I don't have a super amount of thread spools but what I have is in a drawer in my sewing machine cabinet. I may have to go to 2 drawers soon. These are cotton threads, older poly's are in a separate drawer off on a bookcase shelf.
I like seeing those wall pegs and stand-up peg affairs but I am afraid they would be fair game for the cat.
Theresa

I have my regular sewing thread in one drawer, my embroidery thread in another drawer, and since I just got a new serger, I'm going to have to clear out a drawer for my serger thread.

The colors I use most often or most recently are on a handy thread tree I bought on line from Connecting Threads. I don't have to take them off the tree to use them: the thread can be looped over a hook at the top of the tree and fed directly to the machine.

The rest are in a basket on the shelf beside the sewing machine. Bobbins are in a smaller basket, in two of those circular rubber bobbin holders.

Kate I really like your thread tree, I have never seen one of them before. So drawers and baskets, interesting. I have my bobbins in a clear rectangular case made by Singer that has a hinged lid. Thank you for sharing how you store your sewing threads.

Best to you and many thanks,
Sandra

ziplocks by color families and types, and dumped in a plastic container, just like Sandra.. I do not like my thread out in the open getting exposed to more light and lint and dust than necessary. I have random spools of thread also sitting around - I am not as neat as Sandra.

I have a bigger issue with bobbins!

I buy Connecting Threads Essentails, and do not like that once you pull off the plastic wrapper, the color number is gone making it difficult to match or order the same color when the color is critical. I started taking a few threads and looping it thru a hole punched in an index card with the number from the wrapper taped under the hole. It has helped me to identify thread colors a few times.
That is the extent of my organization.

I have one cookie tin full of hand quilting thread, one big cookie tin full of regular all-purpose thread, one drawer full of cotton machine quilting thread and one drawer full of this 'n that partial spools. (These drawers are the ones in the roll-away plastic storage bin.) I don't have a lot of pre-wound bobbins but the ones I have are in one of those round blue holders like Kate has. I also have some in the cubby that came with the machine. I have a big sewing case full of embroidery thread - gobs of different colors - that I never use but I love knowing that I have it if I ever want to. And they are almost all wound up on those little cardboard spools ready to go.

I use large cake tupperware storage units turned upside down. I pick them up cheap at thrift stores and garage sales and the fact that I have several makes it easy to stack them.

I use a hot wheels or matchbox carrying case! They are cheaper than the ones you by in the craft stores, and are really the same thing. They are clear cases that store little cars in seperate compartments. If you are storing small threads you can put a good three in in compartment, just one if its a large spool. They are clear so you can see through it without opening it, I have three of them!

Magothyrivergirl I agree it's important to not leave thread sitting out to fade in light exposure and collect lint. The inside of my sewing cabinet shelves is messy to me, but since they have solid wooden doors to them, it's kind of like out of sight out of mind. I like for everything to be organized, when things are messy I get so distracted thinking about how to organize the mess that I can't focus on my projects, it kind of puts me at a standstill until I get things clean and organized.

Ritaweeda I had not thought of using cookie tins, but I see how that could be useful. And Carol I had not thought of using cake tupperware storage units, I haven't been to the thrift store in a while, seems like every time I make it into town with M-I-L we are rushed and never make that 1 extra stop.

Here is a photo of the Singer bobbin case I got once when we were vacationing in Dallas and got to go to Joann's. Wish we had a Joann's here. I love this little case with the hinged lid - I need to get another one as well as more bobbins.
{{!gwi}}

Thank you all for all the cool storage ideas you have given us. Is greatly appreciated and cool to read about. :-)

Best to you and many thanks,
Sandra

Well, the chair is in the way, but the 6-drawer rolling cabinet behind it has my thread. They are organized by fiber/use and by color - top drawer is cotton, next 3 drawers are ME rayon & polyester, bottom 2 drawers are C&C dual duty. My seldom used serger thread is on the wall-mounted tree next to the pegboard.

Donna

I have one of those thread holders I got in JoAnn's that holds about 20 spools. A cookie tin holds some specailty embroidery and metallic threads. I don't change thread for every project and don't care what color I piece with so don't really have that large a selection. I leave the thread out all the time collecting dust. Guess that's why sewing makes me cough and sneeze.

Mzstitch that is cool that you use match box cars box to store you thread in - I had not thought of that. Donna I like your desks and how you have plenty of room to put storage drawers underneath them. Fran1523 glad you could join us, I will have to go check out what Joann's has online for thread storage.

Best to you and have a great weekend!,
Sandra

You can see my thread holder in the "Let's see your sewing room post".My BF's DH made it for me many years ago.I found the picture in a simplicity book,had cut it out and it was on my someday project list.So when it was close to my B'day,BF asked what i wanted(we both sewed a lot) i gave her the picture and asked if her dh could make it for me.It holds over 200 spools of thread.My serger thread is in a plastic drawer,and my speciality threads are in one of those big plastic jars that prtzels or licorice came in from costco.None of my threads are exposed to light,containers have lids,and the big rack has a cover thrown over it.

I also am an avaid cross stitcher,so all that thread is wound on EZ Bob Bobbins that i got from 3 stitches in texas,and stored in tackle boxes i got from sporting goods store.

One thing i have learned with having so many hobbies is to look outside the box and see what you can use for purposes it wasn't intended for.Save you a lot of money that you can then use to buy more stash!!!!!JMO
Kathi

Kathi I really love your giant thread rack and that's really cool that your BF's DH was able to make it for you. I like your use of tackle boxes. I use a toolbox to store my art pencils and art supplies in. All these discussions of sewing rooms and thread storage has got me thinking of possibly converting the printer's drawer that is hanging on my wall behind my computer, into a thread storage rack, I already have wooden spools of thread on it that belonged to my grandma. Hmmmm. :-) Have a great week!

Best to you,
Sandra

Well, let's see...

My machine quilting threads are on a wall-mount thread rack. It's overfilled and I need to get another one. Those bobbins are stored in rubber rings, usually hanging on one of the pegs.

My serger threads are scattered on a few small decorative shelves over one of my tables. There's not enough room, really, but it's all I have. I piece with these threads, so they're close. These bobbins reside in a tableside basket with my most used tools.

My embroidery threads are stored in 12" thread boxes with clear lids. The 3 boxes sit on top of each other behind my embroidery machine.

I have a plastic hinged-lid box with some misc. Coats & Clark that I did out of the closet for garment sewing. These bobbins are on a different colored rubber ring that stays with them.

I also have a huge collection of older, larger industrial spools of cotton threads. I don't use these much anymore and have considered just tossing them. It seems a bit wasteful, even though I don't use them, so they stay in a shelf/drawer that hangs on the closet system.

I think that's about what I have. And today I've realized that I need a few more! LOL

Jennifer_in_va it sounds like you are well organized. When you say you "piece with these threads, ..." your serger threads are you meaning that you hand quilt with them??

Best to you,
Sandra

i also use the match box car holders. mine is double sided need to buy another one. walmart is a good place to look. i just forget when i'm in there. it has a handle and can pick it up and go.

Hi Patti60 I like that idea, I think I will look for clear car case next time I go to Walmart.

Best to you,
Sandra

wow...I'm such a newbie at all this...I have all my threads sitting out in box...such wonderful ideas, thanks much for sharing...time for me to get shopping...I mean organized. love the ideas!