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I bought a garbage bag full of lace at an estate sale and I need some advice on how to store/organize it.
Do I:
Wind it around a card?
Wind it around a wooden clothes pin?
Put it in a drawer?
Put it in a basket?
Secure the ends with a straight pin?
Or tape?
Or would a tooth pick work?
Lucky you. I would love to get my hands on a bag of lace.....lol I guess it depends on what kind of money you want to spend. I guess too, just how big of a bag of lace it is. I'm sure you're going to get loads of answers...lol I'll give you my 2cents worth.
I would go to the dollar store and get a couple of packages of index cards. ( you could get the color ones so you could color code if you like). I would cut a slit on the bottom left and a slit on the top right standing the card tall. Then I would take one end and slide the lace into one of the slits and then wrap it up neatly then take the other end to the opposite slit tucking in any tail that might be left.
You could measure the lace pieces and write them on the index card. I would then bundle the cards into similar styles and put them in their own baskets (that is if there is a lot of them) or just put them in a basket or maybe a large drawer or decorative box. With them on cards I think it would make it easy to see each lace and be able to read how much you have of that to see if it would be enough for the project.
I have been into making paper, fabric and lace flowers. I have been picking up remnants and doing just that. Measuring my pieces of laces and fabrics strips then wrapping them onto index cards and wrapping them up. Because of the slits, I don't need tape or clips, although binder clips could be used to bundle up similar wrapped lace cards.
Just a thought. I love this forum, because I know that the answers are going to roll in tomorrow morning. I might get lucky and get some ideas myself. I do tend to go cheap and easy. lol Good luck.
Thank you, DenverKat276. That would work for about half of it. Some of the lace is eyelet type. A bit too poofy for a card. But I do like the idea of an index card and measuring the size of lace.
It is an enormous amount of lace. Long lengths of it. A big trash bag packed full. Since I only spent $11 on it I want it to be cheap storage.
Personally I would go for larger than index cards if it long lengths or maybe ask a local fabric store for their finish rolls that all their laces come wound on.
For now I have wound some if it around "old fashioned" clothes pins and made some Large cards for rhe bigger lace. I will place the big cards in a plastic slorage bin, but cut off a small length (1 inch?) to put in a book to show me what I have.
My sweethesrt said the clothes pins would look good in large mason jars.
What about an empty tp or paper towel roll? Ongoing supply of them. LoL You could put a slit in each end to tuck in the ends of the lace. Or tuck the first end under as you begin to wrap the lace and then attach the lace at the other end with a clothes pin or plastic clip. HTH
Dea
Stamperdea, I tried the toilet tiss roll last night. It works but kind of large. I ran out of "old fashioned clothes pins" and I thought maybe toilet tissur]e roll might work. It certainly holds better.
Just wondering if the fabric stores would let you have the empty plastic pieces that their lace comes on. I know they will give you the cardboard that fabric is wrapped around. Otherwise it just goes in the trash. Maybe you could use the cardboard cores to wrap your lace. Just a thought.
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
I went for FREE with mine, and it's probably not the best method, but it works for me
I wrap the lace around my hand until I get close to the end, then I wrap what's left around the "hank" and tuck the end under one of the wraps. I line up all of the hanks in a drawer so I can see what's what and where. I don't have a tag or anything to identify how much is there, but I suppose it would be easy enough to add...
I went for FREE with mine, and it's probably not the best method, but it works for me
I wrap the lace around my hand until I get close to the end, then I wrap what's left around the "hank" and tuck the end under one of the wraps. I line up all of the hanks in a drawer so I can see what's what and where. I don't have a tag or anything to identify how much is there, but I suppose it would be easy enough to add...
Free - my favorite 4 letter word.
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
Wow Bjlee!!! All those lovely storage ideas and equipment. I love love love the ribbon wheel thingy. I have a wood working friend that could do that on a jiffy. And Oh my I could make spools out of TP rools so easy. I am getting to work right away, as soon as I amass some empties!
Thank you all for your imput. You all have been an inspiration.
I went for FREE with mine, and it's probably not the best method, but it works for me
I wrap the lace around my hand until I get close to the end, then I wrap what's left around the "hank" and tuck the end under one of the wraps. I line up all of the hanks in a drawer so I can see what's what and where. I don't have a tag or anything to identify how much is there, but I suppose it would be easy enough to add...
Sue, my kind of gal... free is always better! lol That is exactly how I keep my stash in a box.
Ok late last night I made 2 spools. I cut 2 discs out of chipboard and glued (E6000) the tube to each disc. Painted it (cause I could and it looks pretty).
Next ones will had 2 discs glued together and glued to each end for more stability.
Ok late last night I made 2 spools. I cut 2 discs out of chipboard and glued (E6000) the tube to each disc. Painted it (cause I could and it looks pretty).
Next ones will had 2 discs glued together and glued to each end for more stability.
I'm glad you painted it, I was worried about the acid/lignan in the tube discoloring the lace. Also I did wonder about stuffing the inside of the tube with either plastic bags or newspaper to make it more solid.
I wind mine because if I want it scrunched and wrinkly I don't have a problem doing that but, I don't enjoy ironing things needlessly. so, that being said I have wide wide lace wound on vintage textile mill bobbins and smaller pieces wound on round clothes pins ( dollar store ) all are secured with sequin sized pins ( notion department)
from my own point of view I look for things by colors so mine are sorted that way with ribbons and fibers ( small pieces ) in clear tackle boxes stacked in the closet and the larger pieces have just recently been moved to a kitchen fruit/veggie display piece ( that is way too huge that if we filled it with food it would rot before two people could eat it all haha) the tackle boxes can be seen in the gallery eta this is a really old photo and evidently I dont have much "green" lace but, there are 3 boxes filled with offwhite cream colored just lace and the veggie thing is on the blog still. scroll down that blog post past the mess.
Just wondering if the fabric stores would let you have the empty plastic pieces that their lace comes on. I know they will give you the cardboard that fabric is wrapped around. Otherwise it just goes in the trash. Maybe you could use the cardboard cores to wrap your lace. Just a thought.
I toss those things in the recycle, so if someone actually wants them send me a PM and I will start setting them aside and if you want them you can pay the postage.
I'm glad you painted it, I was worried about the acid/lignan in the tube discoloring the lace. Also I did wonder about stuffing the inside of the tube with either plastic bags or newspaper to make it more solid.
I bought wooden pens, like the old fashioned ones that we used to make dolls out of, roll the lace on each one and use glass headed pins to keep it on the peg, then I got some large glass candy jars to store the pegs in.
When I glue the disc to the top and bottom it makes the spool fairly strudy. I painted it to add stability to the spool too. I worried that the paint might rub off so I rubbed a painted spool on my shirt to make sure and it seems to be stable.
I would ove the plastic holders that lace comes on but my spool thing is working so far.
I divided all mine up into 3 piles, white, off-white/cream and coloured. Then I wiound each length around my 3 middle fingers and placed all the wraps into a ziploc bag. I hope this way means I won't get creases/folds in it.
She suggests giving your lace "just a press" after washing. Wow just wow! If I did that I'd be ironing for the next year --all that yardage! I have a lot of lace. There's a lot of preparation here before you get to the organizing. It all makes sense but it seems like such an enormous job I'm not motivated from this. I like the plastic bags.
If you are winding lace or ribbon around your hand, do it in a figure-8 pattern around your thumb and pinkie finger, which I learned from working in a fabric store. Finish winding the last end by wrapping it around the middle and then under itself to hold it all together. But when you use it, start from the INSIDE end, which will unwind very neatly without tangling and your bundle will stay together until it gets much smaller or very loose. Place in clear shoeboxes or drawers neatly, easy to see and use. HTH.
If the lace is wide, or very long I would make large bobbins from the large sides of milk jugs. Make a slit in the top left and bottom right ends, slip one end of the lace in a slit and wind. The plastic wouldn't bend or tear like index cards (which are now more like paper than card stock). I did some bobbins for twine and embroidery thread here:
I bought a photo storage box and it comes with index cards already. I wind my lace on one card. Then I stapled another to it at each short end. Using two cards helps keep it from unwinding! And it's simple enough to open one end by removing the staples once I use up a piece and want to wind more on.
So far, after 2 years I haven't needed to reload my cards anyway because card making uses such small amounts. I can wind several lengths, depending on width, on each set of two cards. Even pouffy lace like gathered eyelet works, I just wind it more like a spiral along the length of the card rather than winding it up over itself like I would with flat lace. Takes up more room on the card but I can fit a lot of cards in the box so it's fine.
And index cards don't take up any extra room like clothespins do. They look pretty but take up too much room and you still have to dig through your stash. With my way, the cards stand upright in the box so you can see everything super quickly and easily.
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
Last edited by Rebecca Ednie; 07-09-2014 at 02:41 PM..
I bought a photo storage box and it comes with index cards already. I wind my lace on one card. Then I stapled another to it at each short end. Using two cards helps keep it from unwinding! And it's simple enough to open one end by removing the staples once I use up a piece and want to wind more on.
So far, after 2 years I haven't needed to reload my cards anyway because card making uses such small amounts. I can wind several lengths, depending on width, on each set of two cards. Even pouffy lace like gathered eyelet works, I just wind it more like a spiral along the length of the card rather than winding it up over itself like I would with flat lace. Takes up more room on the card but I can fit a lot of cards in the box so it's fine.
And index cards don't take up any extra room like clothespins do. They look pretty but take up too much room and you still have to dig through your stash. With my way, the cards stand upright in the box so you can see everything super quickly and easily.
This sounds really interesting. Do you have a picture? I'm having some trouble visualizing the stapling process. Thanks.
I use cloths pins for alot of storage. Laces, twine, ribbons. I then put them in a pretty little basket and they are readily available for me to use but it looks pretty and neat.
Thanks, it is nice to have it all out to see. And it's not every day you see a drapery valance made of tied-on hanging lace, but it's convenient to just measure some off and cut, LOL. xoxo
I went for FREE with mine, and it's probably not the best method, but it works for me
I wrap the lace around my hand until I get close to the end, then I wrap what's left around the "hank" and tuck the end under one of the wraps. I line up all of the hanks in a drawer so I can see what's what and where. I don't have a tag or anything to identify how much is there, but I suppose it would be easy enough to add...
Lol I was so happy when I found it. Last year I found a small box of braid like trim. And yesterday (oh happy day) I found a box of skeleton keys. 72 in all and less than 10 dollars. I wanted some (note the word some?) to embellish a mini scrapbook.
Organizing or storage of lace
