Tutorial: Swatch Catalog

My fabric rolled on homemade bolts

Business Card Book

I made a fabric swatch catalog to keep track of all the fabric I have stored away from home. It can be a handy tool for saving money by preventing you from buying fabric you already have on hand.  Here's how I made my fabric swatch book.

Step 1: Take Stock of your Fabric

Measure all long pieces of fabric and take a swatch of each one before putting the fabric into storage.  I took note of the length and width and wrote a general description.

Swatches with measurements

Step 2 : Get to Business

I bought a cheap business card book ($11) and business cards ($9) from Staples. You can also cut your own cards using regular paper or cardstock to save money.

I printed these two descriptors onto my cards

Step 3 : Categorizing

Create subsections for your catalog using fabric types, attributes, or colour. These header cards will help in indexing the swatches. Whatever works for you. I decided on a mix of types and attributes.

My fabric categories

Step 4 : Attach Swatches

Tape swatches to the card and add a brief description of the fabric (See above). Include whatever information you find useful. I tend to include a basic colour description, material type (silk, cotton, etc.), and  stretch information if necessary (2-way, 4-way, slight stretch).  If I used a fabric for a specific costume in the past, I also include that in the description section. It creates a great point of reference.

Blank cards can be used to keep track of scrap fabric - shorter pieces not worth measuring.

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Step 5 : Insert Swatch Cards into Book

Order the cards whichever way you like and you are good to go!

The Pros:

• The swatch book is easily transportable
• You can take just one card/swatch for shopping for matching fabric
• Swatches can be easily removed and replaced
  

Happy Swatching!

P.S. Nothing says unprofessional like perforated paper. If you need actual business cards, I suggest going to a place like MOO.