Putting Patterns Away
 

I've bought a few (ahem) patterns & they come in a lovely protective plastic bag. How do you currently store them & would you continue or change your storage? I really don't have very many but I have collected magazine patterns in sheet protectors that go on a binder. I'm wondering about these though. Thank you

I buy the magazine holder boxes from Ikea and keep patterns, templates, sketches all safe together, but out of view. The box is like a large book you set on the shelf... sorta, kinda.

I don't have too many. Those that I've purchased in the plastic sleeves I just leave as is and toss in a drawer. I do have several saved on the computer as well. For those, it's probably best to download; print as the link is likely to disappear over time..have had that happen so if it's something I really like and want to do - yes, I print off. Those are a jumble...sadly.

I cannot keep up with it all. Scraps, patterns, ribbon, zippers, interfacing, wonderunder, batting and batting scraps. It is all taking over and I can't keep up.

I bought some boxes that had cards, birthday, sympathy, etc. in them. They look a bit like oversized recipes boxes. Turns out once they are empty they are the perfect size to keep patterns in both quilt patterns and clothing patterns.

Dritz makes a pattern storage box that is perfect for these kinds of patterns. I have several, one for "made" and one for "unmade" , one for "what was I thinking? I won't make that!" I used to get them at Hancocks but now I think you can find them at Amazon and other sewing supply places. If I make changes or templates, I then put them in a sheet protector and put in a binder. And when I first use one of those patterns that come in a plastic sleeve, I scan and save in my computer. That way if I mess up the pattern in some way, I have a copy of the original in perfect condition.

I have a metal hanger for my bought patterns. It has a moveable bar that juts out and hanging clips that hold my patterns. I own two of them. They are wonderful!!

i have banker's boxes in multi colors. they have a label on the front. when on the shelf, i can read them from the front.

I have some three-ring binders, organized roughly by "easy", "strips and squares", "triangles and shapes" and "applique". Put the patterns in sheet protectors or just punch them with a three-hole punch. Patterns are separated by colored paper or tabs.

[QUOTE=Mrs Finch;7804900]I have some three
This is what I do & two patterns fit nicely back to back in each sleeve. Three ring binders from the dollar store work just fine.

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.

Three ring binder from a garage sale, thrift shop or Dollar store. Most of my patterns are in 2 large binders. They do get heavy.

I, too, put my patterns (or inspirational quilt pictures) in a plastic sleeve and then file in a 3-ring binder. It works well for me. When I am not sure what project to begin, I look through my binders.

Mine are in sleeve protectors with notes. I write on the index "W/app" (aka 'with appliques"). That way I can go to that section to look up an applique for N=nursery, C= cats (w/app) C also = Carpenter's star.

Great question. I don't really have a great system of organization for completed patterns. Looking forward to hearing everyone's ideas.

Now come on sewingsuz. You KNOW I have offered on many occasions to take that off your hands :D

I've bought pattern boxes from JoAnne's, and also use banker-type boxes. :)