# How do you store patterns?



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I've got mine in a cardboard box or two.....I taped the ends and then stapled that. Guess what I just did? Scratched the heck out of my hand on one of those staples while looking though them. I've got to find a way to organize things better than they are! Grrr! Plus I can't find the one I want. Its a new one I've not made yet. How do you keep your patterns?


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

I found some plastic file boxes with lids at the office-supply store that I keep mine in. Each box holds lots of patterns. Easy to store too. You can even put two boxes on top of each other, lay a circle of plywood on top, cover with a floor-length cloth, and you have a table!


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## Little Quacker in NC (May 9, 2002)

Well, I hate to admit this but my patterns are kept in File Folders, in a Legal Width, very deep file cabinet with two drawers. Its huge! And stuffed full too! 
Now in my defense(snicker...), patterns are not the only things that are in those file folders (stored alphabetically)but they also contain artwork, pages torn out of magazines, sketches from past projects etc that have to do with that particular folder.

For instance: the whole top drawer is all Animals(subdivided into DOMESTIC, NORTH AMERICAN, OTHER ANIMALS etc. And separated into the file folders are, for instance: BIRDS, CATS, DOGS. COWS, HORSES, PIGS, GIRAFFES, ELEPHANTS etc. The bottom drawer is all the OTHER NON-ANIMAL things like Holidays, Baby, Flowers, Trees etc. I save all artwork pertaining to a subject that I like and may use for appliques or quilting designs and all that stuff and file it right with "like" patterns. I should mention that I do NOT make clothing of any type! Just quilts.

So, there you have it. LOL LQ


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

Why in a McCall's pattern cabinet of course. Mom had a fabric store so we all got a pattern cabinet when she retired. It works great.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I put them in manilla envelopes - cut the picture off the package and put it on the envelope. THen the pieces all fit and I can easily see the pattern. I bought those cheap plastic drawers and have six of them full of patterns. It's time for a cleanout. I want to keep just basic patterns and do my own alterations to change them up a bit.


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## jokey (Aug 17, 2005)

steff bugielski said:


> Why in a McCall's pattern cabinet of course. Mom had a fabric store so we all got a pattern cabinet when she retired. It works great.


LUCKY YOU!!!! I would LOVE to find one of those!! Right now all my patterns are in big totes and they aren't very organized


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Plastic sweater boxes, card board boxes that were the correct sized, bookselves with them standing up so I can finger through them, stacked on other bookselves on top of books, and a few new ones stacked on top of fabric stacks in the actual sewing room. (the other are in the fabric pattern storage room).
They're everywhere!

Angie


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I think that Angie and I share the same sewing room!

I gave up years ago trying to keep my patterns organized.

Utter chaos!


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

I have a small, wooden dresser whose drawers are just deep enough for a pattern to fit lengthwise, back to front. 
It's a cute dresser, but once my kids' clothes got bigger than about 4Ts, it didn't serve much of a purpose for clothing. 

It works great for patterns and notions, though!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

And then there's the e-patterns. I bought three yesterday, so I have them soft copy to print out when I need them.

Those are in a document file named where I can find the .zip files to print.

Angie


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I use those stacking 3 drawer rolling carts (Sterilite) that you get at Walmart.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

Comic book boxes.  They're just white cardboard, but really strong, with cut-out handles in each end, and I covered mine with contact paper so they're semi-cute, lol. Each one holds about 200 patterns, standing upright, and they stack on top of each other great. You can even buy dividers for them and even plastic bags and backing boards if you want them. Those come in handy with old patterns that are falling apart or for ones I've made copies of to reduce or enlarge. They're just a little too big for regular sized patterns, but perfect for the bigger ones like Vogue or Butterick (I forget which is bigger at the moment) or ones ordered from various small companies. 

I have them divided into womens', mens', girls', boys' and then have those broken down into tops, bottoms, dresses, sleepwear, outerwear, costumes, hats, shoes, bags, etc. I also have infants, kitchen, office, bedroom, bathroom, toys, etc. Then within those categories I have them organized numerically, and I'm working on scanning them into the Prep Tracker software so I can pull them up on the computer when I want to look for something. Bless wvstuck for creating that program, lol! There are lots more categories too, lol, I have thousands of patterns! Can you say OCD?? I know I can! :teehee:


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

ok now I have some ideas! I really need to do something with mine. I don't have many...two boxes but they're a mess. I think I might try the liquor store up the road for some strong boxes and cover them with something. Then if I could get another shelf put up I could put them neatly up on it. IF!


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

The ones I inherited from my mom are in plastic totes that are wide enough for two rows of patterns standing up right. They are sorted by sizes w/in the totes. I did that. Mom wasn't what you call organized.

Mine are in a wide file cabinet - you know the type that looks like a chest of drawers. Each drawer has two rows. One is standing up and one is laying on the side. They face to the right and are organized by clothing type after age (infants, children, women, men).

Now, quilt patterns are just thrown in an envelope and stacked w/ books. There is no organization to them and probably never will be. I keep them back in a corner that is awkward to get to. I think I do that because I am subconsciously embarrassed to have them and don't want them out to be seen. Which is dumb because anyone in my sewing room knows I have them!!


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## mustangsally17 (Nov 3, 2007)

http://urbannestblog.com/blog3/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/storage-bin-instructions1.pdf
came across this today, its a cute idea thought maybe someone could create something similiar for their patterns .


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