INTRODUCTION
As a felt artist, I absolutely love working with wool. There's something truly magical about the touch and feel of the fibers and the beautiful array of colors that wool provides. Unfortunately, finding a way to store this gorgeous fiber in any kind of appealing fashion can be a bit tricky.
In this post, I’d like to share a wool storage option that’s working wonderfully in my home studio. It’s eye-catching, simple and can easily be scaled up or down depending on your needs. Make yourself a few boxes or create a whole tower. It’s totally up to you! (And, if you’re more of a yarn person, keep in mind that this would be great for that too.)
Here’s exactly how I made mine from start to finish!
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MAKING THE BOXES
Gathering supplies: The first thing I did was look for clear boxes. I knew I wanted a clean look without bulky handles or closures so I was happy to find this 20 count of clear latching boxes at an affordable price. I especially like that even the lid is clear so visibility is great from all angles. These boxes close well as long as they aren’t overfilled but may not be completely air tight. NOTE: My studio is well let and frequently occupied. If your space is often dark and quiet, you may want to get a container with those heavy-duty closures because they are probably more airtight and better at ensuring no moths can get in. Moths like dark and quiet spaces and are averse to bright areas with frequent movement.
Next, I decided I wanted something to highlight the color swatches I would be adding so I purchased cork fabric to add to the fronts of my boxes. The cork fabric provides just the right organic, decorative touch and breaks up the shine created by the clear, plastic boxes. There are plenty of colors and patterns to choose from, allowing you to customize your design to suit your unique design aesthetic. It also blocks a little bit of the sunlight that the wool may be exposed to in order to avoid fading of the dyes.
Lastly, I wanted to be able to clearly display a swatch of the fibers contained within each box in a visually impactful way. I opted for clear plastic jewelry holders to serve this purpose. These are great because the material inside can be swapped out quickly and by using 3M Scotch ATG tape to mount them on the cork fabric, they can be repositioned or removed without damaging the rest of the components.
Sidenote:
If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know that in the past I used leftover contact lens pods with a piece of clear tape over the top for this step. Unfortunately, I started to have an issue with the tape peeling back from the tops allowing the samples to fall out. Also, because the contact lens holders have a curved back, I had to hot glue them to the box which didn’t allow me to reposition or remove them.
All that being said, I loved being able to reuse the plastics from my lenses and feel like the suggestion is still worth including if you can think of a way to repurpose a plastic you already have.
Cutting the cork fabric: Since I was working on quite a few boxes it seemed like purchasing a large piece of cork fabric and cutting it down to size would be the most cost-effective option. The roll I bought was 12.5” by 54”. I cut it into long 2.5” strips, applied my ATG tape down both sides and then cut each strip into a total of ten 5.25” long sections. This meant I was able to get a total of fifty 2.5” by 5.25” cork sections from my $14.99 roll.
Assembling the boxes: Once I had my cork cut into sections, it was time to assemble the boxes. I started by centering a piece of cork on the front of each box. After that I organized my wool into all of the boxes I was using. Then, for each box, I popped a swatch of each fiber color into a small holder.
Hint: These are easier to snap shut if they aren’t stuffed full. Also, if two fibers were very close in color I combined them into one holder in order to use fewer of these pieces.
To attach the holders to the front of the boxes I used my ATG tape. This tape is double-sided and holds well but can also be rubbed off of most surfaces if necessary, meaning you can reposition or remove your holders if needed. (Just make sure you do so gently.) One small strip of tape on the back of each holder seemed to do the trick most of the time. However, I did have a few stubborn pieces that needed an additional strip of tape in order to feel fully secured.
Storing the boxes: When all of my boxes were assembled I placed them into stackable shoe racks. Each of these racks will hold 16 boxes and I love that each box has its own compartment and can be removed or returned to its spot without having to move the rest of the containers. Also, the fact that these are stackable allows you to add more storage as your needs change.
FINAL PRODUCT:
TWO STACKED UNITS
(.WITH ROOM FOR STORAGE IN BETWEEN!)
There you have it! Eye-catching storage for your studio that’s functional and beautiful. As always, I hope you’re feeling encouraged, empowered and inspired to carry some of these ideas forward in a way that works for your own unique needs. Thanks so much for reading!