I photo copied the front of the pattern sleeve, punched holes in the copy, put them in a 3 ring binder. Then I put the actual patterns in totes in numerical order. That way I can look through the pattern copies and not have to deal with all of the patterns at one time

I put my bought patterns in a gallon size zip lock bag with the picture facing out. I keep them in plastic shoe boxes and I stand them up like files so I can just flip through them to see which one I want.

I use the gallon bags because I usually have copies of paper piecing patterns or templates that I want to keep together. It is such an easy system. I also have dividers in them to separate mini, wall hanging, table runners, baby, seasonals, crafts etc.

I do the binder system for loose patterns, cut from magazines and freebee give-a-way sheets. I also sort them by the same categories. So easy and accessible, no hunting for that special baby pattern.

peace

I have a lot of garment patterns as well as some quilt patterns. Many years ago I found some comic books storage boxes and fit even the large patterns so I got those and have a small set of metal shelves that I keep them on.

I also collect patterns from magazines or downloads in binders...each marked for quilts, table runners, etc. Buy another binder and more plastic sleeves if needed and mark the binder "Packets"....put the complete store bought packet in a sleeve and keep in the binder. Works for me anyway!

Interesting to read all the ideas. We will be moving from a large farmhouse to a two bedroom townhome. Needless to say there will be some downsizing going on. I'm going to take all my patterns (I'll keep a few) to my quilt guild and let the ladies pick what they want and then give the rest to a thrift store. I have a hard time making a quilt from a pattern I have already used. Weird - I know but that's just me.

Ihave a binder for mine also. Makes it easy to attach notes.[QUOTE=Mrs Finch;7804900]I have some three

I use plastic shoe boxes and separate by categories: quilts, bags and totes, embroidery, wall hangings/table runners, etc. They are in the bottom drawer of my file cabinet and the patterns can stand upright in the boxes so I can flip through them. I try to keep them in alphabetical order by designer/company but, alas, they frequently get out of order. About once a year I go through them and put them in order and take out any I don't want anymore. I also try to keep a list of them all, one that has everything in alphabetical order and one that has them sorted by category and try to keep it updated also. I bought some of the plastic bags from ebay and when I get a pattern that is smaller than the others, I put it in the larger bag. I had found that many of my smaller patterns got lost otherwise among the larger bags.
I can always use the smaller bags for sorting buttons, notions, etc.

I keep the patterns I have pulled from magazines or printed from the internet in plastic sleeves and sorted into 3 ring binders that are labeled with the same categories.

I have an oak cabinet that was here when I moved in. It is a tall one with three shelves. I organize my fashion, purses, children/baby, home dec and quilting patterns into that. I put labels onto the front of each shelf area/stack to say what type of pattern goes into that stack. Before I had this cabinet, I used the paper pattern holders to separate them out. and labeled them on the front.

By the way, on the top of the cabinet ( about at 3 1/2 feet) is where I organize my cutting rulers and rotary cutters. It makes it a very useful sewing room cabinet. The rulers are in a graduating step in out box type organizer that has five areas. It really makes finding a ruler easy.

I desperately need to put my patterns in notebooks like you do. Mine are stacked on a bookself. I like the notebook idea, why not put them in sleeve protectors with the bottoms closed so they can be stored in their own notebook. I may give that a try.

At one time I had all my books and patterns in my filing cabinet but found it hard to search for a certain pattern/book so now I have them in the cabinets on each end of my cutting table. I organize the books by either author such as Bonnie Hunter's books and then by style of pattern such as logcabins, paper piecing, baby quilts, etc. I also have more room in the cabinets than I did in the filing cabinet drawer.