[miss_sonja]

Now that I’ve been sewing clothes, the patterns are piling up. Not the envelopes, but the traced patterns, the printouts of PDF patterns etc. Where do you all store them? Mine are so far just stacked and folded over once gently and in a banker’s box. This is not ideal.

Thoughts? Ideas? What works for you?

[KarenK]

I’m afraid my method isn’t very attractive but it’s functional: If it didn’t come with an envelope or my tracings have outgrown the original envelope I use Ziploc bags or accordion folders (like a manila file folder but 3 sides are closed). If I have more than one size traced I keep the pieces of each size pinned together. All of it lives in a file cabinet.

Believe me, it’s not something pretty you’d find on Pinterest but it works for me. 🙂

[Nicole]

I love ziplock bags.

I laminate the front and back of my pattern package (or PDF print off) and then put them in a ziplock bag with all the tracings and instructions sheet in between them.
This is a reasonable sturdy and protective option.

I then pack them in a clear Ikea tub.

I used to have a spinning magazine rack but I just got too many.

[Todd Gibson]

@motherof5, that last photo! Is that for real? I see less impressive displays of our patterns in most of the stores I visit.

[Nicole]

Um, yes (blushes and looks bashful).
Hugo picked it up an auction for me.
It now holds sheep propaganda. Far less exciting.

[Cat75]

I use the large zip lock bags also. I put each different size I print out (I like digital patterns) in a separate bag and write with a sharpie the size and pattern name on the outside. Then I put them in a fabric storage cube/bin. Those I put on my bookshelf. I am not sure if you have way more than I do, but this works well for me.
Jennifer

[Justine J]

I keep my paper patterns in DVD boxes (pretty ones). I only ever trace my patterns, so they get kept in their original envelopes.

My traced patterns get kept in plastic sleeves (labelled), and then into large ring binders (which match my boxes ;-)). This also works well for keeping my WIPs in order – I tend to cut a few projects at once, and so then slip the cut pieces into the sleeve, along with the pattern instructions, which then go into a ‘to do’ basket next to my desk.

For my PDFs – the instructions are also kept in plastic sleeves in smaller ring binders (although I no longer print out the instructions – I just keep them on my iPad), and the taped patterns get rolled and stored standing up in a clothes hamper.

There are some pics in my Flickr stream (which also shows my sewing room – should post in the ‘where do you sew thread’!)

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Justine J. Reason: Grrr...autocorrect

[Justine J]

And here are two pics which aren’t in that Flickr album but show my storage method more clearly:

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[miss_sonja]

Wow, you are all quite creative. Here’s what is making my storage tough–patterns like the Metro T for women. I’ve got it taped together and it’s awkward and big, won’t fold down that well since it’s on regular printer paper.

I’ll try the folders for the kid traced patterns. I mostly sew for my 2 year old so his patterns are quite small.

[miss_sonja]

Justine, I LOVE your sewing machine cover! Cape Ann, right? Super cute!

[Robin]

I mail my outgrown pattern tracings to Sarvi. 🙂

[Nicole]

Miss Sonja, fold them like a commercial pattern and they will fit in a large ziplock bag.

[with love Heidi]

I use files with clear plastic sleeves and coloured plastic covers. These are very common in Australia, especially at back to school time.a I have one file per pattern and I have each the clear plastic sleeves labeled with a size. Once I have traced the size it goes into its labeled pocket so I can easily find it and use it again.
If it is a digital pattern I keep the instructions in the front of the file before the traced patterns. I also store the stuck together printed patterns at the back of the file.
This system works really well for me as I can easily check if the pattern and size I want is already traced or if I need to trace it. It’s also great for storing digital pattern print outs.
I have some photos on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/73669617@N07/sets/72157639677652404/with/11900620114/

[Tamara]

I have a multitude of methods as I am yet to find the method that can accomodate all of them. I have a set of draws that are filled to the brim of patterns and because I have up until now used just the larger sizes, there are not many traced pieces to place in the pattern envelope. I do have display folders (like what Heidi mentioned above) housing some of my digital patterns but I have run out of both room and files so at the moment the excess are in plastic ziplock bags in the set of draws.

One of these days I will acquire an extra storage unit and then there will,be no excuse not to do something about unifying the paytern storage method.

[Justine J]

@miss_sonja – yes, it’s Cape Ann – I am such a dag 😉 – I have another piece to make a new cover for my overlocker too

And I also agree re the storing of the Liesl & Co PDFs – they are tricky – since they are not one huge sheet like my other PDFs, they don’t fit in with my rolled up storage system. I think that I shall emulate Nicole and start folding the Liesl & Co’s.