thread storage

Karen at Sew Many Ways is hosting a Thread Organization Linky Party.

I've tried all sorts of ideas for keeping my thread organized. I've got a couple of those hanging racks with the wooden pegs, but I'm a klutz and knock into them and my thread goes flying and I say words my kids shouldn't repeat.

I've used the drawer from a dismantled treadle machine, which worked well, but didn't hold many spools of thread. These days it lives beside my Janome and holds a couple of spools, along with my scissors and seam rippers and the other little gadgets I need every time I sew.

For about a year now, I've been keeping my thread in this box, which originally held a gift set of perfume and lotion.



I liked the perfume - a lot - but I think I might be more excited about the box. It's the perfect dimensions to fill with spools of my favorite thread. I would love to get my hands on another one of these!

Until that happens, I've found a plastic project box that sort of works. It's functional, but it's not as pretty. And it lacks the whole "it was a romantic gift from my husband" aspect that the perfume box has. I keep hoping that hubby will buy me more perfume that comes in a box, and that the box will be the right size.



I've also got the instant thread stash, which isn't for sewing with. It just sits there and looks pretty until I come up with the perfect way to use those wooden spools it's on.



What about you? Do you buy just as much thread as you can use? Or stock up when it's on sale? Or buy pretty colors just because looking at them makes you happy and you know you'll use them someday?

Thread is on sale again!

Connecting Threads has Essentials thread spools on sale for 30% off through 8/13 -- woohoo! I haven't used up all of the neutrals I bought when thread was on sale last year, but I do need green and a few other colors for projects I've got planned. You can read all about my ove for their thread here.

Quinn's green quilt has been waiting for a backing. I've got two suitable sheets that both share the same problem -- too much white. Just in case he changes his mind and decides to actually use the quilt I've been making for him, I want to make it boy proof.



This is Metropolitan from their Urban Odyssey collection. I love that Zentangle looking print, which is just busy enough to hide some damage (duct tape, anyone?) and the price was right. I'm not sure if the green will look the same in person as it does on my laptop screen, but there are soooo many shades of green in the top that I can't imagine it won't work.

It's just starting to rain, so the roofers left early today. It's almost eerily quiet in the house....or was until the boys decided to make up for the lack of noise. But I can handle our usual kind of chaos. The roof should be done on Monday -- I can't wait!

Thread is on sale!

I've been waiting what seems like forever for Connecting Threads to put their thread on sale....then the cost of cotton went up and they raised the prices and I was hoping for a sale that would bring it back down to what used to be full price...and at some point I ran out of the neutral color I use for piecing and did order more, but I've still been waiting for a sale so I could stock up again.

I was down to my last spool of neutral and had mooched another one from my mother to keep me going until I could place an order. Then I had my knee surgery and went a whole month without using any thread at all..

AND NOW IT'S FINALLY ON SALE!

IT'S ON SALE FOR LESS THAN THE OLD PRICES!

I'm such a happy quilter. I've got enough neutrals coming to last me for a long time. And a few colors just because they're pretty.

Essentials is really my favorite thread. I've done the math and compared the cost per yard to thread from WalMart and sale prices at Joann's and even at the new regular price and paying for shipping, it's a lot less expensive. (I don't do quilt shop thread. I've tried the thread from the sewing machine store, I've sat through the long interesting lecture on why I should think it's better than the inexpensive stuff, and I'm still perfectly happy with my cheap stuff!)

I've got scraps. I've got sheets for backing. I've got thread on its way. I've even got some yardage.

Now what I need is a really incredible sale on batting!

flashing the thread stash

Inspired by the Show Us Your Stash thread over at Sew Mama Sew, here's my thread stash --



This is all of it. I was trying to hold off on placing another Connecting Threads order until I hit my last spool of off-white. Not counting the one in the machine now, I've got two left, so I guess I'm about due.

How did you select colors for your personal thread collection?

Most are neutrals -- or would be if I wasn't running so low. Some came in a sampler with the Janome. Some I bought because I thought I'd use them in a future project. And some I just loved the colors.

Do you always match the color perfectly to your project?

No. I usually piece with a neutral color, either cream or beige depending on my mood. Lately, I've been trying to use up the thread that came as a bonus with my sewing machine and I'm using whatever color I think I can possibly get away with.

Do you ever use contrasting thread?

Now and then.

Do you use the same color in the bobbin as the upper thread?

Usually, unless I'm trying to use up some extra bobbins.

What if a fabric has big areas of very different colors?

I'd probably use a neutral color and not worry about it. But most of my quilts are lots of itty bitty scrappy pieces, so I haven't had to make that decision often.

Do you ever buy thread because you fall in love with the color (without a particular project in mind)?

Yes, especially if it's on sale. I try to control myself, because I can only spend so much on thread at one time (because it's never just thread that I need!)

Do you “invest” in thread?

I stockpile thread because we live here in the middle of nowhere and I like knowing that I have plenty and won't use up my last bit of something important when my husband is at work with all of the car seats or it's three in the morning or I won't be making the trip to town for another week.

I'm trying to use up some of the oddball thread and replace it with colors from Connecting Threads. Because I love their thread and it fits so nicely in my old treadle sewing machine drawers.

What types of thread do you have? (elastic, quilting, all-purpose, wool, etc.)

Most of my thread is 50 weight cotton, except for a couple of spools of hand quilting thread that I bought when it was on sale and I thought I'd use it. Now I'm thinking maybe I could use it up sewing down bindings.

Bobbing winding has become an important part of our preschool curriculum around here. I personally can't see what's so exciting about it, but I can't wind a bobbin, or do anything that sounds like winding a bobbin, without eager little helpers materializing beside me.



There's lots of discussion about how many bobbins we've wound and how many we're going to wind and stopping and starting and taking turns. And only good little boys get to wind bobbins. Isn't that just the weirdest thing you can imagine bribing little boys with?

One of the projects on Stashbusters this year is keeping track of how many spools of thread we use. I like the idea, because it'll help me figure out what's a realistic amount of thread to order from Connecting Threads.

So far this year, I've used five of their 1200 yard spools and a 500 yard spool that came with my sewing machine. And I'm running out of the neutral color I use for piecing and most of my quilting. Didn't I just order thread?

Whenever it actually was, I put all of the thread in a big Zip Loc in the drawers next to my sewing machine. At the time, it was bulging and barely zipped shut. Now it's less than half full. Which makes me think I might need to order thread soon.

I'm good at convincing myself that I need to order thread (yarn, fabric, etc.) whether I really need it or not, so I've decided to wait until I'm down to my last spool of off-white. Now the question is whether or not I should use up the colors that I can use for scrappy piecing before I get to that last spool of white...

Typing this got me thinking and I ran out to the sewing room to see how much thread was actually there. Most of it has to live in the sewing room because the thread holder is so tippy I constantly knock it over. Not something I'm going to put in a house with the rabid preschoolers. Or the nine-year-old. Or the girl.

And while I was up there, I decided to try something --



The drawer came from Grandma's antique mall. She had a whole stack of them, from two different treadle cases, and asked if I wanted a couple for my sewing room. Like she had to ask!

Then I got to wondering if the thread would fit as nicely into the drawers of the treadle that lives next to my sewing machine. Yup, they're exactly the same size. So now I've got to figure out where to put the things that live in those drawers and I can have most of my thread right where I sew.

I have more thread than I thought I did. Yay!