How do you organize your floss?

phyllis47 · Post by **phyllis47** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:00 pm

I put mine in small plastic ziploc bags from grocery arranged by color and number. (all reds together then sorted by number) I used a hole punch at top of bag where is it thicker and insert on 3" rings from hobby lobby.

stitchingmae · Post by **stitchingmae** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:05 am

I use the floss away bags with index cards inside to make them firmer, then I have them in those plastic shoe boxes in numerical order.

I have tried bows and bobbins and this is my favorite so far!

lmbernhardt · Post by **lmbernhardt** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 1:56 pm

I use the floss away bags and binder after trying bows and not really liking them. I have binders by color group and project labeled with the project title. I also have an extra for extra pieces of thread. This is especially useful because I am new to this and tend to make some mistakes, frog out the mistakes and then run out of thread.

Genghiscon · Post by **Genghiscon** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 11:55 am

I have three days off ... Do you think it will be enough time?

deerhart · Post by **deerhart** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 9:18 pm

I'm really bad at organizing my floss. I have bobbins, stitchbows, and yet everything seems to end up tossed into a plastic bag.

As for the odd left overs (and when I stop a color and haven't used up the cut thread yet) I tie it in a bow around the stitchbow or the skein.

Has anyone used any computer software to track their floss inventory?

starshine123102 · Post by **starshine123102** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 4:11 pm

rcperryls wrote:There was another thread about this somewhere. There is an app for iPods and I bet it works for iPhones also. Not sure about other devices, but I am sure you could check. Its called xStitcher and is a way of keeping your floss inventory. The one I use is for DMC threads and I find it really useful. It was a pain to enter all the data, but its easy to keep up and instead of little bits of paper thrown in my purse, I have my shopping list with me, updated when I manage to go into the craft store. I am sure there are software programs around and I think several members have mentioned some that look very good.

Carole

the xStitcher app is on android as well. I'm thinking of buying it. I believe it is $1.50 or $2.00.

I have about half of my stash which is only stranded floss on paper bobbins. Using bobbins seems like it would be the best idea for me, but do they have stackable versions of those plastic containers so that I don't have a bunch of small boxes floating around?

Also, what about organizing things like perle cotton balls?

anashenwrath · Post by **anashenwrath** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:47 pm

I started out so well... I had everything in little floss away bags, with the number written on them and everything. I'm a brand new stitcher, with one project, so it was only 8 skeins or so. "Get organized early!" I thought.

Then my mom found out I was stitching, and she went to Goodwill and bought me a HUGE box of used floss. Half of it was in skeins, and half was on bobbins. It's all labeled by number, but not brand, and I don't know if the numbers are correct.

I divided all the colors up by shade as best I could and stuffed it into my floss away bags.

Some day, I'll go through the numbers the previous owner scribbled on her bobbins and try to organize it further. Some day....

seedreemer · Post by **seedreemer** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 11:19 pm

Re: How do you organize your floss?

Cpleger · Post by **Cpleger** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:00 pm

Re: How do you organize your floss?

jlongsta · Post by **jlongsta** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:38 pm

I have tried about every system out there. Sandwich bags, numbered cards etc. I am now using numbered plastic bobbins in a craft box. This seems to keep the floss from getting twisted and tangled.

jacindal · Post by **jacindal** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:36 pm

I organise my floss by wrapping it around cardboard bobbins and writing on the bobbins whatDMC/Madeira/Kreinik number it is for example. I keep them in bobbin, craft caddy boxes as they have separators to help the bobbins stay in place. They are numerically ordered so all i have to do is look at the number work out which box it would be in and thenfind that number in the box. when stitiching from a chart I place all those particular bobbins required in a small project box organiser. if I have a number missing for a new project its very eady to see this way and quick.

babyjazz · Post by **babyjazz** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:56 pm

My stash of thread I keep in my bedroom, so it's safe

It is seperated into 100's, 200's, etc. (I know, not the best way, but it works for me). When I get ready to stitch a new project I bury myself in my mountains of thread and delight in picking out my floss. When each color is found a I a floss bag (you can find these at craft stores), and label the baggie with the dmc # of the thread and symbol written on the outside of the baggie. I then put it on a big metal hoop (also available at your craft store), which slides through the hole easily. I am then set to dig into my project. I hope this will be helpful! I know everyone has different ways of doing things and this one has worked for me for years.
Happy stitching!

debiRN · Post by **debiRN** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 2:18 pm

I LOVE the Floss-Away bag and rings system. This way I have every color I need for my project on the ring, and the extra threads I'm not using get put into the bag and I know what color number it is, I don't lose them or waste them.

I've always wondered what you do with the extra on a floss bow or bobbin when you're only using 2 strands of a 6-strand piece. Where do you put it so it doesn't get lost?

Deb

Rose · Post by **Rose** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:56 pm

debiRN wrote: I've always wondered what you do with the extra on a floss bow or bobbin when you're only using 2 strands of a 6-strand piece. Where do you put it so it doesn't get lost?

Deb

I use bobbins so.......
When I have a leftover piece of floss I just wind it right back on to the bobbin but how I know that it is a used piece of floss is I will catch the end on the oppisite side of the bobbin to the full length pieces of floss.

dwitt · Post by **dwitt** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:33 pm

CuriousKitty wrote:I've always wondered what you do with the extra on a floss bow or bobbin when you're only using 2 strands of a 6-strand piece. Where do you put it so it doesn't get lost?

I use the stitch bows, I wind the left-over thread on the stitch bow if I am not going to be stitching with that color anymore.

A Clockwork Pear · Post by **A Clockwork Pear** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 9:35 pm

My floss box is a total mess right now. I'm in the process of re-winding all my floss onto those flimsy little cardboard cards that come with the plastic craft boxes, though I wish I could find something sturdier. I never used to label my floss, either (bad!), so half of the colors don't even have numbers associated with them.

Rose · Post by **Rose** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:29 pm

I prefer the plastic bobbins and they are not that expensive. I think I get them 25 for $1.99.

LadyS · Post by **LadyS** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:36 pm

I have some of the cardboard ones but I mostly use plastic bobbins as well, very sturdy!

rcperryls · Post by **rcperryls** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:38 pm

I use the plastic bobbins also and then use the plastic labels that DMC puts out to stick on the bobbins so that the number is pretty clear. I am sure there are other ways to label the bobbin, but that works for me and I dont think it is that expensive. I am sure masking tape or something like that would work as well.

Carole

mechie · Post by **mechie** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:25 pm

The plastic bobbins are much more sturdy than the cardboard ones. I'm in the process of switching all of mine from cardboard to plastic. As I use up a color on cardboard I wind the new skein onto plastic. It may take a while to get them all changed this way, but I dread the thought of unwinding and rewinding.

As for labels, I used to use the pre-done sticky labels that DMC sells, but I had a issues with them falling off after a while. It's like the sticky just stopped working. Even the unused ones I still had on the original sheet wouldn't stick to anything. Now I just write with a fine tip pen. You do have to make sure the ink is good and dry so you don't rub the numbers off, but at least they won't fall off unexpectedly.

mechie