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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Tool Time Tuesday...Drying Rack for Sewing

Today's Tool Time is about using a laundry drying rack for sewing and quilting! We have a few folding drying racks in our house, because most of my husband's pant and shirts have to be lined dried.

I use the large racks for clothing, but wanted to share an idea for the smaller racks on the table or hanging on the door to organize fabric storage when sewing a project.

Here's the small drying rack on the end of my cutting table...


drying rack for quilt fabric

Small in size, but big in function...come on in and see more!

These small racks are perfect for your sewing and craft rooms for so many reasons, but the best reason is to organize and keep the fabric you are using for "one" project all in one place.

drying rack for quilt fabric

It will fit any where, but keep it close for easy access.

(side note...don't be fooled by the nice clean room in this picture. I took pictures for a post I'm doing on my sewing room and this was right after the clean up...I have the true messy pictures for that post...lol)

drying rack for quilt fabric

When you are quilting or cutting multiple fabrics for projects the PILES and PILES of fabric can build up everywhere.

You know those piles I'm talking about. The ones where you can lose your scissors, eyeglasses and the pattern you're sewing with.

Hanging your nicely iron fabric on this rack, not only keeps it wrinkle free, it keeps it organized so you can see it easily and grab the fabric when you need it.

drying rack for quilt fabric

It's thin and doesn't take up much space either.

drying rack for quilt fabric

Mine has 2 elastics on it so the latch bars won't pop off easily.

drying rack for quilt fabric

Just unhooks and folds down.

drying rack for quilt fabric

Very thin for easy storage when you're not using it.

drying rack for quilt fabric

The second place to use it is hanging from the door in your sewing space.

drying rack for quilt fabric

This door is an exterior door in my sewing room, so the normal over the door hooks won't work. An outside door is wider than an interior door.

So I used 2 wreath hangers!

drying rack for quilt fabric

They're clear so you can barely see them.

drying rack for quilt fabric

The big hook for the wreath easily holds the rod from the rack

drying rack for quilt fabric

One hanger for each side.

drying rack for quilt fabric


Hanging the rack on the door is the perfect place to hang fabric that you are working with, especially if you don't have a designated crafting room.

You can hang this on any door in the room you are working in and it gives you so much more workable space.

The rack...

  • keeps fabric wrinkle free
  • clean
  • easy to find and not in piles
  • also frees up space on your table...more room to actually work

I did a post years ago on using the large rack when cutting strips of fabric for strip piecing. The large racks are great for more fabric and bigger projects. 

Thanks for stopping by. I hope this works in your space!

Take care,
~Karen~


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18 comments:

  1. I love this idea! It'll work especially well for all those maxi dresses I've been making lately. Those skirt pieces take up a huge amount of room!

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  2. I have a huge drying rack made by an Amish craftsperson and extremely heavy duty and a standard size drying rack that I think I paid $15 for in Walmart about 10 years ago. I have never seen a small tabletop size drying rack. Where did you find yours? This is a great ideas and I am so happy to read that someone else has the problem of disappearing items on the cutting table! Somewhere in my studio is the front of a wristlet that I made on Sunday. It would seem that someone snuck in while I wasn't looking and took it because I cannot find it anywhere. No doubt it will be days before it will magically appear!

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  3. Everytime I see these drying racks, I know there are so many uses for them !
    Great post. I love how you are always thinking "outside of the box".
    Rose

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  4. Great idea. Usually, by the time I'm finished cutting, I have about a 3"x5" space left on my cutting table on which to cut!! This would help a lot.

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  5. Another great idea! I love how you thought to hang the drying rack on the door!

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  6. I love your daily tips! This would work for me. Instead of laying all of my steering wheel cover pieces that are in various stages on the back of chairs, hung over doors, on tables I'm going out and buy a drying rack. One problem-Little Kitty(my cat as if you couldn't already guess) would probably think she has a new toy. Thanks for sharing another great tip. Pinned.

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  7. Brilliant to hang the dryer on the door - thanks!

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  8. That is so cool!! I never would have thought of that! And i already have one for drying cloths. Thanks for being so clever.

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  10. I see me banging into it and knocking it off the table,that said; if you were standing around near me,Id do the same with you! I bump into every and anything. LOL
    I love the idea of hanging this on a door. Great for spritzing to get wrinkles out and letting dry prior to cutting etc.
    What a super solution to many problems.
    Thanks from Oshawa Ontario.

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  11. Love this idea! Thanks for sharing!!!

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  12. Thank you Karen. This is a grat solution for my small space :)

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  13. I love using these to dry my laces for my crazy quilts...and to also keep ribbon wrinkle free after pressing...

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  14. I ALWAYS learn something fun and interesting from this blog!!!

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  15. Again, another clever idea! I have to keep re-ironing the fabric for my current project because it keeps getting tossed back into my project box after each block (it's a QAL that we get new instructions each week). This will solve that problem! Thanks!

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  16. I love the idea of hanging it on the door, my pugs have been stealing the fabric that hangs off the desk lately. Pretty sure they are jealous of the attention my machine ands fabric gets. When I sew I usually have 1 or 2 at my feet. Bamm Bamm has hit the foot pedal a couple of times to help stitching.

    I notice you have a couple of the Ikea plastic bag holders sitting on the floor, I am curious as to what you are using them for. I have a couple in the back of the bedroom closet holding wrapping paper, and of course one in the pantry stuffed full of plastic bags.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment...I just love hearing from you!