I have mine in no particular order in 3 ring binders with protection sheets. I can usually find what I am looking for itching a couple of minutes - I fill up one binder about every 18 months so that gives me a reference point when tngs about a pattern I have used and for whom I made the quilt.

I have many binders with patterns I have pulled from magazines (filed alphabetically) - takes up a whole shelf on my bookcase - very bulky - not sure if I would do it this way again. My dream is to scan them all so they are on my computer - not even sure how long that would take - or how I would separate them into files - I subscribe to several magazines now and instead of tearing out the pages, I wait until the end of the year and take the whole years worth to Kinko's and have them spiral bind them. This way, I have the whole year together, it is easier to flip through them and I can make copies of pages as needed. So far, I am liking this idea the best.

I have always kept a scrapbook of quilts I have made - pictures put on scrapbook paper and inserted into sheet protectors - store them by year - finally made an excel spreadsheet with the list so I can find them more easily since I can't always remember which year I made what (been quilting since 1998 and have made over 300 quilts). I put the name of the quilt, where the pattern is from/name of the pattern, who the quilt went to and why, who quilted it, type of batting if known and how much it cost to have it quilted. I have often thought it would have been a good idea to put some scraps with this information just in case a quilt came back for repairs ...

Hey Gail! When you get yours done, come on over here and do mine! LOL!

I love your idea of fabric covered folders! I'm a SunbonnetSue nut and have a folder just for her. Now I can make an applique of her for it. Thanks for the idea.

Gail, I keep mine in 3-ring binders. I slip a picture of a favorite quilt into the front and back covers, so it's obviously my quilt notebook. I put page protectors in the binder. I rip my favorite patterns out of my magazines and put the picture in and the pattern behind it (in the sheet protector). I limit myself to two binders. When it a binder gets full it's time to go through it and get rid of any pictures/patterns that no longer appeal to me. Then I have room to add a new one that I like.

I like this system because I always have plenty of pretty pictures to look at, I fairly regularly go through and cull things that are no longer appealing to me (why keep everything for 20 years when styles and my tastes are changing?), and I'm not trying to store complete magazines-I'm taking out only what I want then pass the magazine on to someone else.

I like this idea too. I've always thought of myself are a good organizer but when it comes to patterns, I still need help. I also have the ones I'd like to make in the "near" future, I keep in a binder - labels are PP - BOM - Scrappy, etc. This has helped me more than any other way I've come up with. I also have ALL those "some day" patterns on the computer in folders - Tutorials - PP - Scrappy - Jelly Roll - Baby - Accessories (like wallets and small personal type items) - Bags (purses / totes) - Blocks - etc. etc.

Where I need help is organizing the magazine patterns I really like. At present, I tend to keep that magazine out and opened to the specific quilt which, as you might know, tends to start piling up LOL I'd hate to have to cut the pattern out and put in a binder, if that would help, then I guess that's my best option.

All the other ideas are great too and keep suggestions coming.

Did you know that several magazines are now offering digital versions which would sound like the best option for you. I have a few digital patterns which I like because if I can't find the already printed one, I know I can always reprint it. Fons & Porter is one magazine and Quiltmaker is starting to offer some of their special editions in digital format.

:DTrish, you know I never finish anything I start. I'm hopeful that I can get this into some sort of organized chaos before my kids have to deal with it.

i have alot in 3 ring binders also but the best thing i've earned is using adobe. if you go on a site and it has the pattern in pdf which most do they have a free adobe program you can download. It is great i think alot of people have it here. I then save to desktop and put it in a folder i have made up for different themes for ex. home decor, star quilt, table toppers, ect. they are all kept in 1 folder on my desktop for easy excess. then you can print out anytime you want. it saves alot of paper and ink and you can easily get to it by going to the folder and clicking what theme you want. it is a real easy program to use cause i am not puter wise neighter. if i can do it anyone can. good luck

Thank you for posting this question! I've really been avoiding starting to organize that basket of patterns.....And my computer file is just 'quilts' - I like to category suggestions: my brain could follow that.