How do you store your patterns?
 

Still trying to declutter....LOL but how do you store the patterns that you want to keep? Do you keep them with the fabric that you are going to use, do you have a stash of patterns for future projects :). I had all my patterns in a letter size file box but there is no good place to store it in my sewing room and it was just acting as a catchall for everything. Does anyone have a good idea of how to keep patterns for future UFOs in visual range but neat (and out of eyesight of DH!) Some of my patterns are small 5x8 size but some are much larger!
Any ideas greatly appreciated!

I don't have a lot of patterns, but those I have are either in books (neatly stored on the bookshelf, or lying around half-covered-up on various coffee tables, endtables and reading tables) or are printed on regular paper off the web. I have some of those printed ones in a large shoe box with a hinged lid labelled "patterns" which also has the garment patterns I will never ever use, and the rest in a wire mesh basket that sits on a shelf directly above my ironing board where I see it every day and think "My, I should really take out those patterns and look at them."

Hope that helps (*snort*).

Maybe you should lend me your husband to declutter my closets?!

Alison

PS Seriously, what about a three-ringed binder?

I don't have very many patterns, but the ones I do have I keep in plastic sleeves in a three ring binder. That way I can flip through them easily.

If I have the fabric already cut for a project I put that in a large zip bag (hopefully with the pattern included).

I also have a ring binder with quadrille graph paper for design ideas or patterns I'm playing with.

My patterns are all in an antique bucket that my grandfather used for his tools. If I have a specific pattern and fabric for it then that is all stored together.

I also keep mine in a three ring binder in those clear plastic protection sleeves. That way I can just slide them in. If I have specific fabric brought, I keep the pattern I want to use with the fabric in a 2 gal. ziploc bag. I LOVE 2 gallon ziploc bags!!

From Don-isewman-pattern storage
 

I don't have very many patterns. What I do, for a pattern with templates is, I keep/put in a zip lock bag. I make the templates, and what ever other size peices, I need. I write down on a piece of paper the templates, how many. And also, and what size sq. And the name of the pattern-what book it came from and the page #

LOL you can "borrow" my DH anytime - he's great at pitching out my stuff! :) I have three binders of patterns that I have cut out but I have a stack (literally) of purchased patterns - the nice ones in little plastic bags that cost $$
I love some of them, but how many quilted vests or bags can you use in a lifetime??

I have three binders of patterns that I have saved from magazines, but the commercial patterns are all hanging from a couple of small chains. I attached the patterns to the chains with metal shower hooks. I hang the chains on the sides of cupboards or I use those over the door metal hooks to hang the chains from. This keeps them very neat and in view so I remember that I have them .

I keep sewing patterns and quilt pattern the same size in a chest of drawers where the drawer is the right size for the pattern. Notebook size patterns I would probably keep in plastic sleeves in a notebook, but I keep magazines and books. I've scanned some patterns, and some original designs.

I have too many! {{{GASP!!!}}} I store them in a large Rubbermaid tote/bin. I also have a large carton of quilting magazines (mostly The Foundation Piecer - stopped publishing years ago). I am currently putting my loose patterns (cut from magazines) into page protectors, then into 3-raing binders. I, too, am trying (how hard, I don't know) to declutter my sewing room.

Anita