4 Best Thread Organisation Hacks! | Caterpillar Cross Stitch
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- čas přidán 22. 07. 2024
- In this week's video, Marie walks us through the top tips for thread and floss organisation there are! Messy threads all over your stash or craft room? Worry no more as we bag, bobbinate and organize to make your cross stitching experience and stash management a pure pleasure! If you're new to flosstube and cross stitch, or more experienced, you'll find plenty of stitching ideas and inspiration here!
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ABOUT ME:
Thanks for visiting my channel, I hope you enjoyed the video! I founded Caterpillar Cross Stitch in 2015 when I tried desperately for months to find a modern baby sampler my mum could stitch for new baby Felicity that would fit in with her simple, contemporary nursery. I love cross stitch, running, baking fruit cakes, drinking gin, eating salted caramel ice cream and most crafts!
See you soon and happy stitching! Sally x - Jak na to + styl
I have been cross stitching for almost 50 years since junior high school where I was taught. I have the simplest and in my humble opinion, most handy, and accessible way. I purchased 6 Sterilite totes with clear containers that slide in place, 3 shelves per plastic storage box. Imagine a small chest of drawers in white with clear fronts. In each drawer, I have heavy cardboard in place to separate each drawer into 3 rows. In two I have the entire DMC collection, another has Weeks Dye Works, another has Color and Cotton, and lastly Classic Colorworks. They all stack together and take up very little space! They are all on hard plastic bobbins and it is so very similar to what you shared. Easy peasy! My threads are all in numerical order as well! I keep a small notebook with my projects and when I am low I make a note so that when I need to place a floss order, my list is ready to go! I also have a shoebox (clear) with extra floss!
Wow, thank you for sharing!
Bobbinating the cut lengths are a game changer for me. Thanks for the idea.
Thank you so much for watching Vidette - I agree, it was a complete game changer for me too, wouldn't do it any other way anymore ☺️
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
@@CaterpillarCrossStitch what was the name of the lady that showed you how to cut the floss and what kind of box are you using and were can I get one??
I store my threads by colour AND by number. I cut my own bobbins from cardboard, recycling boxes. Since I use my floss for many different techniques I never pre-cut them, I just wind the full 8m on the bobbin. When I want to place a leftover length of floss back on the bobbin, I use the same loop method as used on the floss drop cards but around the floss on the bobbin and wrap the remaining length around so the bobbin can be put back in the flat storage container I use.
And I place my bobbins sideways, so I can better see the colours. The numbers and brand names I write with markers on the top of the card so I can leaf through when looking for a number. I use a stack of 4 containers, each with a piece of cardstock down the middle so I have two neat rows of bobbins. Each box is dedicated to a specific range of colours and each colourgroup is sorted by number. This way I can keep all floss from different brands together. (dmc STILL hasn't got a decent deep deep dark purple like Anchor has)
Well I watched this to fill some time thinking that I had it all figured out but I learnt a fabulous new trick. Thanks Maria, the idea to cut the bobbin into lengths is a game changer when it comes to needing the same shade in several wips!!! Fabulous, thanks for the idea this will same me having duplicate skeins or notes about what wip the skein is in!! Now i’m itching to re-organise my threads and wips!!! Libby
Thank you so much for watching Libby 💕 I’m so happy you found the trick useful - it was certainly a complete game changer for me!! Exactly as you say - I can now used one skein over several projects, it’s so much better to get organised 🎉
Happy stitching & organising ☺️🌸
Wow! I bobbinate and cut amount each time. But this method is my now forever go-to. Can't imagine how much time I have lost doing the other way. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Cheers Marilynne
I had most of my DMC collection already bobbinated, so I took them all off, cut into 1m length, rebobbinated and added the amounts to a spreadsheet to keep track. It took AGES, but it’s fantastic - so much easier to use!
That's great news!
I don't know why I didn't think of this before but seeing that bobbinating trick made me think of this. I'm going to frankenstein that trick with my floss drops and split my skeins of dmc into several floss drops in between the several projects that require the same color with each drop only have a couple lengths. Ding dong. Thanks Marie!
This was a great watch. Loved watching Marie! She has a lovely voice and really kind face.
Great information!
I LOVE your storage! I am going to save up for the Pip and Chip bobbins. Thanks for introducing me to floss drops too - that's a great way to organise 'in process' projects! I really love how you cut the skeins into lengths too.
Thank you so much for watching Gabrielle - and I am so happy you found it useful! All the things you mention were literally life changers for me, I'm so glad I can pass it on and help others 💕
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
I just saved up and spent about $1,300 on the bobbins and floss drops. So expensive, but hopefully they are worth it! Excited to get them in the mail!
@@nareyakireina I got the bobbins last year and LOVE them!
Oh wow, your trick for bobbins is going to be my new go to! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for watching Amanda, so happy you loved the tip! It was a life-changer for me ☺️
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
Thank you I am new & must consider all methods.
Most welcome 😊 thank you for watching & happy stitching 😊
Love your bobine storage.
Thank you so much 😊 I definitely find it very practical for kitting up 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
I recently started to but mine on bobbins but wow, the way you organize yours with the pip and chip storage is so satisfying! I need them! But idk which to get lol
Excellent as always Maria! I've learned so much from watching your videos.
Thank you so much for watching Judy and for your kind comment 💕 happy stitching 🌸
Thank you!l I can’t wait till I arrive home to rearrange my stash ❤
Thanks for watching! Enjoy organising your stash!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you for watching!
this was really interesting & has given me a few ideas for the future!! I tend to just order flosses for when I have a project, but this I feel will change in the comming years, so the pip and chip system I think will be my go to at some point!! :)
So glad you found some inspiration 💕 thank you so much for watching & happy stitching 🌸
If you have trouble with the end coming off bobbins try adding loom band rubber bands to hold in place
Hi Angela, thanks so much for watching 💕 that’s a really great tip, thank you so much for sharing! 😊 the Pip and Chip bobbins hold the end really well but the bobbins I used before didn’t so this is a really neat trick 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Thank you the app recommendation. I just downloaded it and set up my shopping list.
I love this video!!!! I literally have every color and some are on bobbins, some loose, some in a drawer and it takes me like 30 minutes to find the colors I need for a project
Thank you so much for watching Ashley, so glad you found this helpful ☺️ it usually takes me less than a minute to gather the threads I need, it’s definitely worth it 😍
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
Thanks for that great video. I only started cross stitching about 2 years ago, but I already have many left over thread. So far it's still sitting in one of the project bags (with dmc no). I guess I will go with bobbins (i thought so before watching your video), but you definitely convinced me to be on the right track. Thanks muchly.
Thanks so much for watching 💕 I am so happy that you found some useful tips!! I was also forced to organise my threads after having a massive bag of them 😁 bobbins are definitely a very neat satisfying storage ☺️ happy stitching & organising 🌸
Thank you so much for this helpful video! I'm a long-term cross-stitcher but have never quite managed a functional way to store my floss. I've had lists of numbers and colour conversion charts, that were never quite up to date. I was always a little turned off by bobbins with the need to unwind and rewind. I love how you've precut and then use the floss drops for projects. I can see this being a game-changer for me. Thanks again :)
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for sharing these great ideas I'm new to all this but always loved sewing and embroidery I was youngest sibling but when It came to sewing it was always me to do it
Glad you found it helpful. It's good to do something you love!
Thanks for the ideas.
Thank you for watching :)
Great video, I always just pulled my bobbins and just used them with the project, now I will cut off put some on a drop and replace, thank you!
Thank you so much for watching Lorrie 💕 so happy you found some useful tips in the video 😊 happy stitching 🌸
Me too!
Very informative
That was most helpful thank you. I really like your hack for bobbin winding. I use bobbins and I have almost all of the colors. I have been fortunate to find 4 plastic bobbin boxes and loads of floss at thrift sales. I keep my bobbins in numerical order. My extras I keep in a gallon size ziplock bag with the floss sorted into 100's, 200's, etc in sandwich bags. It is very easy to go to that bag and find what I need before I shop. Most times I have most of what I need already in those bags. When I put the original floss onto bobbins I cut off the number from the paper wrap and careful taped it to the top of the bobbin. That way every bobbin is identified neatly by their number. I usually only have one or two projects going so it is easy to remove the needed bobbins from the storage boxes and put the ones I need for each project into a smaller project bobbin box which also contains small scissors and extra needles and if the project will need extra floss I put that in the project box too. I've been cross stitching for yikes about 50 years now.
I do have a QUESTION; I am working on a Teresa Wetzler design which you probably know has tons of blended threads and over 30 or more colors. I rarely work on it because it seems so overwhelming to try to keep track of it all. Would you have a solution? I have put lengths of the two colors onto one bobbin but that is a pain too. Any ideas would be helpful. A friend suggested gridding with water soluble pen and that has been helpful for minimizing mistakes but the blended threads are making me crazy. Thank you!!
Hi Diana, thank you so much for watching 💕 and for sharing your floss storage system! I really like you’re using the larger bags for spare stash, I will switch mine from the box to zip locks too x
Now as for blended threads... they are such a pain!! I haven’t quite plucked up the courage to do one of Teresa Wentzler’s designs although I do have her English Garden in my stash. Perhaps one day 😁
I do have to deal with a lot of blended threads in Dimensions kits though and my best solution so far has been to keep the required threads separately as I normally would, pull 1 strand of each out when called for as blended and whatever is left over I then keep on a dedicated floss drop under that blended symbol (not thread numbers) to pick again when needed. I hope I’m making sense.. I used to keep both threads together as a ‘blend’ but found it quite impractical as most usually they are also called for separately as single colours. And to divide the blended thread if not used fully to put back with the individual colours didn’t work for me either. So I have a dedicated floss drop for each blend now and only keep the currently used thread on until I run out and top up again.
I hope this helps at least a bit - if you find anything better, please let me know, they really are a pain to work with 😁
Happy stitching 🌸💕
@@StitchesAndDiamonds thanks so much for the blended thread suggestions. I recently watched a flosstube called Linen and Scrap. They have great tutorials on making decorative floss storage for projects. I think I will try making one of their floss ring designs. Might mentally make it more fun. Thanks again.
I too have tried several ways to keep my DMC organized. I first bobbinate them, then put in corresponding numbered plastic bag, then place bags on a huge binder ring in numerical order. I take out required bags for my project and put on smaller ring. I also keep the original floss ring in the bag. I will try precutting the floss first. Thank you for your video.
Love this video. Just got my first order from you and started a You Tube channel too - feeling inspired!
Thanks for watching! Good luck with your channel
Oh, I love that last bobbin+thread drop combo! I love the way my bobbins look in their box, but it's not very useful when actually stitching from them. I recently heard about the thread drop method and tried it on threads in a kit I have, which were already organized through holes, but not pre-cut. So easy! So simple to use! So hassleless! But, uh, not great for storage? Combining them solves both of those projects and I'll be converting to that asap!
Fantastic video…I’ve decided to go for Pip & Chips chips instead of the bobbins and bought the Ikea boxes…I can’t wait to sort out all my thread 🧵
Thank you so much for watching Fern ❤️ the chips are fab as well - and IKEA boxes are a great idea!! 😍 happy organising ☺️🌸
What IKEA boxes are you referring to?
nice work ❤❤
Thank you so much for watching 💕 happy stitching 🌸
This was so incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for compiling all these methods together. Also out of curiosity - where did you get that wooden box you store your bobbins in?
I just got the Pip & Chip system and am so glad I spent the money on it!! I also got one of their WIP boxes and so I just pull the whole bobbin from my storage box (the Durable 5-drawer) and put the bobbin into the foam insert in the Pip and Chip WIP box. It's perfect and no need to transfer any threads to a floss drop or Annie Keeper. The WIP boxes are only about $20 dollars, so not that expensive compared to the whole bobbin set. :)
Thank you for sharing!
I love your bobbin storage. Thank you for the tip to cut them. I checked out that shop and would like to get some! But where did you get your tray to store them in? I see they have dividers but I don’t see the tray.
I find floss stored on bobbins for any length of time, gets pressed into kinks. I use a thread conditioner before use, and this helps get creases out. (Beeswax didn’t work for me)
Thanks so much for watching Jen - and for sharing this great tip!! 😊 I have to say that since I’ve started using the thick acrylic bobbins & the short lengths wound in twos, I don’t really have an issue with the thread being frizzy. I always keep thread magic handy though, it’s a perfect help for any frizzy thread! x
Happy stitching 🌸
One idea for floss bags is to hang them on a coat hanger so you can see them easier. You could group the coat hangers by number.
Great idea, thank you for sharing.
I like using floss drops and find they take less space in a project bag but I have been gifted an almost full DMC set that is on bobbins already. Your method of storing precut lengths on bobbins and then transferring to floss drops sounds like it would work well for me too. I also hate searching through all my project bags to check for a color before I head to the store and buy duplicates. If the bobbins stay in the box it will be so much easier!
Thank you so much for watching Valerie, I'm so glad you found it useful! I struggled with exactly the same thing - I was trying to remember which project has the colour I need for another project, it all got really messy and I ended up with up to 5 of the same shades of DMC. Storing on bobbins and only unwinding 2 lengths to put on floss drops while maintaining a 'master' storage has truly worked excellently for me - I hope you will enjoy this storage system too 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
I’m a ‘free’ embroiderer. I buy threads second hand. I store on bobbins by colour. Duplicate skeins in a backstock box. A lot are vintage anchor and Dmc so the numbers don’t mean as much.
That's so cool! :)
Thanks for this guide! I personally have hated bobbinating for years, but haven't found a space-conscious alternative I like that can handle a large floss stash - your tips are making me reconsider keeping them as my primary, or at least keeping me from loosing my mind with frustration while I figure out my dream organization. Any tips for dealing with the kinks that bobbins make in the thread? Do you steam them or anything like that?
Thanks so much for watching Cory - I completely understand, I hated bobbins at first too but it's such a great (and compact) way of keeping threads. I have to say that since I'm pre-cutting the thread, bobbinating always 2 strands at a time and using the thicker Pip and Chip bobbins, I don't really have issues with kinks in the threads.
When I do have kinks for any reason whatsoever, I have a cheap sponge damper pad (it was £3 on Amazon) - I just lightly dampen it and run the thread through the damp sponge as if I was using a thread conditioner.
It immediately irons out any kinks and I use it straight away even when it's still a bit damp.
If I've overdone it on the amount of water in the sponge, I have a kitchen towel at the ready to pat the thread and get rid off excess moisture.
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions 😊
Happy stitching (and bobbinating) 🌸
Marie
Where do you find the storage boxes? I’m definitely going to save up. Can you buy the bobbins in the US or just Europe?
since i was 8 yrs old i only know one way and that is to use bobbins. it takes time but very satisfying for me. thanks for the video.
where can we get the number labels/stickers????
From DMC or eBay
If you have a lot of skeins that need to be bobbinated, you can save quite a bit of time by attaching the end of the bobbin into an electric drill. Start the floss wind, then squeeze the trigger gently! Saves time and your wrists! Just pay close attention to the thread tension as you're winding it.
Thanks for sharing :)
buy a $20 nail drill and fit the bit for a bobbin... sooooooo satisfying. I also just realized I have a literal electric bobbin winder for my sewing machine bobbins! why haven't I tried that?!
I use 2 bobbins per colour, one is for the longer length of thread and the other is for threads which have been partially used.
Fab, thanks for sharing :)
It would be nice for DMC to re-number their flosses so the 300's are all the reds, 400's blue etc.. I do not like bombinating as it develops a kink in my floss after a short time. DMC/Cosmo flosses are inexpensive so I keep them with the project and end up having extras however, fancy floss and silks I do keep track using floss away bags on rings and spreadsheet tracking system. Thanks for the info.
Thank you so much for watching Barb 💕 I couldn't agree more that it would be just fantastic if the numbers were grouped by colours, that would be so amazing!!
Hi Marie, Your tutorials are so helpful. When you cut a skin into 1 meter length, do you unwind an entire skein then measure our 1 meter?? I'm not sure how you're making those 1 meter lengths.
Hi Patricia, thank you so much, I'm so happy you're finding the tutorials helpful ☺️ Yes, I unwind the entire skein and then put the 2 ends together to fold the whole length of skein in half, and then again, and then again, until I have 4 loops on one end, and 3 loops plus 2 ends on another. I then cut the loops and have 8 separate lengths as a result. Hope that helps!
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
Where can I find a wooden storage box for my bobbins like the one you have in the video?
Hi Tina, I have bought mine from Creations by Rod, a UK small business that makes these to order 😊 they sell these via their website. Hope this helps!
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
I used plastic ziplock...its easy to use... Easy to stored and keep it...
That’s a great solution too, helps to keep the floss neat, tidy and tucked away, I love it! 😊 thank you so much for watching & happy stitching 🌸
I use the pip and chip bobbins love them they are expensive but well worth it I still don’t have all my skeins on the bobbins but someday! I do like the idea of pre cutting them! I think I’ll make a flosstube in my storage
I bobbinate my DMC floss, but instead of taking it off the bobbin and transferring to a thread drop, I simply run the ring through the hole in the bottom of the bobbin. Then when I'm finished with the project, I can just take the bobbin off the ring and replace it in the drawers where I store all of them.
Fantastic tip - thanks for sharing!
Bobbinating is time consuming and monotonous but for me it’s the best method and best space saver. Anyone looking for a cheap way to store them go into your local DIY shop and look at the plastic boxes for screw storage. The boxes are segmented. You can get quite large ones for only a few pounds (the one I’m using cost like £4 and holds 200 bobbins).
Thanks for sharing!
You didn't mention DMC stitchbows storage which I love for my DMC floss I have six folders which carry all my DMC, I use floss drops for silks and Pako floss holders
for different products I am stitching.
Thanks so much for the tips Laura, that's fantastic - your system sounds very well organised 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
Where did you get your stickers???!!!
What was the app that you talked about to keep track of what floss you had? I didn’t quite catch it.
Hi Lyndsay, thank you so much for watching 😊 the app mentioned is called Thread Stash, available on both Android and iOS 😊
Happy stitching & organising 🌸
Marie
Wondering if you have any suggestions for brands of lights to purchase (and that work well) to illuminate my cross stitch project. My eyes aren't as young as they used to be when I started cross stitching many decades ago. Thanks!
This is the neck light that Sally uses : amzn.to/3Jfufzc
Hope this helps!
Where do you buy the box?
Where did you get your box for your chip and dip Bobbins?
Hi Kelly, I bought it from a UK company - creations by rod 😊 they have a website if you google it - they make plenty of Kallax inserts for needleworkers, their products are lovely and a great quality 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
I enjoy bobbinating, but I just use the plastic bobbins and box.
Love your bobbin storage where do I get it ?
Thanks so much for watching Debra! 😊 the storage is from Creations By Rod, a UK small business.
Their website is creations-by-rod.co.uk.
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
Thanks for watching!
Were dis you get your wooden box for your floss and what was the name of the lady that showed you how to cut the floss
Hi Tasha! Thanks so much for being here 😊
I have bought the wooden box from a UK small business called Creations by Rod, you can just Google it and it will come up straight away 😊
The Flosstube channel I learned the hack from is called Laura Grr. It was in one of her amazing regular Flosstube videos where she also shared how she organised her floss 😊
Hope this helps!
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
Where did you get your wood boxes?
Thank you so much for watching 😊 my wooden bobbin box is from Creations by Rod (website link below). He is based in the UK and makes them to order - it comes as a small chest of drawers that perfectly fits IKEA Kallax bookcase and it's absolutely brilliant.
creations-by-rod.co.uk
I would love bobbins but can't handle the fold it puts in the thread. I'm still searching but most professional embroiderers say to keep it in the skein.
Thank you for your advice!
what is the brand name of those special bobbins?
Hi Carolyn, thank you so much for watching! The bobbin brand is Pip&Chip, based in the UK and shipping worldwide 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
How long do you cut the floss for projects
It's really personal preference but a good rule of thumb is from hand to elbow.
The tip about cutting threads before bobbinating is really useful. It was good to see the bobbins stored that way as the colour tabs must really help when you’re using your own selection of colours. I’m thinking of buying the storage system but to hang the threads instead, however it takes up so much space so I’ll now consider this instead. Thank you.
Hi Carolyn, I’m so happy you found it useful! The space requirements is exactly why I abandoned storing my floss on floss drops. The colour coding on these bobbins is fantastic and it helps me find threads really quickly 😊
Thank you so much for watching & happy stitching 🌸
I was thinking of switching to floss drops but bcz of storage needs I'll stay with bobinating and having the precut threads is very useful. I did see Marie's video on creating floss drops and will be making some of my own. I find it easier to stitch instead of using the bobbins or even using a thread holder for projects
Where can you orderpipand chip foam
I'm not sure - a quick search on google might help :)
How do you store your leftover floss?
Hi Ernie, I just wind it back on the bobbins as I've got my floss cut in 1m lengths so it's really easy to just wind the leftovers back on the bobbins. Hope this helps 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
How many DMC colours are there total?
Hi Amita, thank you so much for watching 💕 there are currently around 500 DMC colours - this changes quite often with new colours being introduced and old discontinued. Hope that helps 😊 happy stitching 🌸
@@StitchesAndDiamonds thank you so much!! I brought a bulk lot of 500 colours online and was wondering if there were more or not
9:45 I wouldn't recommend storing the threads by color even to designers. Why? Because a designer would have invested on his/her brand color chart, which are already sorted by color. Thus, they see the number in the color chart... and goes to its storage... well, sorted by number is faster.
You know there are 1) floss bobbin winders 2) less expensive acrylic bobbins & stick-on numbers from DMC available! 😉
Thanks so much for your comment and for watching!
Definitely, as mentioned in the video - there are much less expensive bobbins or you can even DIY them.
I do know about the bobbin winders but as I precut the thread into 1 meter lengths and wound 2 at a time, it wouldn’t really work for me. I find them really suitable for anyone who winds the whole 8m length on a bobbin.
Happy stitching!
Marie
Thanks for your feedback!
Signed up only got one pattern
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Se ve muy bueno pero... No entendí nada lastima de todas maneras gracias
Thank you for watching!
Just looking at bobbins it looks so time consuming, so ps find another way of just storing the intact thread with their labels.
Thanks for your comment and for watching! 😊
There are many ways to store threads and this is just selection of 4 of the most common ones. Bobbins are like marmite, either you love it or you hate it! 😊
Happy stitching 🌸
Marie
Have you ever tried DMC stitch bow floss holders? They are the exact length of a purchased flossdrop and you simply hook both ends through the loops and slide the number tag on the side panel. They can then be stored in bags/drawers/wherever. The biggest plus for me is the thread doesn’t end up with multiple kinks like bobbins produce. Thanks for your videos though, lots of info and super fun to watch.