Sew a sewing thread hotel: It doesn't get more practical than this! From now on, your thread spools will always be neatly organized and within reach. With my tutorial, even beginners can complete this project in no time at all. :)
The most important things at a glance
- The sewing thread hotel helps you organize your thread spools clearly
- This way, you can keep an eye on not just the thread colors you have, but also the fill levels of the cones
- All you need for sewing is cotton fabric (or other woven fabric), iron-on fleece to reinforce the back of the fabric, and elastic band
- Sewing time: approx. 60 min.
Do you know this situation? You have a great sewing project in mind and the matching fabric ready – but when it comes to choosing the right sewing thread, you are completely stumped: Do you still have some left? Or should you order more?
Reading tip: Sewing thread – which thread for which seam?
I know it well. Often you don't have a proper overview of the thread colors you have on hand. And that is meant quite literally. In my post Storing sewing thread, I have already shown you a few ways to get said overview. The problem with these plug-in systems: You only see the thread spools from above.
And that is often just not the best solution.
But don't worry, help is on the way! I have come up with a wonderful storage solution for thread spools that lets you always keep track of everything: A sewing thread hotel!
Sounds strange at first, but the purpose is immediately clear: All threads are neatly held by elastic bands and are well organized. The great thing is that you can check not just all the colors at a glance, but also the fill levels of the thread spools. That is worth its weight in gold for reordering. Simply roll out the sewing thread hotel and off you go!
For me, a new storage solution was due because I recently got to know the magnificent sewing thread from Mettler/Amann at a supplier for commercial clients. Or rather: got to know it anew. I had already encountered these beautiful threads in American quilt shops and already own a few. But now I really went for it and secured even more of these great threads*.
Why you should sew yourself a sewing thread hotel
I have already mentioned a few reasons above. In addition, such a self-sewn sewing thread hotel is often cheaper than purchased thread storage. And: it is sustainable because it is not made of plastic.
Just this thought is wonderful, isn't it? If you visit SewSimple more often, you know that my heart beats for sustainable sewing...
The good news is: You can do that too now! Forget the plastic storage containers and conjure up a beautiful and incredibly practical hotel for your thread spools in no time at all.
What does a sewing thread hotel actually look like?
Ultimately, you decide for yourself how big or small your thread hotel should be. What is important (in my view) is that it gets two little wings that hold the thread nicely in place. It then looks like this:
The whole thing is simply closed with two ribbons that are included when sewing together. So: Just roll it up and tie it shut. Clever, right?
Thanks to the practical ribbons and the little wings, your thread spools are well packed and won't tumble around anymore. :)
And if it also looks this pretty: Perfect!
How big is the finished sewing thread hotel?
In the version I am showing here, 80 thread spools fit inside.
When unfolded, the thread hotel has a size of approx. 60 x 98 cm; rolled up, it becomes approx. 20 x 38 cm.
Which fabrics are suitable for the sewing thread hotel?
Great for this sewing project: non-elastic fabrics such as cotton fabric*, canvas, bag fabrics, corduroy, denim, linen. You can also wonderfully sew fabric scraps together or upcycle old jeans. For the thread holders, you can also use remnants of elastic bands – I like doing that very much, too. Often you don't really know what to do with remnants of elastic bands, right?
You can find beautiful fabrics for this bag project in Simone's highly acclaimed Etsy shop*, which I have already recommended several times here on the blog. The chic Hilco fabric from which I sewed the sewing thread hotel in this tutorial also comes from there.
What you need to sew your sewing thread hotel
- 40 x 100 cm outer fabric
- 40 x 100 cm inner fabric
- 6 x 100 cm cotton for the tie ribbons
- 40 x 100 cm Decovil light* (for the inner fabric)
- 2 x 15 x 100 cm outer fabric
- 2 x 15 x 100 cm inner fabric
- 40 x 100 cm Vlieseline H250* (for the outer fabric)
- 4 elastic bands of 100 cm each
- Trick marker*
- Sewing thread*
- Rotary cutter*
- Fabric scissors*
- Sewing machine*
- Pins*
- Iron and ironing board (feel free to read more about practical ironing aids)
- Fabric clips*
A tip: Use elastic bands that are easy to sew in. Round elastics would not work as well because they cannot be securely caught in the seam and might then tear out.
I recommend matte elastic binding tape here. It can not only be sewn perfectly, it is also stable, tear-resistant and: It holds the thread spools securely in place. With shiny binding tape, it is a bit more slippery, but it works too. I found my binding tape* at Hemmers; the tape is available there in more than 30 colors, so there is the right one for every fabric.
Can you also sew the sewing thread hotel without wings?
Yes, that is possible. I sewed such a version for very thick thread spools that sit really firmly in the compartments and don't slide out. However, if you want to accommodate many different sizes of thread spools, the version with the compartments is in my view the best.
YouTube Video: Sewing a thread hotel
I am curious how you like this sewing idea. Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me how you got on with this tutorial. :)
Happy simple sewing, your Sabine
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