I am not sure how most people go about organizing their patterns but I needed to find a way to organize mine.  I decided to go with a crate and envelopes because it gave me the most flexibility when it came to template pieces.  I also wanted an additional hard copy back-up in case my computer decided to crash and leave me pattern-less….

After spending a lot of time cutting, highlighting and labeling pieces, I didn’t want to have to do that each time I made something new.  So I decided to print off the first sheet of each of my patterns and attach it to the front of an envelope.  In each envelope, I put a copy of the pattern along with any corresponding template pieces.  Then I printed up a list of the supplies I used for each of my projects and threw that in the envelope too.

I went to JO-ANN’s to pick up a crate and decided to stain it up a little to give it some color.  I haven’t decided if I want to shine it up yet or not with polyurethane.  I just leave the box out and finger through it each day to see what I might like to make.   I look at so many patterns that this helps me quickly see which ones I have purchased.  I have made the mistake of buying a pattern more than once.  😦

I planned on spending the weekend  getting all my patterns organized and put in the box.   It is working so far, but hopefully I won’t fill the box up too soon.