Fabric Storage Vol. 2 -- Folding

Now that you have a better idea how you want to store your fabric, the next step is to fold and organise it all. This is perhaps the most tedious but also rewarding step.

In our previous blog about shelving vs. storage tubs we mentioned comic/magazine boards. Comic/Magazine boards are heavy acid free card stock used to back comics or magazines for collectables and are readily available in packs of 100 on Amazon. They are great for fabric as they form a sturdy core for storage and a uniform size for continuity. 

Start by folding your fabric in half, selvage to selvage. 

Next, fold the selvage side a quarter of the way toward the centre fold. 

Then, fold the entire centre fold to the other folded edge, completely covering the selvage. 

Now, you will lay the comic/magazine board horizontally along the folded fabric. 

Continue to fold the fabric over the comic/magazine board, wrapping it up as you go. You will end up with a neat pile of fabric. 

              

You can store these piles like books on a shelf, vertically. The comic/magazine board core provides structure for them to stand upright . Alternatively, you may choose to stack these folded piles one on top of the other. 

 

What if you don't want to buy comic/magazine boards? Don't worry, we got you! All you need is some cardboard as a guide. 

NOTE: We do NOT recommend leaving cardboard as the centre core of folded fabric. Cardboard can become damp, attracts insects and it not acid free.

The steps are very similar to everything described above. First of all, you must measure your shelving space and cut out a cardboard template that is one inch smaller than your shelving space. 

Once you have your template ready, you can begin folding. Start, once again, by folding your fabric in half, lengthwise, selvage to selvage. Then fold the selvage up about one quarter to one third towards the centre fold. 

Next, fold the centre fold towards the other folded side covering the selvage. 

Now you can start folding your fabric around your card template. 

Keep doing this until all the fabric is folded. Then, you must remove the cardboard template from the centre of the folded pile. 

This folded fabric does not have the support of a centre card core. It is best stored in piles stacked one on top of the other. 

If you look closely, you can see some half sized folded fabric in the image above. For fabric that is less than 1m it is not very useful to use comic/magazine boards. You can create a smaller template like the one below in such cases, but remember to remove it while storing. 

And finally, you can use comic/magazine boards to fold and store fabric in storage tubs in the exact same way.

The image above is a collection of 852 Fabric knits stored in a 100L tub. This fabric was folded selvage to selvage, then in half again along the length, bringing the selvage to the center fold line. Then, it was folded along a comic/magazine board in the exact same way as for shelving. This helps the fabric retain some structure while stored vertically in the tubs. It also makes it very easy to see what's inside your tub from the side or from the top. 

Have you found this information helpful? Please let us know and share your fabric storage photos, tips and spaces with the 852 Fabric family on the Facebook Group!