Just last night, went through magazines and tore out patterns/techniques that I wanted to keep and threw out the rest. No problem doing this with magazines. Now, books are totally different. Think I need another bookcase for the sewing room.

I keep the magazines with patterns I like. And a few where I have subscriptions. It takes at least 3 interesting patterns to compel me to buy a single magazine. My intent is to keep them by title and date. It would be really nice if the table of contents had a small photo of each quilt in the magazine. That would make it much easier to find the quilt that I want.

I have tried scanning some of the photos or patterns, but I don't it's any easier to find them that way. If the table of contents had a photo of each quilt, and I scanned the table of contents, that might make it easier.

Like LivelyLady I copy the ones I like and put them in binders so that I can find what kind of quilt I'm looking for. I have a full shelf on one of my bookcases that is just for the binders.

I have been quilting, and collecting patterns and magazines for 15 years. 3 years ago when we downsized, it became necessary for me to get rid of stuff, so I went through all my magazines and tore out the patterns that I thought I might be interested in doing; the rest of the magazine when in a garage sale. The patterns I kept, along with ones I get from the web and other places, go in a plastic containter that is about 10 x 15 x 8" tall. When I am in the mood to look for a new project, I put on a pot of tea, and go through the container to see what I want to do.

I put patterns I like in a sheet protector. Then in a hanging file folder in one of those plastic boxes with the lid and handle that you can buy at Wal-Mart. The folders divide them into quilt patters, table toppers, etc.

We have a photo copier at home. I photo copy the cover and table of contents. Highlight the quilts I want to make .Put the cover and table of contents in three ring document protectors and put the in large notebooks according to year and month.

I kept All my magazines at first- then ran out of room. Now I keep only the ones with projects in them that I would do . After only quilting for a short time though, I've found your taste or interests change with classes and just growth. I need to just cut out any that I think I may like to do, then toss the magazine. Now I pass the magazines on to other friends.

This is what I do too.

I do keep them for a while and then I would tear out what I am interested in and toss the rest. If i kept all the magazines I bought, there would not be any room for fabric.

I got through them, cut out the patterns I like, and put the pattern in a page protector in a three-ring binder. I now have two of the biggest binders they make full to the brim of patterns! And yet, I still keep buying magazines...