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Some vintage thread storage options
Vintage can get pricey really quick.
But, if you have an eagle eye and you’re patient, here’s some nice vintage items to watch out for when you’re treasure hunting.
Thread store display boxes
These are the most expensive of the lot. The cheapest of these thread display boxes I saw on Ebay were going for around $150. There are some all-wood antique numbers all the way up to (not kidding) $3000+!
My Mom has this dream of buying thrift store art and going on Antiques Roadshow and then the appraiser falls over her for having purchased the lost Picasso for $2.50. These cabinets are for sure beautiful and complete with the clever construction of a bygone era.
Who knows–you might get lucky and find one of these pieces of history for a song!
Samsonite Train Cases
I love Samsonite train cases for sewing storage in general. They’re virtually indestructible and they’re deep enough to hold serger cones.
They’re one of the sewing supplies at thrift stores I’m always on the hunt for. I’ve been lucky enough to never pay more than $8 for any of mine!
I’m thinking of upgrading my situation with this serger cone netting to keep the ends of the thread in check.
A funky thread storage option ca. 1960s-70s
I love kitschy one of a kind things that you’ll probably only find at antique stores.
Such was this vintage thread rack. No, it’s not solid wood, and it’s probably not as practical as many of the other options we’ve been talking about, but doggone it’s cute!
It’s like Connect 4 for your thread!
How do you store your thread?
So hopefully by now I’ve got you thinking about different thread storage ideas. We’ve talked about what makes a good thread storage solution, as well as given you some specifics on thread storage boxes, racks for your sewing machine and serger thread, and we finished up with some DIY and vintage options. Which idea do you think will work best for you?
Get some more organization help for your sewing room:
How to store fabric
Make your fabric stash work for you with these fabric organization ideas
Pattern Storage hacks
Get the organizing help before patterns become the Tribbles of your sewing room
How to clean a sewing machine
Treat yo machine because you know it’s dusty
Elizabeth Farr is the writer behind the Elizabeth Made This blog where she shares helpful sewing tips, step by step sewing tutorials and videos to help you explore your creativity through sewing. She has written sewing Eguides and patterns, been a featured teacher at Rebecca Page’s Sewing Summit and Jennifer Maker’s Holiday Maker Fest and her work has appeared in Seamwork and Altered Couture magazines. She also created a line of refashioned garments for SEWN Denver. When her sewing machine isn’t humming, she’s playing and teaching violin, and hanging around a good strategic board game with her husband and 4 kids.
I store my threads in hot car plastic garage they are 2 sided and someone was throwing them out so I grabbed them and washed and sterilized them and now I am very happy that I did just perfect for my thread.
Glad you could save them.
I am still looking for a thread solution that will allow me to keep the bobbin thread with the spool of thread. I have an old rack I bought years ago (wire) where the pins are long enough to slide the bobbin on and then put the spool on top. This is a GREAT system for me, but my thread collection has grown, and the only wire system I can find now is built for serger/ embroidery spools, not the wee Gutermann/ Mettler ones!
I just updated the post with some ideas for keeping the matching bobbin and thread together. I think the Taylor Seville Bobbin Toppers are worth a look. The thread lock (no unwinding threads!) on them and the shorter shanks that’ll allow you to still store your thread on racks looks promising.
Keeping the bobbin with the thread spool saves me time. I love HandiBobs. Available on Amazon and not all that pricy when you buy a larger quantity. They have a slot to slide the bobbin thread end in; nice and neat. I line these up in a shallow, sturdy cardboard box (2 layers to a drawer) and separate by color family.
As to the serger thread nets: I bought some a few years ago. Cut a 3-5 yd piece and thread it thru the top hole in a toothbrush travel holder. Stuff the rest in the case, keeping it from catching on itself. Then you can pull out and cut off as much as you want & the rest is neat for future use. It’s worked well for me.
I keep my thread and bobbins together in a plastic container with sections that are adjustable. I don’t have a lot of threads, only buy when a new project needs something specific. This way I can keep my threads and bobbins together all the time and free from dust and light. It also makes my threads and bobbins portable.