BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Spinning storing fiber

I have been spinning for a little over a year now and have collected a fair amount of fiber. What is the best way to store this. I have both raw fiber(wool and alpaca) and ready to spin rovings. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Welcome to the world of fiber stashes! I'm not sure they are still available anymore, but I use the Rubbermaid storage bins. They came in two sizes, a 5 gallon and a 7.5 gallon, if I remember correctly. And they came in many colors. What I like about them is

1) they are not see-through so no fading of colors
2) the lids are such that they stack easily without sliding
3) they are roomy inside for most fleece and easy to clean
4) I've never had a moth get in!
5) they are easy to label and organize
6) they have little "breathe holes" under the handles

If the exact type I have isn't available anymore, I'm sure there are others that are close. The one down side to using any plastic is that they MUST be stored where they do not receive direct sunlight. Sunlight + plastic = condensation which can lead to felting of the fibers over time.

Pegg

All fibers should be stored clean if possible. Any oils in the fibers turn to goo over time. If there are any eggs in the fiber they can hatch out and make life miserable.

My favorite storage is pillow cases twist tied closed with a card with information both on the inside and outside (I sometimes knock these off). Since I can get standard or king size I can fit the fleece to the size. Pillow cases are available cheap and second hand stores and garage sales. Look for tight weave and fairly new. Moths tend to avoid the cotton and a tight weave makes them less attractive to vermin.

If space is at a premium there are the new storage bags that you vacuum the air out of. This can be a big help and reduce a large hoard to more managable storage. Clean fibers only. A card can be layed across the top with fiber information and a tag hung down the front to see without unloading the stack. When removed, fluff the air back in and they are ready to use and the bag can be reused.

Kathy

Hi, I always use open plastic crates (in Holland they are used by bakers and groceries) They are lovely for sorting the fiber as well because there are holes at the bottom. I also put loads of lavender sachets with it 1. Smells lovely 2. Keeps the moths miles away. I have some photo's on my website.
I do not prefer vacuum bags because of the (unwanted) felting if it is stored too long.
Kind regards from Holland!
Monique

Monique,
I have never tried the vacuum bags and was thinking about it. Thanks for the warning about felting!

Pegg