When I bought my first few silkscreens, I stored them stacked in a pile inside a large ziploc bag.

It was easy enough to pull out the pile and sort through them. But like anything when you get a lot of them, it started to become a chore to find the one I wanted to use. I needed a way to organize them where I could see them all.

I then started to collect stencils. These had the same problem, except that the cut-out areas would catch on each other, and it was impossible to sort through a pile. 

The solution that worked for me was to store them in page protectors and photo sleeve pages in a 3-ring binder.

Now they’re each in an individual pocket and I can flip through the pages, easily seeing the design of each one! I can even organize them according to type of motif, such as one section for backgrounds, one for flowers, etc.

Some tips and observations…

• Photo sleeves designed to hold 4 x 6 photos (three to a page) worked great for Moiko silkscreens
• The sleeves for 5 x 7 photos (two to a page) worked well for Helen Breil‘s screens
• CreateAlong screens tend to be a variety of sizes and some need to use a full page
• Stencils are usually larger and tend to require full page
• Lucy Tools stencils (no longer available) fit nicely in small photo pages for 3 x 5 photos
• You might prefer using a half-size (5.5 x 8.5″ or A5) binder with single pockets, depending on how much shelf space you have

So now you know how to properly store your silkscreens and stencils in a convenient way! Looking for a fun new project to try some of your forgotten screens on? Check out my Opulent Tapestry Tutorial.

Explore Silkscreen Printing Curious about silkscreens? All About Silkscreens on Polymer Clay No more blurry prints, patchy designs, or ruined screens. Learn to choose the right stencils and paints for your project and explore new ways to use your screens with powders, chalks, and more. Learn More Explore Silkscreen Printing Curious about silkscreens? All About Silkscreens on Polymer Clay No more blurry prints, patchy designs, or ruined screens. Learn to choose the right stencils and paints for your project and explore new ways to use your screens with powders, chalks, and more. Learn More