How Do You Organize Your Pattern Collection?

chaos557

I have 3 binders for all my patterns. The ones I have bought and payed money for.

The ones I havent bought are just in a folder on the computer  no special order yet.

nanasitasue

I organise mine by subject matter. I do that because, when starting a new project the first thing I think is -what is the subject matter, maybe a birth sampler or christmas card. If they are filed that way I can go straight to that section and look for what I want. Some sections such as Christmas are huge so they are broken down into sub sections such as large pictures, cards, decorations, then further down again to categories such as Santa, Rudolph, outdoor scenes, trees etc. I find this works for me
As I create a heading  I number it for example 25 christmas (thats always easy to remember) all my blackwork and monochrome charts are together, fantasy etc are numbered 4 so I have 4 ANGELS, 4 FAIRIES, 4 MYSTICAL and all branded items like Beatrix Potter and Hummel have 7 in front. It evolved over about 3 years and seems to work.
I have them all on an external hard drive so they ar safe if the computer crashes. I lost 3 years work about 3 years ago so had to start from scratch again. It was easier the second time because I already had the titles of the folders in my head. Once the headers are in place it becomes simple to always file new charts in the correct sub heading. Starting with hundreds of charts is a nightmare but soonest started soonest mended as my old gran used to say

Blackhat

nanasitasue replied at 2012-9-12 15:42

                               
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I organise mine by subject matter. I do that because, when starting a new project the first thing I  ...

Thats a very clever system, using numbers to double-code your files... I wish I had the correct brain for numerical associations, but alas, I do not... I would quickly forget which number meant what and would constantly have to recheck. Perhaps if I stuck with it for three years Id develop such a skill... ;P

keyva

The big designers have their own folder.  I usually know what their designs are. The rest get organized by subjuct.

Blackhat

keyva replied at 2012-9-15 21:18

                               
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The big designers have their own folder.  I usually know what their designs are. The rest get organi ...

Thats kinda how I do it now, too.... but this new collections option thing is totally changing my game! Are you using them yet? Also, because youre at lv. 3, can you tell me; how many collections are you able to make? (I can only do 5 of them at lv 2- wondering if higher levels get more). :loveliness:

plasticlachesis

mine is a mess... Im ashamed. :$

Crimson

:lol I organize by designer xD I wanted to do it by theme or subject ... but found that I will end up with lots of folders >< and subfolders xD
so Im keeping them this way for the moment :lol
>> well sometimes I have something in mind and I just go and view all my collection to see which design fits my project more then I just pick them up :loveliness:

siennaX

This is a great thread.  I have absolutely no system.  All of my charts are stacked around the house.  Magazines in a pile, print outs in a drawer, kits in a corner.  The charts I really want to do "next" are on top.  Maybe I should get organized   :loveliness:  

Blackhat

siennaX replied at 2012-9-28 04:46

                               
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This is a great thread.  I have absolutely no system.  All of my charts are stacked around the house ...

Heh, maybe... think of it like a treasure hunt! Youll rediscover patterns youve forgotten about and get all excited again! (At least, thats what happens to me... :$)

marolis

por editoriales y dentro de ellas , subcarpetas con los diseñadores , en hoja excel  numeros los que los tienen y los que carecen de numero por nombre . las rebistas en carpetas segun editorial con hoja informativa y los que desconozco autor en carpeta aparte con hoja informativa para identificar ...
mucho lio al principio pero tomandolo con calma se lleva bien .
los impresos en carpetas de sobres de plastico