How-To: Embroidery Floss Organizing Rack

For years you have asked me how I organize my floss. I don't.

Well, that's not entirely true. I do sort of have a "method". It's my floss rack: 

When I first began embroidering, I was instantly drawn to a spool rack for keeping my embroidery floss at the ready, even though it's not intended for embroidery at all.

I was doing exactly what you're not supposed to do: removing the paper bands from the skein of floss, working with it for a while, then re-winding the remaining floss quickly around three fingers to make the little bundles like these:

I always keep the rack nearby, where I can easily see and pull the colors I'm working with:

(There are two hooks mounted on the side of my book case that the rack is hanging on. Legs pop out from the back of the rack if I want to move it to my work table instead.)

Little bins and drawers do come in handy for storing floss that is still waiting to be used:

And of course, I have more than one tangled stash that looks like this:

Alternatives? Sure, you can wind your floss on bobbins, store it in baggies on rings, separate it by color into tiny segmented bins...but I like my floss rack the best.

Numbers? What if you want to keep track of your numbers and still use a rack? How about this:

Now, I'm not saying this is the best method for you, but for fifteen years, it's been the best method for me. 

Oh, floss rack. I love you.

Show me your floss rack! Post it to me on instagram @sublimestitching and tag it #myflossrack

You might also enjoy: Mollie Makes • Sublime Stitching Studio Visit

 Text, photos, diagrams and instructions by Jenny Hart ♥ © 2002 - 2014 Sublime Stitching ®. 
No part of this tutorial may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from its author. 
Man, I hate having to say that.