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I have a ribbon storage problem. No place to store it, and I have accumulated hundreds of rolls.
I am looking for suggestions from fellow Splitcoaststampers for inexpensive ribbon storage that will hold a significant collection of ribbon.
I'm not a fan of the curtain rod or dowel style storage as I find it very difficult to manage when rolls need to be addrd or removed. I also like to take my rolls with me when stamping away from home.
I have the same issue Lots and lots of ribbon and have tried many different ways. I now have done this and it is perfect for me. Stores LOTS of ribbon:
This may seem a little weird, but it's free. I found that the shallow boxes from "Bob's Red Mill" products are just the same width as most ribbon spools.
The Bob's Red Mill oatmeal, granola, flour et cetera is sold in small bags. The bags are displayed in shallow boxes on the grocery shelves to keep them from rolling over or getting mixed up by customers.
I just ask a clerk or a box boy if I can take an empty box. Took a little while, but I have collected a lot of these boxes. You can always decorate the boxes with paper if you like.
Here is my take on Becca's idea. Many people don't like this way because creases are in the ribbon from being wound on the cardboard. For seam binding and other ribbon that creases, I wind those on round clothes pins. Also check in the Forums under Mission Organization...there are many other ideas. Good luck.
Wow, shaz...you do have a lot of ribbon! Great organizing. Plus, as someone said, you can take a specific ribbon with you without taking a bulky roll. AND the ribbon by color looks so pretty in the drawers. Yea for organization!
I used to wrap my ribbons around cards, but I REALLY hate the creases (my OCD kickin' in). So I decided to keep my ribbons in their spools and use gutters (from Lowes) to store them. I realize this only works if you have wall space available.
I attach them to pegboard that I mounted to my wall. I keep the ribbons that i buy by the yard on Ribbon Rings below them.
Wow, you guys have some awesome storage ideas. My ribbons used to be sort of a jumble because I take it off the spools for storage purposes. I now sort by color and have them loose in gallon baggies. The baggies are loosely piled in a bin and it has worked well.....I really don't have enough space for the drawers, but they certainly do the trick.
I like the Clip it Up or what is now on my holiday wish list is the new Ribbon Roll Control - it is a clear ribbon storage that fits the ribbon on the spools but doesn't require dowels and you can see exactly what you have.
Another fan of the Paper Grace system. Not finding creases to be a problem but I guess it could depend on the ribbon. . . time will tell. Right now I'm very happy with all the space I saved. . .
I used to do the clothespin method, but added screw eyes to the head of the pin, strung several on a book ring, and hung them from cup hooks screwed into the underside of a shelf (first thumbnail). I decided that it was too "visible" and took up too much space, so I just wind the ribbons into coils and put them in the smallest Sterilite 3-drawer units (second thumbnail). I have a drawer for each color and also for "specialty" or seasonal ribbons. I was using a small strip of freezer tape to keep them from uncoiling, but found that - over time - it was leaving a bit of residue. I'm in the process now of switching over to twist ties instead - just thread the twist tie through the center of the coil and twist the two ends on the outside.
Thanks, Cathy! I'm one of those impatient types that needs to see everything at a glance, but I also don't want everything "out on display" when I'm not using it, so this works very well for me!
I'm another fan of the Paper Grace method - creasing not really a problem so far a quick swipe wth the iron does the trick to make a bow - the ATG tape holds the ribbon across the card so don't worry about that section.
__________________ What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday? Author Unknown. Karla
I used to do the clothespin method, but added screw eyes to the head of the pin, strung several on a book ring, and hung them from cup hooks screwed into the underside of a shelf (first thumbnail).
I think your little "ribbon mummies" are adorable. What a clever idea to add the screw eyes to make them hangable. Wish I had a space to do that.
Dea
I have been looking at the little boxes like Patter Cross at Triple the Scraps uses. I found a site showing how to make the little boxes and have tried a few. My one question is, does the ribbon get all "curly" after they have been stored like that for awhile?
I just redid my ribbon storage into boxes I made myself.
I made some "sleeves" with cardstock to match the ribbons, but I also like the transparent ones.
For shorter lengths, I put up to 4 ribbons in each box, with one end sticking out of each corner.
Eyee, thanks for sharing about how you made your boxes, I followed through to your other posting and the comments there. And ta duh! it was the lady who copied your box idea that I got my idea from to make little boxes. So thanks to you for the original idea on how to make the boxes.
However, what I am wondering about, does the ribbon get all curly after it has been stored this way for awhile?
Thanks for following through my posts. Regarding curling, Not for most ribbons as I don't wind them tight. In fact they will unroll inside the box up to the size of the box. The exception is when it is very full inside the box but that's what you would get on the original spool anyway.
Hi there, I write for Craft Storage Ideas blog, and I came up with a system that really worked for me using clothespins. Similar is storage use to the embroidery floss cards, but this way it really doesn't kink up nearly as bad. It's inexpensive and takes up very little storage room. You can check out the full post here.
I have the ribbon spooler/winder and it sure does cut down on the amount of space the ribbon takes up. I learned about it from Pater Cross and all her organizational ideas.
I use one of the simplest ever methods for ribbon spool storage, tho it was not an original idea on my part. Saw it online somewhere but can't find the link. It involves first sorting my numerous spools (polka dots, sheers.) For each group, I cut a very long length of 1" wide satin ribbon. Tie the two ends in a knot, then continue, making the knot bigger than the holes of the ribbon spools.
Just take the unknotted end of the ribbon loop and thread it thru the holes of your ribbon spools. My craft closet has white wire storage shelves and there are little 'protrusions' at each shelf. I just hang each of these groups of ribbon there.
At a glance I can see all my ribbons. No need to remove the spool you want from the 'loop' and you can easily add new ones.
I have tried many ways to store ribbon. I have the very narrow spools in photo boxes by color (poked holes for the ribbon to lead out). For the rest of my ribbon I mounted hooks to opposite sides of the back of my craft room door. Originally, I then strung clothes line rope on the hooks and mounted ribbon spools of them. One end was open and I looped it and fastened it to the opposite door hook, then I could put the spools on the rope-I didn't like that - like unloading everything from a dowel each time I needed a spool in the middle of a rope. Then I came up with an idea that works for me: I put like colors and types in large ziplock bags and clothes pinned them to the rope. Its easy to get to and helps to be able to view all the same color at once.
I am with you on ribbon storage! For my smaller pieces where I just have a yard or 2, I wrap them around clothes pins and keep them in a big clear cookie jar. However, I also have a ton of ribbon on spools, like SU ribbon, and want to keep them that way. I am also not a fan of the dowels as I teach classes and like to be able to easily remove the entire spool to take with me. I currently have some baskets that hang on the rods you can get at Ikea, but don't like this method, plus I've outgrown it. So I am considering going with one of two products I have found:
I like the Clip it Up or what is now on my holiday wish list is the new Ribbon Roll Control - it is a clear ribbon storage that fits the ribbon on the spools but doesn't require dowels and you can see exactly what you have.
I checked these out and ordered four of them to start. LOVE THEM.
Right now they have free shipping. I ordered the four and thought if I liked them, I'd order more.
Well I have 6 more being sent out Monday. I've had a lot of ribbon in cardboard boxes and hate it. I can't wait to have them where I can see them all! I highly recommend them.
Love that quote by Gibbs...I can see him giving Tony a tap....lol
Ha ha! Yeah. Thanks!
I wanted to post a pic of my new ribbon roll control thingies. They say they're sturdy to stack 3 high but I stacked mine 4, because they're up against a wall. Seems to be okay. There are 8 there, 2 side by side, 4 tall.
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
I keep looking at all of your suggestions and think I'm more the Amazing Grace gal. I store my ribbon similarly but I think with shrinking the size of my cardboard I could get more ribbon in the space I have. I still need to wind all of my Christmas/ Halloween/ Fall but have been putting it off because I knew I wanted to tighten up my current system.
Anyone consider one of those plastic see through shoe racks that you hang o the door?You can probably get quite a few spools in one pocket and use a pocket for each color.
Great Ribbon storage
Ribbon Storage
