# Mini bolts of fabric



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I'm thinking of trying to make my fabric yardage on mini-bolts, and I've priced the ones shown on fabric sites and they are stupidly expensive for what the appear to be.

http://www.polarnotions.net/products/Original-Size-Mini-Bolts-(50{47}box).html

I think this works out to $1.30 each

Just found this site that is exactly what I'm thinking of, but figuring out a "cheaper" way to do that.

so I'm thinking of these:
http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-2437/Corrugated-Pads/8-1-2-x-11-150-Corrugated-Pads
and these would be about 24cents each if I only get 100

And I could make the ends stay with small bits of painters blue tape, or straight pins as the stores do it.


Has anyone else done something like this? What did you use? How's it working out for you?

Angie


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

Angie lots of people are using comic boards.....I have NO idea where to get them but google should help with that. Also I've heard of going to a shop that makes signs and getting that kind of board cut to the size you want. Hope this helps!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

http://www.google.com/products/cata...atwfamezoDg&ved=0CFMQ8wIwBA&biw=1295&bih=688#

I guess I need to check these out. Seems several places. I need to read the specs on the weights of them.

The reviews said they were used for fabric. I'm on the amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/Ultrapro-Regular-Size-Comic-Boards/dp/B0023X9UOO

I just need to organize fabrics much better.

And the cut to size sounds good, but would need to check out the cost factor.


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

supposedly...haven't tried it myself....you buy the board and a lot of places will cut it free or you can use an exacto knife if I remember right. I don't have enough stash yet to have an issue so I'm trying to remember what I have read......in case one day it is overflowing my shelves :teehee:


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## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

Angie.
I was wanting to do the same when I redid my fabric stash but didn't have the money to buy so here is what I did. Once my fabric was washed and ironed, I folded my fabric one more time in half length wise. I layed it on my ruler that measures 8x12 with a bit over to tuck under. I then stated to roll the fabric around the ruler until all was wound up. At this point you could use a pin to keep the fabric held in place but I just tucked my ends under. Grab a hold of one end of the ruler and pull it out. Wa la you now have a neat roll of fabric that can now be displayed with the rolled edge facing you so you can see what the fabric colors are.
I hope this helps you.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Debbie - didn't you post photos after doing that? I'm pretty sure that's how I got this idea.

It's just where the fabric is starting to rule me, and I need to make things better, and weed through some that might have been a pity adoption along the way.

Then I'll need to store the pity fabrics, or give to a school for drama costumes.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

now looking at 

http://www.staples.com/Staples-Card-Stock-8-1-2-x-11-Ivory-250-Pack/product_490890?cmArea=SEARCH

cardstock. That might work since the comic/magazine boards seem to be 22lb card stock.


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

we use cardstock in making lapbooks for school. what i have would not hold up to the fabric. not sure what "size" it is since I put it in a drawer and throw the package away when I buy it.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

110lb card stock is not good enough for vertical storage. I went to staples and felt it while out today.


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## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

Yes Angie that was me. I love how it has been working out as I can see what I have with ease and it holds it shape really well. Since I store my fabric flat on the shelves, I get alot more on those shelves now too.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

As a starter, you could use paper towel rolls to roll your fabric on and use a large paper clip to hold it on. If you did this with a dozen pieces of fabric you'd get a better idea of how it will look before moving on to something stronger. You can also pick up heavy boxes and cut to form, sized perfectly for your shelves and the length of fabrics you are storing. I'm going to have to do this myself. My stash is in vinyl boxes and I have to sort through the whole box to find what I need. The gears are working.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Debbie - what is the longest length of fabric you have done that way? and is it all about the weight of the quilting cottons? This may work for the cotton and blends, but I'm wondering how I'm going to do the slickery lycras, and tricots, etc - but most of my fabrics are the cotton weights, and more are 100% cotton.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I'm thinking strongly of the comic or magazine boards from Amazon since there are reviews there that this use works with them. And the price does not seem huge.


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## grannyB (Feb 9, 2011)

Mat board will work and it is acid free so won't harm fabric long term. But it may be expensive, I haven't checked on it. I have saved political signs because they make good yard sale signs. They are a corrugated plastic. I cut with a utility knife to the size I want. I only do fabric pieces larger than 1 yd on the boards. This is especially good for quilt backings. Easier to keep straight if you have to move them around. The smaller pieces I just fold and stack on shelves by color or theme.

I have been told that regular cardboard should be covered with plastic before wrapping fabric on it. Haven't used it myself yet.


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## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

Angie
Sorry it's taken me long to get back. Have been in the sewing room playing around! I have wound up to six yards of material and have not had a problem. When you roll up this amount you want to do it on a slick surface as to make it easier to turn the ruler and keep the fabric straight on the ruler too. I would think that you could do this with any fabric but maybe use a straight pin to secure the end of the fabric to itself, to kind of hold it in place.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Thanks Debbie - I don't think I have any longer than 5 yards.
This may be what I do.


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## fellini123 (Feb 2, 2003)

What we did was go to our local fabirc shop and ask if they had any old cardboard bolt thingies. They said sure we throw them away. So I asked if I could have them and DH cut them in half with a circular saw. Poof, 1/2 bolts.
ALice in Virginia


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Alice - that would be good.
Know where I can get a DH with a Circular saw?


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## fellini123 (Feb 2, 2003)

AngieM2 said:


> Alice - that would be good.
> Know where I can get a DH with a Circular saw?


Ummmm...a neightbor with a circular saw??? What about just a circular saw and do it yourself???? LOL

Alice in Virginia


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

I think you could cut them w/a razor blade type knife.


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## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

This sounds really good for bigger pieces of fabric but I have so much that is smaller pieces (like less than 1/2 yard) I wonder how the boards would work for them or if it would be better to roll them? Any ideas folks?


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

I short term stored a bunch of fabric on cereal boxes. I cut them into the size of just the front and the back. I then flipped them so the writing was on the inside. A front and back were pretty strong. One box per bolt. 

If you have a recycling program near you you can pick up a ton of them for free.


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## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

CC, for my smaller pieces that are less than a yard I store in one of those rolling plastic carts that you can buy. They have three drawers to them and I can them mark on the outside, 1. scraps 2. half yards 3. less than one yard
This way when I am want to do a project for a scrappy quilt I can pull out a drawer and see what is in my stash.
I also have one of those carts for strips. the first drawer is 1 1/2 inches, the second drawer is 2 1/2 inches and the third drawer is for any wider pieces I may have.
I have found that when I get down to a certain size of material, less than a yard, I decide if the material is a save for bigger scraps or just cut into strips. If I really like the print it goes in the scrap bin, if the print is so so it gets cut into strips.
I like having the strips handy for when I am making a scrappy quilt. I can gather enough of those together and make them into a binding. It works really well for those donation blankets.


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## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

Debbie that is a great idea. I would really love to just be able to pull out pre-cut pieces!


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I use those polar notions bolts, they're pretty awesome actually!


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## AbbeyLehman (Jan 2, 2006)

I used the comic book boards. I found several places really close--just look in your yellow pages for any comic book shops, I think they all carry them.

I bought the 8.5 x 11 size because it works for my shelves. I used a full sized board for larger pieces of fabric, including the 5+ pieces. It makes them fat and it isn't very strong, but it keeps the fabric to the right size & shape for my shelves--plus, let's face it--when you get that much all rolled/folded up, not much really *will* stand up to it 

I cut the boards in half both ways to use for fat quarters and similar sizes. If I can find my pictures I will put them up....

Oh--the main reason the comic book boards are good--they are acid-free....Good if some of your stash sits for a while before you use it...

Wait--we're supposed to USE it?????? :gaptooth:

Abbey


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Abbey - here's my beginnings on comic book boards - I'm really liking the looks, it's almost as good as going to Hancock's or Hobby Lobby, or JoAnn's - of course that's the three places most of it comes from.


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## HTG_zoo (Apr 18, 2011)

I wonder if coroplast could work for you? It's the stuff that election type signs are made of and you can ussually get it for free after an election. Barring that, there's a bathroom paneling material made out of essentially the same stuff that you can cut with a sharp knife. I get it for $19 for a 4x8 sheet (I make cage floors out of it), I imagine you could easily get 19 slices out of it.


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## AbbeyLehman (Jan 2, 2006)

AngieM2 said:


> Abbey - here's my beginnings on comic book boards - I'm really liking the looks, it's almost as good as going to Hancock's or Hobby Lobby, or JoAnn's - of course that's the three places most of it comes from.


Very pretty!!! I have a picture here of mine, hold on....

Ok, bad cell phone pictures, but at least you get the idea.....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5871238078/in/photostream

And the little ones....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5871238166/in/photostream/

I wish I could make the picture show up! I try and try......


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Abbey, I need to get shelves such as yours for mine - that would control the fabric better. 

HTG-zoo 
the comic book boards are 100 for $8.10 which includes the tax. This is reasonably affordable to me.


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## AbbeyLehman (Jan 2, 2006)

Angie, my dad helped me build them to fit into a space I had available for them. We used 1x10s in lengths for the space, then used scraps I already had for the dividers. I use the space above for extra-large rolls, usually the 5+ yards pieces (although they are still wrapped around a comic book board).


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## HTG_zoo (Apr 18, 2011)

that is affordable!


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## AbbeyLehman (Jan 2, 2006)

Mine were about $11, but since it was the cheapest I found locally (read: instant gratification), I was good with that. The fancy plastic, made-for-this-purpose thingamabobs were a LOT more, so even $11 for 100 was good


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