How Do You Organize Your Pattern Collection?

TJ

TJ replied at 2012-4-23 18:06

                               
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I have the files named with designer (if there is any or I know it) and subject, and organized in fo ...

True! And I also agree with someone who said above that there is no perfect method :)

sil

By designer for me

vitt

My only way to give them a (little) order is to put them under categories like people, landscape, animal. But this is just a little help. If you have a lot of patterns is very hard to find what you're looking for

jhuk2k

I do mine by company and then designer withing the specified company folder :)

Vonne

Completely by theme.  It seems the easiest way to find something.  I don't always know the designer but I do know if I want to stitch something floral or a sampler for example.

Blackhat

Vonne replied at 2012-4-25 07:30

                               
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Completely by theme.  It seems the easiest way to find something.  I don't always know the designer  ...

Wat do you do if there are two main themes in the pattern? :o

nguyenhanguyen

Mine is always a mess...

rosebud

I file mine by designer, books, magazines, tutorials (i.e. how to make...), tips (like conversion charts), and miscellaneous.  Under the miscellaneous I have multiple categories like lanscape, nautical, floral, animals, etc.  I put all the anonymous ones or ones that I only have one or two charts by that designer.  In the designer files, I file everything by the title of the design.  For those that I've printed the charts for, I file them in sheet protectors in multiple 3-ring binders by designer.  And finally, since there are so many both in pdf/jpeg or other hard copy, I made spreadsheets for each designer listed and use "x" to indicate what format I have any charts in by them. I also list the chart name, the year, date, etc.  This way I can do a quick search to see if I have it and don't have to dig through everything over and over again.  The purpose of using a date is so that I know the year I got the chart - not when the chart was published.  I keep the files in a drive dedicated to only keeping charts (and have a back up drive, too) with a yearly date, so there is 2012, 2011, 2010, etc.  So within those "years" are the designers I got charts from.  Its extensive and took a very long time initially to set up how I wanted my system but that's why I split everything by year first and then just add that info to my spreadsheet(s).  So its always an on-going side project but it works well for me and takes very little time to update.  For next year, I will just copy the 2012 file and change the year, then clear out each designer sheet but the formatting stays the same so it will be easy enough to continue.  Even for this year, I add designer sheets as I get "new" designers and same thing...copy another existing designer sheet, delete the chart info, and just change the designer name of the sheet as I get new ones.

I may as well add that when I download new charts...like from here...I put them in a "pending" file until I have time to sort them out.  That way I won't lose track of them before getting them filed in their proper place.  Hope my system may give you some inspiration or a new idea.  :)

xsreese

I have magazines, freebies, and working copies in binders. I file all of them by designer in a file cabinet and some decorative baskets. I also have a carry file tote with folders of what I am currently working and would like to do by season and gifts.

mbstitch

in folders and by designer