Results tagged “Organizing” from Fabric.com Blog

I run a mobile library out of the back of my car. The book list is ever revolving and there always seems to be at least 10 books back there at a given time. My little one loves books and if I need to run errands, I need to have a constant supply. I designed this Back Seat Car Organizer to fit her mobile library but it can easily be used for art supplies, toys, diapering needs (for the babies) or whatever your child needs to get through a trip out and about. My organizer slips onto the back of a car seat and features 3 pockets, 2 big and 1 small. While looking for a great place to take pictures I discovered that this organizer is perfect for other locations in the house that need a space to store kid supplies. You can hang it on your stairs for the "you need to take this stuff upstairs" stuff, hang it from a coat hook for school supplies in the mud room or mount it by bunk beds for books or in a closet for hair and toiletries. The ideas are endless as long as you have a need. The finished Back Seat Car Organizer is 21'' h by 13.5'' w.

To make your own you will need:

1 yd of heavy canvas fabric for lining

1 yd of quilting cotton if making all pockets the same or

                ¼ yd for small pocket

                ¼ yd for medium pocket

                ½ yd for large pocket

Plus approx. 2 yd of 2.5'' bias trim for edging and strap

2 snaps

Instructions (all seams are ½'' unless stated otherwise):

From canvas cut:

                Two 21''x13.5'' pieces for body

                One 17''x13.5'' for large pocket

                One 12''x13.5'' for medium pocket

                One 6''x'13.5'' for small pocket

From Quilting Cotton cut (sub in various prints if you want a different print for each pocket)

One 17''x13.5'' for large pocket

                One 12''x13.5'' for medium pocket

                One 6''x'13.5'' for small pocket

With RS together, pin all pocket pieces together and stitch across the top (one of the 13.5'' sides). Press seam open then press WS together and pin 3 open sides together for all pockets.  Topstitch across the top, finished edge.

Baste 2 body canvas pieces together. Pin Large Pocket in place, lining up bottom and side raw edges. On each side, mark 10'' down from top.  Starting at top finished edge, stitch down one side, pivoting at the 10'' mark, stitching across to 2^nd 10'' mark and back up to the top, back stitch at both ends. This shortens the pocket so it isn't a deep cavern that will eat your books.

Pin medium and small pockets in place, matching bottom and sides and baste in place. Square up everything with a ruler and a rotary cutter now if you want.

Apply bias trim, starting at the center bottom and working your way around the entire edge of the organizer.

To make your snap straps, you can either serge your straps like me or stitch up 15'' of your remaining double folded bias trim. Cut your strap into 2 pieces, one 7'' and one 8''. Double fold ½'' at one end of the 8'' strap and apply the female snap according to your package instructions (check out my post on snaps here for extra help). The snap will hold the double fold in place so you don't need to sew it first. Repeat for second strap with male snap and place a second male snap 1'' down from the first. Pin your snap straps 2.5'' in from each side on top of the organizer and stitch in place twice for extra durability.

Enjoy your new Back Seat Car Organizer. I have another on my cutting table already for baby #2. It will initially be used for wipes, pacifiers, bibs, diapers and burp cloths and hopefully evolve to books as well from there!

There once was a young girl, ignorant and inexperienced. Her world changed in a day. The day was Christmas day and started like any other. The young girl celebrated jovially with her family as they gathered around the tree for presents. As she began to open her presents, the girl had an eerie feeling that her life was never going to be the same. She was right. That Christmas was the year that she received her first knitting book and that girl was me. For the first few years, my house runneth over with yarn. It was everywhere: in the coffee table, closets, under the bed, on my nightstand, purse and in the guest room. But now, I have found organization and am at peace (Om). My yarn is happy and I am happy. Everyone in my family can walk unobstructed by yarn tails and balls rolling under foot.

Quite an odd segue for yarn organization, I know, but I am a stream of consciousness kind of gal. Plus when it comes to yarn organization sometimes a little story helps get ya in the mood. Face it, if you are anything like the majority of knitters, you have let you yarn run amuck for way too long and organizing it into submission. A story helps but so do pictures, to help you get ideas for your space, style and stash.

If you have limited space, let me suggest investing in shelves (I think the work 'invest' is misleading. I don't mean that the shelves cost an arm and a leg but that you should consider them an asset). You can then display and systematize your yarn while saving valuable floor space. Consider magazine to sort each yarn by project. Or some cool vintage-y wire containers for each fiber. Baskets are also a great option for you traditional knitters. If you are so inclined add a basket liner embroidered with each weight of yarn.

Should you have some floor space available consider a small piece of furniture. I have seen some bloggers using wine rack but I don't see that as a high capacity solution. A pie safe is an excellent option, like Loopy Ewe's. It lends a classic/farm house feel and once filled with yarn; it keeps your skeins dust free while still leaving them on display. A small dresser, like this one from IKEA, is another opportunity which still allows a glimpse of your yarn but with all the functionality of drawers.

Should you have a significant of floor space to offer up the yarn gods, try cubbies. I see this in many yarn stores as their display of choice. Many furniture stores offer a cubby system of some kind. I use this in my sewing room as you saw in my video and to your left. Cubbies are great for stacking lots of yarn in several different compartments. You can display your yarn by weight, color, fiber, or project. Check out these cubbies as another great example of the fun to be had with cubbies.

I hope you will share your yarn organization tips on our Facebook page or twitter. I am always looking to change it up since my stash is ever-evolving.

Picture 1: Craftzine

Picture 2: Loopy Ewe

Picture 3: GrueneTree