I have a squillion - yes a squillion - patterns in plastic bags and I need some storage ideas. I've stored them in a variety of ways but nothing makes me happy.The pile in the picture is just a drop in the bucket and I need help with storage! So, please tell me how you store your patterns!
In Friendship!
41 comments:
Hmmm....you could store them at your buddy swooze's house! LOL!!
I use a binder and just hook the whole in the plastic bag to the ring, for small ones I'll stagger them across the three rings, for larger ones I use a hole punch so I can hook it to two of the rings.
Other than Swooze's idea, you could stand them up in some sort of a bin. I have mine in one of those singer metal containers. Miss Rosie, Fig Tree....I like those. :)
I use a binder with sleeves - 2 patterns per sleeve. With a squillion on hand that might not be feasible. How about a file cabinet of some sort - alphabetized by designer?
I have a clear plastic container from the discount store, the rectangle kind with a lid. I stand the patterns up in two rows and slide the container onto a closet shelf. It's large so I also keep patterns for clothing, etc. in the bin. With them standing, all facing the front, I can easily fan through them, front to back; and can see through the clear container so I know which one the patterns are stored in.
I'm in a similiar boat - mostly all over the place. But I AIM to put them in an inexpensive plastic baskets, standing the patterns on end, so I can see them. Problem now, is that I don't know where I put THAT handy arrangement. It does work though.
Or, give them away at next Guild Meeting, door prizes, etc.
Mine are a mess too so I'll be watching for good ideas.
You need to store them at my place, I'd take good care of them and bring them out, drool over them and fondle them...lol....
Hm....i store my patterns just like you do. All over the floor!!
in shoe boxes standing up so you can get many in the box
I file them according to designer/company
Compleete chaos in my patterns. Some is stored in covers, some in boxes, some in my sewingbasket aso.
Well - first I have to divide them into categories - like Purses/Tote bags, wall hangings, table runners, applique, BOM, etc. Then I use shoe boxes (men's shoe boxes because they are just the right size). I stand them up in the shoe boxes so it is easy to rifle through them when I'm on a search. I keep the boxes all in a row on a shelf in the closet. Of course, I should mention that right now I have a giant basket full of unsort, unfiled patterns that need my attention.... oh well,
I store mine in a nice basket standing up so you can just flick through them
I hope you get them sorted
hugs Beth
at one organized point in life, I had a plastic file bin from the office store that held hanging file folders and I had labels - applique, pieced, baby quilts - and stored them in there. Now, I have a peg board on my wall and I hang them up like they do in the quilt stores - I kind of like being able to see them
I use Unikeep binders. These are plastic 3-ring binders that snap shut so they sit on shelves like books. I bought a Sampler pack for $50 and love it! Here's a link:
http://www.univenture.com/acatalog/kits_samplers.html
The sampler pack is at the bottom of the page.
Of course, I'd be willing to help your store them here at my house!
My patterns are currently in a binder system like Libby's. But I now have some extra 2 drawer file cabinets and I am trying to come up with a system to utilize them for my patterns. I'll be watching for suggestions from readers.
Here's what you do...put them in a box and then bring them to the post office and mail them to me...I will store them for you :)
I have my patterns that are in envelopes in a basket that I got from ikea that is the exactly right dimensions to hold them upright so I can flip through them. You will probably need more than one to hold a squillion though lol! My flat ones I store in plastic sleeves in a binder.
I have them sorted by type for the most part: Christmas, mini, vintage, etc. and stored in a drawer of a dresser in my sewing room. The immediate patterns I have in a couple of those plastic holders. There's always a few here and there, too.
Good luck!
Well I don't have a squillion, and you may not care for my idea but it works for me. Nails.. yes nails in the wall and sort patterns by categories and hang on the nails, or if light enough-straight pins. I use the straight pins to hang my quilting stencils. (and place the ones on top that you want to do first)When things are in sight I'm more likely to get them done!
Wow....you do have a lot of patterns. I don't have near that many, so I just keep them in a file box on my shelf.
I also use a bright coloured folder with plastic sleeves and just slot the pattern into the plastic sleeve, I have one for quilts, stitcheries, and miscellaneous.....I have found that this works well...
Hmm, I was just thinking about this subject last night as I dug through boxes of patterns for "THE ONE" I wanted! I can't wait to see what kind of ideas you get!
At the moment, mine are stacked on shelves in the bookcase. That isn't working well at all. I like the men's shoe box idea -- especially if sorted out a bit by designer or by type of pattern.
Will have to come back and see what other ideas you get.
I posted a picture on my blog of my basket I keep them on (http://peachquilting.com).
Do they still sell those flattened cardboard boxes at Jo-Anns for patterns? That would work I would think.
When Hallmark Cards has their card organizer boxes I will buy them for my patterns. What is nice is they have dividers by month so if you have seasonal patterns you can sort them that way...or not or create your own divider system. Works for me. I need another box come to think of it.
I got the plain white cardboard magazine file boxes at Ikea. I have quilting magazines in them sorted by type and then I have several that just have quilt patterns in them. That way they are all together and I can just pull it down off the shelf and there they are. They are hidden away by a shelf of the same organziers. I like out of sight. You've got lots of good ideas here though.
I got the plain white cardboard magazine file boxes at Ikea. I have quilting magazines in them sorted by type and then I have several that just have quilt patterns in them. That way they are all together and I can just pull it down off the shelf and there they are. They are hidden away by a shelf of the same organziers. I like out of sight. You've got lots of good ideas here though.
I do two things..one a binder with plastic sleeves. 2 per sleeve, back to back.
I also have a magazine file that I stick the really large ones into and sit on the shelf in the closet. I can grab them and the edge looks neat.
Hope that helps missy!
I say put them in a binder with plastic page protectors. Then you can see all of them.
I have mine in a rectangular plastic basket which can accommodate the width of a pattern. They can stand vertically in the basket so it's easy to look through them without taking them all out. I use one basket for quilt patterns, one for toy patterns etc.
I do have two baskets, one with norwegian designers, other with foreign. All sorted by designer.
It seems most people either use the containers or binders. I've ended up using both trying to find the right system. I'd be very interested in what you come up with. This is a super post, good question.
I use containers that are rectangular so they will stand up in them. And I separate my redwork ones (cause I'm a redwork fanatic) into one by themselves, and group others as much as possible....clothing, purses/bags/totes, wallhangings, quilts, etc. Works best for me to be able to thumb through them and see them easily. Blessings,
i bought report covers that are 3-holed punched and have 2 patterns in each side so i can see them all and put it in a 3ring binder
Darlene you crack me up! And I'm thinking you might want a second guess, at who I'm going to meet next week. LOL. We shall see. LOL. Patterns. How are you storing them now ? How have you stored them in the past and why didn't it work?
I use an old wooden crate that once held oranges for my patterns - it's the perfect size! If you run out of room for your patterns, you know I'll keep them for you!!
You sure have a lot of friends willing to store the patterns for you! I won't offer to do that unless you really, really need me to!
I use the cardboard magazine holders that you can buy at the office supply stores. They come flat and you just open them up and start using them. There is a place to note what is in the container. I sort mine by designer. I also put quilt books in them if I have some by that particular designer. If I have only a pattern or two by a designer, I group some together and note it on the end of the container. I then store the containers on the book shelves along with other quilt books.
How many patterns constitute a squillion?
I put mine in one of the drawers in those rolling plastic tower thingies... don't know what to call them. They are cheap, come in several sizes, and have casters on the bottom. I have four of them in my sewing room and they fit nicely under the extension table on my computer desk. I put UFOs, patterns, and kits in the drawers and label them. I can roll them out when needed, and like to go through the pattern drawer when I feel like I don't have enough UFOs already!!
I found, at staples, a unit, that has a pull out drawer, just the size to store patterns ( the long way,) but then you can easily thumb through them. These units are inexpensive, and stack on top of one another.I will try to remember to photograph the unti, and post it on my blog, as it seems lots of people need this solution! Barb
I'm a bit of a computer geek, so I entered all my patterns into Access, so I can sort them any way I wish. I print the database to take with me when I shop, so that I don't buy duplicates. For storage, I bought a 6-drawer plastic cabinet that works great!
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