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There are many excellent threads here on how to store ribbon. I am very happy with my storage system of one or more feet of ribbon. However, I am a bit stumped as to what to do with the short pieces that seem to add up quickly. How do you store these? Thanks for any tips you can provide!
Annie
Well, if it's less than 12" and "durable", it gets added to the cat toy - a long, colorful string currently comprised of several pieces of InColor grosgrain knotted end-to-end.
I have a wicker basket shelf size and I keep sandwich size zip lock baggies in it with each color ie, purples, blues, greens etc. marked on the outside of the baggie. When I need a ribbon I always check the scraps before cutting a new piece. This system has worked the best for me, I am finally using my scraps now.
12" or less, I have them in a couple of the larger SU clam shell boxes by color groups. Easy to see the colors through the clear ends and they stack nice.
Oh, and they are free!
__________________ Karen
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i keep mine in a clear pail (i think it's stampendous actually) and like one of the other ladies said,i keep it right on my work table and i go to it first for ribbon instead of my long stuff..
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i bought one of those tool organizers at my local hardware store. it has 4 plastic pullout bins across and 6 bins down. i store my short ribbon by color.
I bought a great plastic jug at WalMart for a very low price. I just drop my short pieces of ribbon inside and put the lid on. I also have one for my Cat's Eye inks.
I wind them in small wooden clothes spins, and organize them in small wood crates according to color. They are nestled in my window sill just below my craft desk. Here's how it looks like:
I keep mine in a SU clam box from a background stamp. I keep that in my ribbon drawer. I make a point of checking there first before I cut ribbon from any spool.
This is a little off-topic, but I can't help but think of the old grandma who had a box labeled:
"Pieces of string to short to be used."
Heehee I have a box like that, sort of, for my ribbon pieces. Lengths of ribbon less than ~four inches long go in a special box on my floor. Every week our municipality actually comes by to pick them up and stores them for me. :p
If I see that I am getting close to the end of that type of ribbon and will be left with less than four inches, I usually modify my project so it is all incorporated, or whip up a small project to use the teeny length of leftover ribbon on right then and there.
I use a binder ring for all of my ribbon that is not on spools. I take a safety pin and put it through the end of several pieces of ribbon and then fasten it to a really large ring. I found the ring at Walmart in the craft department. It is used to put cards of embroidery floss on it. I have the ring on a hook on the top of my stamping desk. It is a hutch type, and I have it up on the top right corner. It takes up WAY less space than the jar's and baggie method that I used to use!
OOoops, forgot to mention that I don't use rub-ons to decorate my jar ... I decorate it with the dozens of little bunny ears bows I tie and then don't use.
I just stick a glue dot on the back of the bow and attach it to the outside of the jar. I find that I'm more apt to use it on another project when I can see it sittin' there! So, I end up using the pre-tied bow and save a glue-dot or thirty!
I'm very visual - out of sight out of mind. So I keep mine in a section of a clear organizer on my craft table. Same with my scrap paper. Bigger pieces are in a clear page protector on top of my paper bin. Smaller pieces are in a small clear plastic container on my craft table. I'd include a picture but it's scary in there right now! ;)
I use empty stampin' supply boxes (the ones that usually hold stamps - but I have extra) put a label on the side and have an area right next to my desk where they are lined up so I can see them...like most, out of sight = out of mind...so I make sure to check my ribbon box first when I need ribbon so I don't cut more when I may already have some cut and in the container. I also store clear sleeves, fibers (hemp twine, linen thread, etc) & non SU! ribbon this way. It's so handy and it works for me. Hope you find a great way to store things that works well for you. Have a wonderful night! Happy Stampin! God Bless!
I use one of those small, plastic, clear, 3 drawer organizers that you can buy in just about any big box store. I label with: SU, Michael's, Joann's, etc. ribbons so I know which drawer to dig into.
__________________ ************************************************************** Deborah "Imagination is more important than knowledge" ~ Albert Einstein
mine are in a diaper wipe container. Actually, I have three ways to store my ribbon. Spools go in a box (a pretty one meant for ribbon spools). Unspooled ribbon goes in a photo storage box in clear plastic envies similar to the ones used to display cards but a bit bigger - stored by colour. The adhesive seems to work over and over. Only the small scraps of just a few inches go in the diaper wipe box. I think I like the jar idea better though, will have to get one...
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I use a binder ring for all of my ribbon that is not on spools. I take a safety pin and put it through the end of several pieces of ribbon and then fasten it to a really large ring. I found the ring at Walmart in the craft department. It is used to put cards of embroidery floss on it. I have the ring on a hook on the top of my stamping desk. It is a hutch type, and I have it up on the top right corner. It takes up WAY less space than the jar's and baggie method that I used to use!
Elaine - COOL idea!!! I have far more places where I can HANG a ring like that than where I can SIT another jar - though I LIKE the jar idea as well! Currently my ribbon scraps are in a clear plastic craft tote bag, in baggies by color. I'm in the process of winding my larger lengths of ribbon onto wodden clothespins for placement in apothecary jars from Walmart - again, by color.
Thanks all for the GREAT ideas!
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Rhonda
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Well, if it's less than 12" and "durable", it gets added to the cat toy - a long, colorful string currently comprised of several pieces of InColor grosgrain knotted end-to-end.
Ohhh, do you know how much kitty's toy would sell for on the *Bay? ;)
Hi,
This is my first reply. I use a small Longaberger basket, I pull the end of the ribbon through the spaces between rows. Looks very cute and gives a good reason to use some of my baskets for something useful. Oh and by the way my 7 year old son thought I was brilliant in coming up with such a great idea!!!
I use a binder ring for all of my ribbon that is not on spools. I take a safety pin and put it through the end of several pieces of ribbon and then fasten it to a really large ring. I found the ring at Walmart in the craft department. It is used to put cards of embroidery floss on it. I have the ring on a hook on the top of my stamping desk. It is a hutch type, and I have it up on the top right corner. It takes up WAY less space than the jar's and baggie method that I used to use!
What a great idea, stitcher1! That's the route for me. I've done the jar thing up till now (which does look pretty), but I'm all for space-saving ideas. Now to round up a couple of safety pins and a binder ring. Also, I have some unused over-the-door hooks; I'll use the large binder rings and hang them on the back of a closet door. Think I'll look like a gypsy?
I like the binder ring idea. That would be very pretty hanging in my craft room and I would probably use it more. .......right now I have mine in plastic galon sized baggies then all 10 or so baggies get stuffed into a tote bag. This is handy to take to crops, not heavy and attaches to the handle of my rolling tote. It's not really pretty this way but works for me and keeps the ribbon clean and dust free.
I am glad you like the binder ring idea. It is really the way to go...seriously! Since I wrote the first post I took about a dozen spools of ribbon off the card and added it to the ring. I let it hang down about 2 feet in length. When a piece is longer than that I just let the bottom loop and pin it again on the safety pin. It works really slick! I left my 15 yard spools alone and have them in ribbon storage from Walmart. But I really freed up a lot more space by doing this. It REALLY saves a lot of space and it looks pretty too! Try it!
A note for those that are making ribbon toys for their cats. Be forewarned: This can be dangerous to cats. A cat can not spit out something like string, ribbon or thread. Once it starts to chew on these types of things it will just keep swallowing and swallowing. If the ribbon is twelve inches long the cat will eventually swallow the whole piece. This can than get twisted around their intestines and cause major problems that can result in surgery. I am a cat breeder and this is one of the biggest fears that I have. I always tell people that are adopting my kittens to be very careful with these types of things and keep them picked up so that the kitten/cat cannot get ahold of them.
A note for those that are making ribbon toys for their cats. Be forewarned: This can be dangerous to cats. A cat can not spit out something like string, ribbon or thread. Once it starts to chew on these types of things it will just keep swallowing and swallowing. If the ribbon is twelve inches long the cat will eventually swallow the whole piece. This can than get twisted around their intestines and cause major problems that can result in surgery. I am a cat breeder and this is one of the biggest fears that I have. I always tell people that are adopting my kittens to be very careful with these types of things and keep them picked up so that the kitten/cat cannot get ahold of them.
Carole
This also reminds me of something someone mentioned in another thread here about her cat swallowing ribbon and it sticking out the ummm... back end.
Short pieces of ribbon storage?
