Dateline: 09/01/00
Fabric Stash Space Saving Tip

Have you ever bought a huge amount of bulky fabric because of a clearance price that was just too great to pass up? I have but then the problem became where to store it. Yards of fleece and batting take up precious storage space but at less then half the normal price, I had no self control. Here I'll show you how to condense that fabric in to small solid packages, that keep the fabric clean and dust free too!

You will need:

• The fabric - The bulkier and fluffier the fabric, the better this trick works.
• Trash bags - I prefer clear ones so that I can easily see what I have where.
• A Vacuum - One with a hose
• A twisty or rubber band to close the bag

Storage Procedure

Fill the trash bags with the fabric, leaving enough space to gather the top of the bag around a vacuum nozzle.
Set the nozzle of the vacuum in the fabric (away from the plastic of the trash bag) and gather the trash bag around the nozzle.
Turn on the vacuum and let it suck the air out. As the bag gets smaller it will also become hard. I always stop when I hear the motor of the vacuum start to change it's tone. In some cases you may want to cram the bag into the area you will be storing it so that it conforms to the space.
Carefully remove the vacuum nozzle while keeping the bag gathered around it. Twist the bag tight without letting air get back inside the bag. The tighter the twist, the less likely air is to get back into the bag.
Tie the bag closed. I usually turn the top of the twist over and use a twisty to enclose the area where the twist starts on the bag and the top of the bag. The bag can be tied shut but once you rip the bag it can not be used again for this method of storage.

Use this same method for storing blankets and sweaters off season. Keeps this dust free too! More Features...
Current Features | 1997 Features | 1998 Features | 1999 Features
Articles By Topic

Would you like to be kept informed of the newest additions at About Sewing? Sign up to receive the free About Sewing Newsletter. Feel free to preview a previous issue.

Subscribe to the Newsletter
Name	Email