I've read lots of ideas about buying, sorting, folding and storing fabric...but what do you do with all your "done and yet-to-do" block/quilt patterns and templates? Help! Thanks

Smaller plastic totes work well to keep the fabric, blocks, templates and patterns all together and organized :D:D:D

pizza boxes, 3-ring binders, folders and large envelopes

I use office type magazine holders from Ikea.

I have two large plastic dresser type storage units on wheels. Recently I picked up several empty keyboard cardboard boxes, for those quick projects that I need to just get out of the way for a short time. I can use them also if I put the projects in the tall trash can plastic bags. I am so organized that I can't find anything!

Sandwich and larger storage baggies, the plastic shoe boxes

Those plastic bins probably meant for paper crafting--14" x 3" with handle, pizza boxes, and large storage plastic bags.

I use a 3-ring binder with page protector sleeves in it. I put the patterns in it and any templates needed for that pattern, works well for me.

I can't seem to come up with a good storage solution for patterns. What I really need to do is stop buying, printing, copying from magazines, etc. Right now I have them plastic storage bins, 3 ring binders, hanging on hooks, have to go through everything to find what I am looking for! Will keep checking this thread for something workable for me. Thanks for the question.

I save the clear plastic packaging that curtains, tablecloths, sheets, etc., come in. Most have zippers and a hook on the top and vary in size from 8x6 up to comforter sized. I store projects in the larger ones, patterns in smaller ones, take along projects in others. They can hang from hooks or a clothes hanger out of the way but you can still see what's in them.

2 Gallon ziplocks hold a LOT of fabric, the pattern, any special templates, etc. Then, I store the ziplock in a plastic storage container labeled with "WIP", "Ready to Start", TBD, whatever (I have different categories and some with deadline dates on the outside). I find the ziplock helps keep the whole project together and then keeping things sorted by other categories allows me to grab something ready to go. I hate picking up a project with anticipation only to find I'm missing a key component and can't work on it right away.

i use a file cabinet,works great for my patterns ,new going to use and used,

My neighbor lady bought a bunch of sheets, curtains, and blankets so she gave the plastic envelopes that they came in and they zip. I keep alot of my projects in those. Also plastic totes. :thumbup:

Yes, I have lots of those, great for the ufo and wip projects, too. 3 ring binders, and definitely pizza boxes!!!

At our local Crafts 2000 store, there are very inexpensive clear boxes designed for scrapbookers. They come in 12x12; 8x12; and 5x7. I've picked up several of them to keep each project in. The largest costs around $3.50, and the smallest is around $1.60.

tins, shoe boxes and zip-lock baggies are my best friends....

like big roll-y boxes too, they are great to throw everything in for a quick tidy up, and the lids keep dirt etc. out

I get some really big storage bags at work and they were just throwing them away. I bring them home now and can store a cut out quilt and pattern in them. Everything is together.

A lot of my storage is from the scrapbook section of craft stores.

I love clear plastic boxes. They stack, and I can see what's in each box.

Wowe! I also needed that one!, I am learning how to design the patterns, and so on, yes thank you all for that neat info!

I have blocks and other ideas stored in my flash drive. When I need one printed, Jim does it for me. Templates are kept in a flat plastic container.

Walmart sells a cake box that locks and has carrying handles - and stacks. They cost around $5. I use them to store fabric, patterns and ongoing projects. Since I live in a motor-home and travel full-time, they are perfect for me.

I love super satchels by art bin for my projects and threads. I store everything for one project in a super satchel, label it, put it on the shelf in my sewing closet, and then I can just pull it out of the stack when i am ready to work on it.
Same with threads.
Art bin also makes larger (Taller) bins and I use them for fats, but also for nail polish and make up! I just love them! You can also use them for scrap booking and anything else you want to store (used them for my dad's coins, baseball cards, etc too).
In the shop we use curtain rods with shower curtain hooks to hang patterns alphabetically. While i don't have that at home, it sure is a neat system and it makes it super easy to find all your pats when you need them.
If I have any plastic templates for a pattern, I just hang them in the pattern envelope right with the pattern.
All my quilting templates are hung on hangers in the closet in my sewing room.
You can use the separators with the satchels to separate blocks and their templates, or projects, whatever you want.

oh, forgot to mention that I was in Michael's craft store yesterday and they have a ton of cool storage stuff for crafters. it's more near the scrapbooking section, but lots can work for fabrics and quilter's supplies also!

I keep them in file folders and then put the file folders into magazine files. I try to organize them as to what kind of pattern they are. Patterns that I've used I file the same way (different folder for each pattern and I label it) but put them in a different magazine file. Am I making sense?

judyjo

My patterns are stored in a basket at the moment. The basket has a lining and I think they look cute in it. I store my magazines in magazine holders. Free patterms I print from the computer get stored with my quilting books on book shelves.

Where did you get the thread caddies. I love them. Who makes them?

I get them here:
http://www.quiltersparadiseonline.co...menu-3300.html
I have *a lot* of thread, and I find these to be the best i have used. I have tried a lot of different storage units, but i really like these. They have handles, secure latches, and i can keep my threads very organized according to color.
They also make them for cone threads and Ingrid (store owner) can get them for you if you need them.
Hope this helps!

Thanks for the info.

I also use those plastic rolling drawer thingies. But the best by far is the one made for scrapbookers. The "drawers" snap shut like the artbin the handle part is molded into it. I think I picked it up at JoAnn's on a half price sale. I got the one where all the "drawers" are the same size but they had others that were different depths. Projects with patterns, fabric and templets, etc. go in one "drawer" and I can just pull the whole thing and work on it store the blocks in and put it back until I work on it again. Great if you have several things you are working on at the same time or collecting the necessary fabrics for a project.

How do you manage to sew in your travel trailer. We have one and we use it when we move ( we are in the army and we move every 2 - 3 years. I can see us being full timers when he retires. Just wondering how you do it.

I am organizing my fabric stash and I am using the clear plastic produce containers from Costco. I can then see what is stored. I also use one for charm packs and a smaller one for 2 1/2" squares.

Jan, this is my very favorite way to store blocks or sm. unfinished projects, too. I also like to use the clothes hangers with clips on them that pants hang from for strips in progress. Easy to see them as you go.
The larger zipper plastic bags that blankets come in are treasures, too.

I have 2 binders 1st binder I use for patterns that I have made. I have a paper stappled to the pattern telling me the date when I started the quilt and when I finished the quilt.And if I kept it or I gave It to someone. Also I add a picture.
2nd binder is for all the patterns that I have found and would like to make someday.
3rd is a plastic bin made for going under the bed its not very deep and you can see all your fabric. I have 2 of those for my fabric stash.1 bin for Christmas fabric and the other for all the other fabric. I also have a deeper plastic tub for the quilts I am ready to make. I put the fabric and any other pieces to make the quilt in a plastic bag .When I'm ready I can pick which quilt I want to make and its all in one spot.

Boot boxes, super size ziplock bags, 3 ring binders and some patterns are made of scrap poster board with holes punched in them and twist ties thread thru them to make a hanging loop and then I hang them on my pegboard wall!!

Zip lock bags and then into a tote. UFO are in the dresser drawer.

Lots of plastic bins in all sizes

I buy tins,left over from Christmas and now you can find some nice ones with the kids toys. I just found one from the GW 18"by18",perfect for 15" blocks.

I got to thinking about that, and with me just beginning, I don't have many patterns for quilts. But in my piles of stuff, I discovered the accordion file, toe one used for bills and such, it hasn't been used for quite some time, and that is ideal for the patterns, and alphabetized as well!

I keep all my patterns in plastic sleeves in a binder. One for quilts and one for crafts.