Downloaded patterns
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 862
I am trying to learn not to print out patterns until I'm ready to get fabric together to do the project. I probably only do one pattern for every 100 patterns I have downloaded. Waste of paper. I have them on the drive, but also burned to disk and on a thumb drive.
However, I don't always follow my own advice. I have several booklets for each craft, so this was just a learned experience. I use 3 ring books and sheet protectors for patterns, but have had the print shop make books for techniques (bias binding, 8 HSTs at a time, etc.).
Sort by topic that inspires you. My current sort is:
Easy - a quilt top that can be done in a hurry or doesn't require any brain power.
Holiday - good for themed feature fabric be it Halloween or North Woods novelties.
Novelties - Jar quilts, eye spy, that sort that uses many novelty fabrics
Time Intensive - Not necessarily expert, but each block may take an hour or more
Applique - Love them. Don't do very often though
Fusible Applique - quilts that must be fused as part of pattern.
Fabric Focus - Things like fabric panels. The Sidelights pattern is an example, but I have a lot of patterns that feature Asian fabrics
Technique - a technique I would like to try.
I do other kinds of sewing and have a separate book for that, which includes such things as potholders and bags.
However, I don't always follow my own advice. I have several booklets for each craft, so this was just a learned experience. I use 3 ring books and sheet protectors for patterns, but have had the print shop make books for techniques (bias binding, 8 HSTs at a time, etc.).
Sort by topic that inspires you. My current sort is:
Easy - a quilt top that can be done in a hurry or doesn't require any brain power.
Holiday - good for themed feature fabric be it Halloween or North Woods novelties.
Novelties - Jar quilts, eye spy, that sort that uses many novelty fabrics
Time Intensive - Not necessarily expert, but each block may take an hour or more
Applique - Love them. Don't do very often though
Fusible Applique - quilts that must be fused as part of pattern.
Fabric Focus - Things like fabric panels. The Sidelights pattern is an example, but I have a lot of patterns that feature Asian fabrics
Technique - a technique I would like to try.
I do other kinds of sewing and have a separate book for that, which includes such things as potholders and bags.
#13
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
i have 3 ring binders with patterns sorted by---
table runners/placemats,home decor
bed size quilts- pieced
appliques
block patterns
bom's
so right now i have 5 binders of downloaded patterns or loose patterns (i use plastic sleeves you can put patterns into then add to the binder bought at the office supply in boxes of 100) to hold patterns from other places- the down loaded ones i print on printer paper that has 3 holes already.
so i would say- divide yours into what makes sense to you=
the binders were very inexpensive- the 3-ring printer paper isn't any more expensive than regular printer paper- the the plastic sleeves were under $10 ... sure made mine easier to find what i'm looking for :)
table runners/placemats,home decor
bed size quilts- pieced
appliques
block patterns
bom's
so right now i have 5 binders of downloaded patterns or loose patterns (i use plastic sleeves you can put patterns into then add to the binder bought at the office supply in boxes of 100) to hold patterns from other places- the down loaded ones i print on printer paper that has 3 holes already.
so i would say- divide yours into what makes sense to you=
the binders were very inexpensive- the 3-ring printer paper isn't any more expensive than regular printer paper- the the plastic sleeves were under $10 ... sure made mine easier to find what i'm looking for :)
#14
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
Originally Posted by Judith1005
maybe start with catagories, like, tabletoppers, mug rugs, baby, holiday, kids, traditional, contemporary, art, urban. the catagories really are up to you.
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,812
Originally Posted by Zhillslady
instead of having ring bound get the plastic sheet dividers. I use those and that way all the pages go in one sheet protector. If the pattern is just one page I put 2 in there each facing outward so I see the other when I turn the page. After that I make a table in MSWord and the first column is a small pic of the pattern and the second column tells me material list and 3rd is what page in binder. This worked for me for years - now I keep all on a flash drive. One folder is just a picture of each I can scroll thru without waiting on files to open and the other is the actual pattern. Saves so much paper.
#18
Originally Posted by catray
I download quilt patterns and I will probably never get to them all. But I would like to take to local office supply to have ring bound. What I don't know is how to sort and put into like patterns and or like whatever. Any ideas please!
I am OTD (older than dirt) and the easier for me to keep track of things, the better off I am. Sometimes, I just page through the binders and think. (Dangerous in my case, but it does put a little mark in my mind of what I could do next time around). I mark each pattern with the date, who the block was for, what colors I used. Most of the ones I have already tried, and so they are "tried and true" and have no reservations about using the pattern again - if it ain't broke don't fix it!!!!!! I like the way they turn out and I love samplers. Edie
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: missouri
Posts: 3,893
mine are sorted by what they are, applique, scrappy, stars, log cabins, mini, holidays, etc. I have mine in protective sleeves in binders. that way I can just take out the project I want to make - as I get them done, they go into a binder called completed projects. if I ever want ot make that particular project again I don't have to worry about what book or magazine it came from.
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