Pattern Organization

[LadyStitch]

The PP has gone back to school to get his masters (Yay!) but trying to study and write papers with a toddler running around is a little difficult. (boo!) To give him a place to work with out too many distractions, we are trying to organize/ de clutter our office/sewing/ craft room. 
So far I have attacked the sewing fabric bins.  If it doesn't have an honest reason to be kept, or it can't make a collar & cuffs on something, it is going to the scrap box which we give to charity.  Too many small pieces take up WAY too much room.  They have been evicted.  Same goes for UGLY fabric.  I know having some around for my theater stuff is a good idea, but there are some that are just.....NO!

The next large thing in my collection are my patterns.  As I do theater things I have to keep a variety of styles, sizes, and time periods in my stash.  I love my mother but she has been getting me used patterns by the armload.  She has found me some rather nice rare ones, but she has found stuff from the 80's that looks like it was worn by the people on Dynasty.  /shutter  I feel bad about getting rid of them since she spent money on them. (Ok it was maybe $2 for 10 but still it was money)  I need a suggestion on guidelines on what I should use to prune my pattern collection.

My other space taker uper, are UFO's.  Most are items I am making but they had to be put on hold for some reason.  The best example is the doublet I'm doing for the other Flamingo brother.  I was pushing to have it done by TRF but he couldn't come, so pushed to Sherwood, and then we can't go to that. I have important commissions coming in ... yada yada yada...  you get the idea.  At the momment, they are living in bags, and in special boxes.  Other than just finishing the darn things, any suggestion on how I can organize them better?

[mollymishap]

I'm in the process of organizing my patterns, too, so I'll share what I'm doing & maybe it will work for you. 

I've started making a spreadsheet with columns for maker, pattern #, style/time period, sizes, etc.  I've already found where I have duplicates of some patterns I didn't think I had.

Next, I'm going to go period by period and see if any patterns *are* actually duplicates in disguise.  If there is some treatment I like in one pattern but the basic design is the same as in another, more useful for whatever reason pattern, then I'm going to scan in a copy of the "extra" one and keep it in a file for reference later, or perhaps print out a copy and stick it in the same envelope as the one I'm keeping.

I'm also going to just get rid of some old, OLD, toiles for things I've made for people that it's unlikely I'll ever use again.  That one might be hard for odd sentimental reasons, but it must be done!

Like I said, I'm still working on it, so I might do things differently once I'm done with the inputting, but that's where I'm at so far.

Good luck!

[Kate XXXXXX]

Spread out the patterns: make three heaps.

1.  Anything you KNOW you will never ever make, not before the world is a glassy waste and only the cockroaches are left.  Charity shop them.  or, if used, send for recycling.

2.  Things you have loved but may not make again, or can see some use for down the line.  Archive box.  They can go into some sort of storage.

3.  Things you will definitely use frequently.  Sort by time period and hunt out a suitable sizes Useful Box (http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/uk/html/onlineshop/fullrange_rub.php).  Yes, they are available in the USA.  Not cheap, but way better than all the cheap ones you see.

Be ruthless.   

[LadyStitch]

Right now I have them organized by time period, and male vs female, and adult vs child, and if they are an accessory/craft.   My thing is there are some that I really just don't like but I keep hanging onto because I "might" need them.  And they are hideous!

I have mine stored in either bulk copy paper boxes, and actual paper archive boxes. 

[gem]

I keep my WIPs and some UFOs in flat Sterlite storage boxes. They're clear, so it's really easy to tell what each bin is for--either b/c I can see the fabric, etc through the sides, or the pattern/inspiration pix through the top. They're a good size for garb projects, which tend to be larger than mundane clothing (you could fit everything for a T-shirt in a gallon Ziplock bag--not so much a chemise or a doublet or a gown!), but if you had a lot of mundane WIPs, a small plastic-drawer chest might work just as well. They'll take up some space, but if you keep EVERYTHING for a project together in the bin (or drawer), it means you just have to grab that one bin in order to work on it--not go rummaging about messing up the rest of the room or disturbing your PP while you hunt down supplies. They also slide neatly into/out of closet shelves, and just having everything *contained* goes a long way toward things looking more organized.

You can see a couple of my bins in this photo. I bought that hutch specifically to fit my machines and project bins. There's also a grey Rubbermaid tub that was the tote/bin for my purple kirtle--I needed something I could carry to and fro from class--but you can see it's a lot less space-efficient than the flat Sterlites.

[Adriana Rose]

I have my patterns in a old filing cabnet. That way they are in a safe place, I learned the hard way that dress patterns are like crack to little girls. I have them in zip locks so they dont get wet if my oldest neice gets them and hides it.

Loose the patterns that you dont need, like the ones that Mum has found for you. The ones that you just find a icky and the ones that you would rather have your fingernails ripped out than make. Those sort of patterns.

The UFO's I keep mine in clear totes in the garage, granted my grage has been morphed into a giant workroom when its warm enough to work out there. But the totes keep it clean and the fact they are clear so I can see them sorta helps. You can get the totes for cheaper from wally worlds web site.

[isabelladangelo]

I keep most of my patterns in something like this.   Those that don't fit, are either in the sewing desk or in one of the lovely Ikea black and white cardboard boxes that fit nicely on the shelf. 

If you don't want the fabric/patterns/ect but feel bad about just throwing them away, try selling them on Etsy.   You can sell the patterns as a lot (5 each seems to be the norm) and make sure you have a photo of the back, front and one with a penny (or some other small but easily recognizable object.  It helps for size comparison of the print but also to see how well the color is adjusted.  Copper is a very distinctive color.) for the fabric.