some great ideas
I use toe-dividers (used to seperate the toes when painting toe nails) to hold my bobbins. They are great. The boobins fit perfectly and the thread has no opportunity to unravel.
Thanks! Amazing !
Thanks for much needed information
Love your ideas about using the skirt hanger for cutting boards. and the peg board for the measuring rulers.
The closet idea is also great, but with me I put my Studio 10 Embroidery machine in there to give my Embroidery Room more space with the computers. I have an old Sewing cabinet so that is how I am using it.
For small jobs comes in handy for baby clothes, and apparel and bedsheets.
Wonderful ideas
I love they idea in the closet
The storage ideas are brilliant
Behind my old (1940’s vintage, military discard, leather topped) sewing table is an alcove wall. I covered two 3 x4′ foam core boards, promotion discards, with fabric. I can pin photos,guide sheets, even hang light weight tools. I LOVE using Velcro so the boards are secured to the wall with stick on Velcro on the wall and coordinating sewn on strips of Velcro on the back fabric of the boards.
Great ideas. Can’t wait to try some of them in my home.
I have converted our back room that has 2 sides of windows coming halfway down the walls and I am worried about fabric fading. Has anyone got any ideas to store lots of fabric
Hi Myrna. I also have two walls with windows in my sewing room and I store my fabric in cube shelves. On one of the walls I am able to place a cube shelf under the window in a way that nothing in the cubes is ever in direct sunlight. If you are not able to do this I would recommend storing your fabric in bins on shelves or in a filing cabinet. If you have small enough yardage amount you can fold it, hang it over a filing cabinet divider or even a folder and then you can easily ‘flip’ through all of your fabric when you are looking for something specific.
Fabrics can be neatly “filed” in an unused file cabinet. This works especially well with fat quarter. For yardage, I have cleared several bookcase shelves. I nearly wrap the fabric around a piece of cardboard and set them on the shelves like books. They are handy and you can easily see what is in the stash
Please be careful using cardboard to store your fabric. Some regular cardboard have a type of chemical (acid) that can leave marks or faded area on your fabric. If you can find & afford comic book boards, they will be kinder to your fabrics.
If you speak to your local fabric shop, they might give you the cardboard they use for this purpose, usually they just throw it away.
I get all mine from my local when I purchase meterage fabric.
I stockpile fabric, and the best way to store your fabric without having it fade is in rubbermaid tubs (maybe not the most space efficient though!) That works for me anyway! Happy sewing!
When I’m sewing drapes, I use cheap white twin sheets for lining. Some come in a clear plastic pouch that I save to store leftover fabric. Also save the clear bags sheets and tablecloths come in and use them for larger leftovers. You can store them in a cardboard office box or hang them from a rod with leftover clip on skirt and pants hangers.
I am fortunate to have two walk-in closets in my current master bedroom. I live by myself so one became my fabric storage. I’m moving to a much smaller place but with two bedrooms, both of which have walk-in closets. Second bedroom is the sewing room and the walk-in closet in there will be for the fabric; anything else that fits is icing on the cake.
Think I planned it that way?
I store my fabrics in unused bureaus. I have a number of old/antique ones, and some of them have different sized drawers- which are great for my smaller pieces. I fold them vertically so they fit in the drawer, lined up like books on a shelf. You shut the drawer- no sun. And if you have dampness in your house, you can through in a recycled silicon packet.
ja, I have tons of fashion fabrics, laces from many countries, silks from Japan, and also pretty print cotons from local stores. A lot of precious fabrics. I roll all on tubes, from cardboard at fabric store, I use NOODLES lol, long wooden sticks for pile, pvc pipes etc. I enclose all in black plastic, you can find good plastic at garden or hardware stores. Hang a swatch and info off the end. Here is the best part: Hang from your ceiling some sort of wire grid. We use hog/cattle panels from farm or hardware stores. Remember, your ceiling is just another wall. So we hang the panels about 12” down, you can put some luan board as a support for ALL those rolls. I hang LED lighting from underneath, and cords to get out of the way, dresses to hem while I am sitting down etc. So, no light, and perfect organizing opportunity.
I am in process of organizing my She Shed. My neighbor left a large coffee table like a huge trunk under her patio cover. I asked why it was outside and she offered it to me. When my husband and I got it home we realized it was a coffee table with a lid that raised up to dining- table height. Inside was a shelf at each end, and below, the bottom gave me 2 and 1/2 feet wide by 6 feet long by 18 inch tall. That isn’t all: the top lifts to a table top for cutting, pinning, ironing on a cover. So, my fabric can rest in a safe place, and I have a great work space. Additionally, I saw a 5 sided corner shelf unit beside the street for a couple of days. The 3rd day it came home with me as the house was empty and had a for-sale-by-owner sign. It will go in a rather dark corner. It will be painted with bright paint when the weather allows. More storage! Lucky Ann
labai viskas įdomu,tai tikrai geros įdėjos ir darbai,ačiū jums.
Hi I have one its great
Hi iv just got my nephew to man the same cotton and bobbin holder its 5 ft long by 18 in wide it’s the best thing ever
Love these ideas for the storage closet and all the storage tips.
Love the storage ideas
like
Great ideas
.like
I use the drawers for coffee pods to store spools of thread. It can even be stacked for more storage.
Love all the great ideas. Mostly love the thread and bobbin rack. A problem I see with the bobbin is that it might unwind leading to lots of hanging threads. Having arthritis makes it near impossible to tighten the thread at the side of the bobbin. Any suggestions for that
I’ve found that the small ponytail holders work great to keep the thread ends on my bobbins from coming undone. I get them at Dollar Tree so they are inexpensive to use.
Love the hanger with clamps for my cutting mats!
What a great idea. I will try the ponytail holder trick. Thanks.
I use glass cigar tubes.. they fit perfectly and no room for loose threads. You can find them free most of the time at cigar stores.
Love these ideas. I have a sewing, but need ideas to organize.
Oh, if I only had a closet. (Apartment). And if I only had one hobby horse to confine, and if my kitchen were bigger (4’x6’or possibly 7’) oh, if only I ….
If only- my Mom sewed all our clothes in her one spot in the kitchen where her machine fit.,right next to her was the ironing board which was never down, the stove she cooked everything from scratch was behind the ironing board with just enough room to get in sideways as her pans and spices were stuck inside a wall next to the ddtiyo be pulled out every time
There was only room for a small table and 4 chairs but we always looked terrific and we’re well fed .
Sometimes those magazine kitchens are absurdly large. Most fond memories of this tiny kitchen filled with love. No storage bins , cupboards, racks on walls, drawers except for the stool that had a space under the seat and bags and bags of her sewing supplies underneath her machine.
I’m sure anything is possible as we forget that most of us don’t have any storage space at all