Organizing Embroidery Floss

I think I have finally found a solution that I can live with for organizing my embroidery floss. I have a ton of thread, since I once was an avid cross-stitcher. That hobby was put on hold after the kids reached upper elementary and had so many after school activities. I have recently pulled it all back out and am ready to once again do some stitching.

About two years ago, I purchased tubs and Ziploc snack bags to place all my thread in. At that time it seemed like the perfect thing. I placed all the colors in the bags, stuck an orange sticker with the DMC number on the outside and placed all of the bags in number order inside the tubs. I then placed them in the closet of my catch all room which later became my sewing room. 

Moving forward a year and I decided to start an intensive project on Hank, the heron. You can read about the beginning here and the letting go of it for now here.

Once I started on Hank, I realized my little organization project was missing something. The bags lay limp in the box, and it was hard to see them when I pulled something out of the box.

I then thought they needed a little something more to give them some support so as to stand up in the box. Hence, the 3 X 5 index cards. They fit nicely in the snack size bags. I wrote the color number in sharpie on the top center of the card. I had also discovered my orange stickers sometimes got stuck to other bags with the removing and placing back in the tub.

Now, they stand up much nicer and are easier to file away. When, I start a project, I can pull out the few colors that I am going to be working on, use them, and then store back in their respective tubs.

Above the floss tubs, you can see my mother's old smocking pleater. That is on my bucket list. I want to be able to smock by the time I have grandchildren.

The tubs are stored on the shelves of my sewing room. I also have a tub for cross-stitch fabric and pattern books. This is working out much nicer.

Old patterns, fabric, and the Hank project if I decide I am up to it.

The key to success was the addition of the index card.

I have started a new project for now.

As you can see, I can just pull out a few bags at at time, use and then store away. I think it is going to work nicely.

Ready to stitch,
Sandy