Thread storage can be a little overwhelming and tricky. The spools are different shapes, sizes, and what do you do with the bobbins as well?!
Making the thread visible and in a space that won’t let it unravel and become unruly is really the #1 goal here. No matter where you put the thread or store it, just having it in a place that you can see and find and it work for you is important.
Thread Storage Ideas:
- ziploc bags– I have to admit that I have spools of thread in a ziploc baggie. Yup. It’s seriously not the best spot, but I can see them. The bag can be organized by color even. These can be tossed on a shelf or put in a drawer. Not the best option, but it works.
- Drawers– I have thread in drawers too. These are not in a bag or anything and I tell you they get in a jumbled mess. This is my least liked option for thread storage.
- Peg Boards– these are great. You can customize them- depending on how large your thread cones are. Organize by color or by manufacturer.
Thread Storage Inspiration:
Make your own wall mounted shelf for thread spools and bobbins.
Design your own spools in a frame
Do you have a trick for keeping your thread under control? Share it!
Go here– For more posts on the 30 days to organize your sewing studio.
Becky Jorgensen is the creative quilter behind Patchwork Posse, the Patchwork Planner and her online quilt group Patchworkers Plus. You can find her patterns in books, magazines, and her quilt membership. Gather your quilting supplies, organize your sewing space, explore the process of disappearing quilt blocks, or finish a free quilt pattern. I'll help you use what you have, finish what you start and make your quilting journey fun!
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I don’t like keeping my cotton thread out on display because they collect dust and fade in sunlight (well, the odd colors do–not white or beige). I have a small drawer set in which the spools lay well and are sorted by weight.
Janet- Great thought. I didn’t think about that, but after you mention it I do have dust on the spools! They look so pretty all together on the wall though…. 🙂
I like to use clear glass jars (preferably old) sort by colors and looks nice on my shelf.
Love your ideas Becky!
Here’s a trick for those pesky bobbins that unwind. Take a bobbin with you to your local hardware store, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Rona etc & go to the plastic tubing isle. Get a piece of tubing that will fit around the shank of your bobbin. When you get it home cut it into 1/4 inch circles. Next, put 1 slit in the circle. If you have silicone, put a dab on the circle across from the slit to make a small handle to pull your home made thread buddy off the bobbin.
I store my thread on a standard wall hung rack. I put the coordinating bobbin on the peg first and then add spool on top to keep them together. Just unfold a fat quarter and toss across at the end of you sewing session to protect from sun and dust. Thank you for your great tips and a great blog.
I use several methods, depending on the type of thread. 1) For the typical wall racks (mainly for regular sewing threads), I stack multiple of a single color on top of one another & use “reinforced” drinking straws to extend the spindle. I stack several bobbins together on another spindle, easily visible. We live in a dry, dusty climate, so I place a dust cover over the rack. 2) For Serger threads (cones) & most of my embroidery threads (mini-king cones/spools), I use several Lazy-Susan turntables (inside cabinets) & group them by color, separating types/weights — then spin to the color needed, with matching bobbins inside the cone shaft. You don’t need much head-room, as you turn to the ones you want. 3) Specialty threads (heavy-weight, quilting, metallic, etc.) are in a drawer, separated in a zipper bags. Like Paula, I also cut clear tubing (.5″- 5/8″) to keep bobbin threads neat.
I have an old spice rack with a door on it. It has 3 shelves and it hangs in my sewing room and stores thread. It keeps everything nice and clean and tidy. Most used thread are on another rack on my sewing table to the right of my machine. When the space gets full, I put them away in the spice rack.
What a smart idea! thanks for sharing.
I use commercially available clear plastic lidded containers for most thread. Cheap stuff I keep in a clear plastic shoe box. Large cones I just have on a shelf. I have to shuffle through all the boxes looking for just the right color. My sewing room doesn’t have the wall space for the great hanging suggestions. I need to look at more options for my thread.
I, like you Becky, keep my threads in ziplock bags. However I bought some small ziplocks and keep both the cotton reel and the matching bobbin in one bag. This keeps them together and also stops them from unravelling. I can then put them all in a drawer together and not have the worry of sorting or detangling when I need to use them, and I can still see the colours at a glance.
I have several methods. I live also in a dusty area. Serger thread is in boxes in the closet. Regular sewing thread is in matchbox car cases underneath my sewing table. Machine embroidery thread is in boxes by color families and travels between my house and daughters. Lacing threads are in small plastic sets of drawers sorted by weight and thread type on my shelves. Kind of all over but works ok. Threads for current project get tossed in a fabric bowls on my sewing table along with the other stuff needed at the time. Oh yes, I use craft pipe cleaners stuck through the spools and bobbin then bent over to keep bobbins with their correct spools.
thread storage – I have quart canning jars to put colors together. Works well on a shelf. Serger thread is on a large peg board on the wall.
In another post you have your presser feet in a plastic divided container. I found a large, double sided plastic container, one with deep sections and that’s where I keep my thread. The plastic container is see through so I can see all the colors. Since it’s double sided I keep my cotton thread on one side and my other thread on the other side. And the lid keeps the dust off my thread. It’s easy to keep all my thread in one place – just grab the container and everything is right there.
I love your idea of the zip lock baggie!!! I have spent the money to buy the plastic closed thread storage containers which can be costly. I do not like the thread uncovered because of the dust and I also worry about fading. The zip lock bag will also use less space! Love it!
I bought thread wraps at Amazon. Just search “thread wraps”. It’s about $15 for 100 pieces and they do a great job. Then I toss them in a drawer. While you are in that area, there are also little clasps for bobbins that work great AND a piece that looks like a big bobby pin that you can insert down the center of a spool to keep a bobbin with the matching thread.
I love threads and have many reels of all colours, weights and spool sizes. I store my threads in a set of drawers that are supposed to be used for storing paper in an office (printer paper size). My drawers are clear plastic and are a set of 5 drawers. The set of drawers measures 9in high, 9 1/2in wide, 13in deep and each drawer is just 1 inch deep. The spools of thread are in a single layer and a single colour per drawer. I have 2 of these. They work perfectly for me – no dust, no fading, all threads are kept together.