How to Store Interfacing So You Don't Ruin It
While it may appear that I have figured out a storage solution to every possible stinking sewing implement, there was a secret I was hiding in the top drawer of my cutting table. No, not this side:
THIS side:
Not that bad you say? Your interfacing storage solution is even worse? Ok ok . . . I'm not gonna fight with you about it. But I will say that there were several layers of ickiness going on with my interfacings. Let me break it down:
- Problem #1: Which one is which? While I did an ok-ish job sometimes at keeping that dandy little tissue paper instruction page with the interfacings in question, there were still some stray pieces here and there that got moved around every time I shuffled through to see what I had . . . and subsequently became separated from the pack. Because not every interfacing is interchangeable, not knowing what you're working with is a problem. (They make different kinds for a reason . . . I found this handy chart on all the different types, printed it out and hung it up just to remind me what the best kind is for every kind of job. Threads also has a pretty thorough looking list of the actual brand names for reference as well in case that whole interfacing section makes you go cross-eyed and/or break out in hives.)
- Problem #2: Creasing. As I understand it, interfacings should be kept rolled and not folded. Of course this is exactly what I was doing with mine for the longest time because I had no idea what I was doing. Thank you to the Fields Fabrics lady who rolled up my Wonder Under one time and gave me the side eye that said, "I know you don't realize this, but this should always be rolled up if at all possible." Yes . . . all of that was said with an eye and she was completely right about me and my awful crease-y ways.
- Problem #3: Shoving. This is closely related to #2 . . . and #1 come to think of it. Clearly this space was not enough to accomodate all the interfacings and battings and fusible fleece pieces that I had . . . why was I trying to torture all of this precious material? Not only was it contributing to the aforementioned "which piece is which" problem, it was creating even more creasing than my originally ill-advised folding method of storage.
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My poor Craft Fuse folded down into a bite sized piece of uselessness. |
I'm not going to pretend I came up with this idea on my own . . . I didn't. But it is kind of awesome in a completely why-was-I-not-able-to-figure-this-out-on-my-own way . . . and since I found very few Google search results that helped get me to this point, I thought I would share that I gleaned this little nugget of joy from a sample chapter of PatternReview.com's new book: 1,000 Clever Sewing Shortcuts and Tips by Deepika Prekash. I am intrigued after reading the sample chapter and have put this on my must-check-this-out-the-next-time-I'm-at-the-book-store/library/whatever-I'm-just-going-to-add-it-to-my-Christmas-wish-list. You hear that,
So some lovely lady within those pages shared this tip:
I have a dedicated sewing room, but storage space is still a problem. I recently started rolling up my fusible interfacings and storing them in 24" cardboard mailing tubes. I use a dowel to start the rolling process; it makes rolling the lightweight interfacing much easier. I put labels on the outside of the tubes so I can identify the contents (lightweight, midweight, etc.). I store the tubes in a large cylindrical basket along with my rolls of tracing paper. —elarayIs it odd that I actually said out loud as I finished reading that: "elaray, you're a GENIUS!"? You're right. No, it's not.
Now, I don't have a cylindrical basket at the moment, but I was able to tuck these few tubes I got (thanks, Mr. Skooks!) in the little crevice between my fabric hutch and my rolly cart of goodies. I've only got 3 at the moment, but I'll get more until every last neglected type of interfacing is cared for as it should be.
I decided to tape a copy of the instructions for the type of fusible contained therein on the outside of the tube for those moments when I completely brain fart and forget how to interface things properly. Because you KNOW that happens even after I've done it a million times, right?
So there you have it. One more bit of the sewing room bending to my organizational whims.
New problem: what kind of stuff am I going to put in this empty drawer?

For your reference, the tubes I used are 3" in diameter and 24" long which I would say is plenty big enough to accommodate pretty much all types of interfacing as well as a decent sized piece of fusible fleece. Read more...