I do my knitting, crocheting, beading, etc. while watching TV. I usually had to get up many times to find tools or supplies. I brought in a weather beaten plastic table from the yard after I spray painted it burgundy. Then a friend came to lunch and brought me some fabric she didn't want. I knew immediately what to do with it.
I made this organizer in a couple of hours using her fabric, my spray painted table and odds and ends of bias tape I had accumulated. Just measure the top and add an inch. Then measure the sides, cut your fabric (I tore mine), add pockets to the sides, sew the sides to the top and store your crafting tools. I love mine.
Source: My very own idea
By Gailya Illsley from Lillington, NC
When you put the bows away for the next craft, is there a way to keep them from flattening out?
Stack them into the leg of a pair of nylons. You may even hang the pair in the back of a closet!
You'd probably need to store them individually to prevent flatness. Time-consuming, but I'd attach them in rows to a short Velcro strip, maybe using a Velcro dot on the back if they don't stick well. Line them down the strip, getting as many as possible onto each strip. You might find it easier with tweezers.
I have used a large under the bed plastic storage container for storing all my bows and spools of ribbon. There is no need for any special way to arrange the bows. Just toss in and they remain nice and fluffy until you use them. Another plus is that it's a great space saver. I also use another one for all the gift bags and wrapping paper.
If you need more space and have no place to hang shelves you can hang open-backed shelves in front of your windows. In the kitchen, this is a great place to store colored glass ware (like depression or cobalt glass) because the sun looks great shining through the glass.
Use empty pill bottles to dispense elastic and similar items. Coil the item to fit into the bottle. Then cut a simple slit/opening in the lid to pull the item out as you need it, as much as you need.
This is just a simple suggestion for anyone who creates crafts or does art projects. Materials add up quickly and can get scattered about!
My roommate has a lot of medicine bottles and she gives them to me for my crafts. Having very little room on my table, I have learned to hang things in shoe bag hangers and the like.
I am an avid crocheter and I like to have my patterns, hooks, and different color yarns that I'm working with handy. I found the perfect caddy. I bought these clothes hampers at Ikea for around $4.00.
When I make something, I always save a pattern; whether it be hard copy or computer copy. I may want to reuse it later and it will be easily accessible filed away in a filing cabinet or on my hard drive.
Avid crafters are always in need of containers for their supplies. This can be expensive unless you get creative and begin identifying recycled containers that can be kept for storing them.
I buy mis-matched toothbrush holders in "my colors" at my thrift store and use them to store my paint brushes in while I'm creating.
I try to keep the clutter around my desk to a minimum, so I don't own a ruler. But, I do a lot of craft supply selling from there, so this helped me. I measured out a 6 inch piece of paper.