Pattern Storage Hack - How I Organise and Store My Sewing Patterns

[@theoretical_chaos7712]

not gonna lie learning how different people's cataloguing systems work is fascinating

[@cc83jc85]

I do store my patterns very similarly to you - after 40 years of struggling and ripping up patterns accidentally! I only found this idea, similar to yours, about 4 years ago and I'm in my late 60's! Keep up the good work!

[@jimdrummer816]

It's like going to the fabric store, looking in the 'counter book' and then to the filing cabinet -- all in your own home. Nice!

[@Nessi-dances]

Ooo, I like the physical catalog idea! I have a lot of PDF patterns, so I can just print off another title/picture page and use that. Good idea!

[@MiljaHahto]

I was just thinking about the same thing! I also have Lutterloh patterns, and those would very well go in the same folder.

[@rbrown6476]

Wow! I wish you’d worked this out and told me 50 years ago. Hah - I know you weren’t even born yet, then! Well you’re a genius. I could understand and appreciate every single piece of info I just watched and as you flipped through your patterns, I recognised some of the ones I myself bought in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Actually all that stuff comes back into fashion every so often and I haven’t bought patterns lately - they seem so expensive these days! It’s such an intuitive and sensible way to organise patterns. Mine have all been sellotaped together over the years because they do indeed swell up every time you use the contents. And I’m going to set aside some time to put your wonderful system into practice for myself. Thanks a million Ash ❤❤❤ PS How I love to hear a lovely calm British English voice with no affected growling or peculiar accents. 😂😂😂 So many youtube videos get turned off here, because I can’t bear the hyped up crazy sounding voices and over exaggeration on each word. And these days, most people seem to shout at the microphone for some reason. It’s a delight to listen to you, so thanks very much. Keep up the good work - it’s always interesting and helpful and unusual and informative x

[@ladybugdancer97]

This is genius. I've been trying to figure out how to store all my patterns, and I might incorporate some of this, once my craft room is no longer under construction. Thank you for another great video Ash!

[@yonwife5879]

Genius, simply genius.

[@littleredhen7274]

I LOVE your system! I was a theatre costumer for several years. In community & youth theatre, there are bodies of varying shapes & sizes, and sometimes primary roles are double cast. Aa-and my costuming helpers were often volunteers. This resulted in purchasing a costume pattern in *every* size it came in, so each volunteer had a pattern set on a work day. Your system would have been SO fantastic to track those patterns we modified for many, many shows.

[@dee6075]

Such a simple but effective solution to the problems with storage of patterns!

[@TeaAndATale]

Fantastic! And you're even preserving the patterns for future decades!

[@rholt8800]

Thank you for sharing! I sort mine by knits v wovens, then by category. I use a hanging file system. I love your solution to create a binder with envelopes. Very creatively organized. Thank you for giving the reasons for why you do what you do.

[@GaraksApprentice]

I am both impressed and terrified by the sheer amount of patterns just on the work table, let alone lovingly stored in the file cabinet. But then dealing with patterns is my absolute least favourite part of the entire sewing process, so I've gone to great lengths to avoid having to use paper patterns unless absolutely necessary 😅And all my other (knit, crochet, embroidery etc) patterns are stored digitally so I a) can't lose them as easily and b) have really good search results when I go looking for a specific thing.

[@cathtaylor2771]

Best and easiest system I've seen upto yet, thank-you

[@csifan52]

I was so confused by you separating them but your system is brilliant!

[@robinsuebrooking]

Well, this is just absolutely brilliant! I am overrun with patterns and have been looking for a viable solution for storing and accessing them. This is by far the best I have come across yet. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@rivergalen4020]

Good reminder that I need to update my pattern storage

[@ParliamentOfOwls309]

it's like the dewey decimal system, but for patterns

[@deborahbaker1879]

Trying to stuff it back in the envelope is a problem. Great suggestion!!! Thx!!!

[@janissharkey7174]

I do the same thing, with the exception that I make or buy new-bigger-envelopes to store the actual patterns in. Having the “look books” is a game changer in finding what you want to sew, and organizing the patterns in the new envelopes by number makes them so easy to find. I store my tracings for my size in the envelope as well, but if I trace several sizes I may have to put the extra sizes in another envelope, but they will always be right next to each other because they have the same number.

[@BYBabbra]

Brilliant system, I sort of file my patterns but no where near as well. I might have to copy your system if that's okay, if I do I will definitely give you a shout. Love the dress the print is just lovely, very celestial.

[@Mongoly8]

I have a whole bunch of my grandmas patterns that I have been storing in a big bin, I think I might try this or something similar, thanks

[@stubbletts]

My patterns are out of control, I feel like this could solve it! Thank you for sharing! Gonna try something similar :)

[@camille94019]

So nice to see someone else has a large number of patterns, too!

[@vincentbriggs1780]

I don't like to fold mine because I draft them all on heavy brown paper, so I organize then the way we did in college, bu punching holes in the ends and hanging them on shower hooks, which I then hang on coat hangers! Unfortunately I don't have a good system for finding them, but I think it would be easier if they had their own garment rack and weren't stuffed into the closet with my clothes.

[@AshLG]

I am always in awe of people who have all their self drafted patterns hanging up in the background of their workroom! It looks very smart

[@vincentbriggs1780]

@@AshLG Right now a bunch of them are on the back of my closet door next to a pile of laundry, but I guess it still looks half smart at least!

[@janice2992]

@ Vincent briggs1780 I like the sound of your own drafted patterns on heavy paper hanging. I don't have anywhere to hang. I have drafted underwear on vellum and rolled them up. I like the binder and filing cabinet method but paper patterns are so delicate and don't fit me anyway. I have backed useful patterns with iron on interfacing. 😀

[@MiljaHahto]

I think you could have cardboard tags on the hanger, with the pattern information on the. That would be equal to the labels Ash does.

[@charlottaberg5080]

This is brilliant! Right now, I'm in the process of transferring all my sewing stuff from my bedroom and living room (yeah, that's not a very good sewing situation but I had no choice) into the room that my son just vacated when moving to a student's room. I've been thinking a lot about how to organise/reorganise my patterns and now I think I found the solution. Thanks a million!

[@whimsicalmusedesign]

This is so cool! I love seeing how others organize their crafting!! So cool! I thoroughly enjoyed this! I am trying to decide how I want to start organizing my sewing things!❤

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

I have a similar system. Filing everything by number is so much easier. Plus looking through your own catalog is great. My big problem these days is I have to purge some patterns. I’m running out of room.

[@stevezytveld6585]

I store mine in comic book bags in two overstuffed vintage lawyer briefcases. I have too many unprinted patterns to feel comfortable about separating the pattern from the envelope - doom and confusion would result. Hi Robin, hope you had a good Easter weekend. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

@@stevezytveld6585 hi Cathy. We had a nice weekend though quite. We only had an extra 2 instead of all we wanted. Darn kids growing up and getting lives!! Grandson got too much chocolate. But all and all it was good. How about you two. I’m guessing busy

[@stevezytveld6585]

@@robintheparttimesewer6798 It was a quiet one, actually. For whatever reason Steve wasn't booked for any of the Easter services. So, we kind of played hookie... Is there such a thing as too much chocolate? Hm. Have to meditate on that one ;) Yeah, the older we get the harder it is to schedule things.

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

@@stevezytveld6585 lol Cathy your right but lots of chocolate should be fine chocolate!! He’s wasn’t all that fine.

[@stevezytveld6585]

@@robintheparttimesewer6798 Sounds like someone got a good case of 'chocolate face'... Mmm.

[@michellecornum5856]

I do a similar thing with my projects that I have a specific fabric picked out for. I fold a note or a picture of the project in with the fabric. The note lists the garment or the specific pattern. In a separate notebook, I have an image of the fabric, the name of the bin it is stored in, and the pattern or garment it is to be made into. As for my patterns, I have a lovely old three drawer credenza, and I separate the patterns into categories like a pattern book. However, I separate my patterns by yardage. I go by the maximum yardage of whatever view. Then I put the patterns in order of those requiring the least yardage in the front of the drawer and those needing the most yardage in the back of the drawer. I have two separate baskets for my self drafts, and PDFs, and the big envelope patterns like Truly Victorian and Black Snail. It's interesting to see how other people store their fabric and their patterns.

[@ReinaElizondo]

😯 Ooh sorting by yardage needs is an interesting idea!

[@denisepettit8534]

Excellent I just got a couple of boxes of patterns many are from the 70's and everything in-between. This gives me inspiration for organizing and got most of my Mom's patterns. She has many reproductions of the 1800's along with mid 1900's- 2010ish. Also I have been buying modern. Thank you. I need a filing cabinet now boxes till then will work.

[@charlymicky1722]

So interesting to see your pattern organisation and storage system! How do you store patterns you created yourself from scratch or that you took from clothing you liked?

[@AshLG]

I’m still working on incorporating those into the system, but I suspect I will end up giving them numbers and filing a photo or drawing into the catalogue

[@Rotten_Ralph]

I’m fascinated… I need a filing cabinet and I knew it

[@ReinaElizondo]

Lol I'm way more chaotic. I take pictures of patterns when I buy them (usually like 6-8 a picture if I've bought a lot) and then I just look through those pics when I'm unsure if I have something similar. And then I look through the several places I've stashed patterns for them when I need them lol. I have considered doing a digital database with like airtables or something since I have something like that for fabric (pics, content, # yards) but I haven't been keeping it up as a system either. So I'm behind there and doubt I'd keep up on more granularity for patterns either unfortunately. For a while when I was shopping big 4 pattern sales, I had a note on my phone with numbers I was looking for and numbers I had found. Also needs to be up kept.

[@renamessenger6397]

Excellent idea. Thanks for sharing. I’m off to organize my patterns now

[@kcthehermit]

I do the same except with manilla envelopes instead of zip locks.

[@annashanahan369]

Me too! I like to note possible modifications for future iterations, as experience has shown me I won’t remember what seems obvious when I’ve just finished a make

[@MiljaHahto]

That eliminates the need of labels 🤔

[@coolforge]

Brilliant! Thanks - this will work for me perfectly.

[@Joodster]

OMG. The bridal pattern at :23 looks like the same one my mom used to sew my sister’s wedding dress back in 1972. Talk about triggering a memory!

[@Heather-jd1km]

Brilliant idea 💡

[@anna46792]

Love this idea!! Thank you!

[@loribyoga2600]

How clever! Love it

[@lynette.]

Genius.

[@akatalinaakumu2312]

That is an amazing system honestly. I am a beginner and all the patterns i have so far are digital, either bought or free i that i dug from somewhere. I try to keep them orginized in a folder on my pc. So far i have the bought/free categories. the bought ones are by designers/store i got them from. and then each pattern into each own folder with the name if it has and the description of what it is. dress/pants/skirt etc. The free ones are each patterns so far are all in one folder but after watching this i want to put them into categories. Its by no means perfect. but i dont have that many patterns and so far and i mostly used the bought ones since they come with instructions, pictures and some of them with videos to sew along. All the patterns i printed, i made secure holes and hang them in my closet in categories dress/pants/skirts etc. I dont know if thats a good/bad way or storing them but its works well so far

[@sewingforyourlife]

Do you also have them (the numbers and covers) digitized? So if you find a pattern in a thriftstore, you can look it up? I struggle with this, most times i see a pattern or an old pattern magazine in thriftstores and buy it, only to realize at home, that i already have it.

[@RobinT346]

I somehow forgot that you can use filing cabinets without hanging files.

[@lizcollinson2692]

How often fo you find you already have that pattern? 😊

[@AshLG]

Too often!

[@mel_issa__]

Having a very uneasy feeling while you separate the patterns from their envelope 😅

[@vaaarna]

420 likes nice , cool video!