The Sewing Place

Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc

SewRuthieSews

Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« on: December 16, 2021, 17:59:42 PM »
I am having a go at improving the sewing room organisation for patterns and sewing magazines.
I have a lot, but sometimes can't find what I am looking for.
Actual normal pattern envelopes are not too bad, but things I've traced off or printed off not so much.

At the moment I've started 2 ring binders - one for Garment sewing things and one for Craft sewing things and trying to organise the projects in those A4 plastic pages.

Do share how you like to organise things, it might give me some ideas!

maliw

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2021, 18:57:42 PM »
I use lots of plastic boxes, like shoe boxes - threads, elastic, laces etc, larger ones for patterns and even bigger for fabric but the room is still a mess :embarrassed: :laughing: :laughing:
At leisure on the leisure penninsula

mudcat

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2021, 20:45:31 PM »
Mine is roughly divided between smaller pattern envelopes and larger envelopes (Vogue, Sewing Workshop, Jalie, etc and printed patterns which have been inserted into large sized envelopes.  The larger ones are upright on the bookshelf.  The Italian magazines are on the bookshelf in plastic magazine holders and the smaller envelopes are arrange by pattern brand in two large plastic bins inside the bottom shelf of my cabinets.  I have two sets of cabinets which are doors on the bottom and bookshelves on the top.  I no longer have any magazines outside of the Italian ones.

There's a partial picture of my bookshelf on the second page of my diary about half way down (Nov 2020):
https://thesewingplace.org.uk/index.php/topic,9064.15.html


datcat23

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2021, 20:54:59 PM »
I have a 3 drawer filing cabinet. The top two drawers hold my regular patterns (big 4), along with some indie ones.  For regular patterns I put each one into a A5 sized clear ziplock bag, and any traced pieces can then fit in along with the pattern, without wrecking the pattern envelope.  For my pattern magazines, and the bigger indie patterns, I use plastic folders (sort of a plastic envelope, we call them simplick wallets) to hold the magazine/patterns, and any traced versions. These are in the bottom drawer of the cabinet, and in two, three ..... a number of plastic tubs in the sewing room, and hall cupboard, and spare room.   :facepalm: 

I need to purge my patterns again, its getting a bit out of hand. 
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

Vezelay

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2021, 21:47:47 PM »
I store all my printed pdfs and traced patterns in 4 labelled magazine files - Tops, Jackets/cardis, Pants, and Dresses/Sundry. The patterns are in individual open-sided plastic folders with a front sheet showing the name and a picture of the garment. Craft pattens are in A4 files with an index at the front. It's not perfect but takes minimal effort and space and I can usually find what I want quickly. I keep indexes of every pattern, both bought and printed, and all fabric I buy, but it isn't always up to date.

My haberdashery and sewing gadgets are another thing entirely. In the past I've tended to buy anything that looks possibly useful but now I honestly don't know what half of it is even for. That's what I need to organise!

b15erk

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2021, 10:36:54 AM »
I had a go at mine yesterday, after reading this, but I'm afraid I'm a lost cause. 

I have a large box full of all the patterns I have at home, all in company order, but it's the current, and pdf's which are a problem.  I decided yesterday that I will try using the large plastic zip bags which I bought in the summer, we'll see how that goes.

Now for the pdf's - most of them - like the big 4 patterns are stored in a large box, but the ones I'm currently using are just sitting on surfaces getting mislaid.

Please let us know how you get on, I may steal a good idea... :embarrassed:

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Acorn

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2021, 11:45:31 AM »
Most of my patterns are printed pdfs, and they are stored in A4 plastic folders, which are then stored by category in magazine files like this (only mine are prettier):

I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2021, 11:59:26 AM »
I have a large drawer in an ikea chest full of patterns.  They tend to sit side on and it’s not ideal but they’re not used much.  Maybe need to get rid of some.
 My PDF's and self drafted are placed in A4 gusseted envelopes.  I write the name of the pattern if it’s bought, sketch the design on the front and write the details of fabric required.  I found that saved me time.  If it’s a self drafted I give it a pattern number which relates to the date I made it.  These are kept in a large fancy cardboard box my DIL gave me one year.  It has pictures of sewing stuff all over it.  It’s getting a bit full so wondering where to go from here.   :thinking:

Starryfish

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2021, 13:35:12 PM »
I bought some gusseted A4 envelopes from Patterntrace which are good for PDFs. However they are expensive, so I've got some plain ones from Amazon to put the rest in. I print out a picture of the design and stick it on the front. They are stored in Ikea kallax boxes. My notions are supposed to be in a small chest of drawers but they are spilling out. It needs to be rethought. Maybe more Ikea storage.
A day without sewing is a day wasted.

Esme866

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2021, 05:46:38 AM »
I really have no use for commercial patterns any longer. I have to draft my own. But when I was still using them, I purchased cardboard boxes from the fabric store, I think I have 6, sized for patterns. I eventually decided to store them based on what I thought I would use in the next year. I still store this way, as I keep my commercial patterns that have features I might want to use - collars, pockets, necklines and such.

My self drafted stuff is still on brown craft paper, bit I'm thinking of ordering some oak tag/Manila soon. I use binder clips to hold the pieces of each pattern together and use the binder clip to hang them from the wall. This way, I don't have to fold them.

Notions (threads, zips, etc) are kept in translucent plastic shoe boxes, except for the ones I need for a current project. Those are in a box at the machine til needed.

Boppingbeth

Re: Sewing Room Organisation - patterns/magazines and etc
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2021, 00:00:38 AM »
I use comic board sleeves and cards for all my patterns.  The Envelope goes in the front of the card; everything else including any tracings I make, go in the back of the card.  Everything goes into the envelope. The advantage is that comic boards are acid free.  It makes patterns easy to flip through even with assorted tracings.

My pdf patterns that end up tnt all hang up in my closet.  I use curtain rings to keep everything together and a diy version of commercial pattern hooks for those.