Practical Studio Storage

Let's start with some of my favorite practical storage ideas:

I subscribe to a half dozen or so of the quilt magazines. These inexpensive cardboard magazine files from Ikea keep the titles neat and close at hand on a bookshelf. You could cover these with scrapbook paper to make them pretty (I did that with my last set).

When I'm reading a magazine I use Post It flags to mark the pages for projects that I might want to make in the future. I'll write a brief description on the flag to make it easier to find what I'm in the mood to work on (modern, applique, table runner...).

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My favorite way to store the rulers I use most often are the grooved wood ruler racks. These are inexpensive and can be found at JoAnn and most of the larger quilt shows. I've stored 20 of my most-used rulers (12 in the long rack and 8 in the small one on the corner of the table) in just 4" of space on my cutting table. The rulers I don't use as often (Dresden templates, Xblocks, Dear Jane... can be found, along with their instructions, in a zipper bag underneath the cutting table.

I like to work efficiently,  and to accomplish this I want my tools close at hand and located in the place I go to use them. Obviously the rulers will be found on the cutting table, as will the rotary cutters.

This unobtrusive little box is where I stash my 6 rotary cutters, a slew of replacement blades, an Xacto knife, and ...... a handful of bandages. It sits on the cutting table where these tools are used.

I'm fortunate to have a large sewing table, but it doesn't have any drawers. Not a fan of clutter, I found one storage solution that handles everything I need to sew with:

I found this spinning storage piece in the scrapbooking department at Michaels. It's got hooks for my small scissors, multiple compartments to hold my larger scissors, stilettos, seam rippers, sewing machine cleaning brushes, reading glasses, TV remotes, etc.  It's also got 3 drawers where I keep various sewing machine needles. Love it, and very reasonably priced--well under $20 (with a coupon).
 

I work so much more efficiently when I don't have all these little tools strewn all over my sewing surface, hidden under fabric and instruction sheets that I'm using. It's nice to be able to lay a hand on that seam ripper the minute I need it (which can be quite often on some of my projects ).

I'm a big fan of the concept of 'multipurpose', particularly as it applies to storage. Check back tomorrow and I'll share ways I've found to turn some of my storage into decorative accents in the studio.

A pretty workplace is a productive workplace!