Easy Sewing Pattern Storage TUTORIAL - One GOOD Solution You'll Want To Copy

Easy sewing pattern storage tutorial - Following that messy post on two BAD solutions you should not copy when storing patterns, I feel obliged to show you one GOOD solution you WILL want to copy. So, dear readers, this is one of my early 'inventions' to cope with the sewing pattern storage: Nothing fancy, but so USEFUL!! It's a supersized cardboard holder for your sewing patterns. I'll show you how to make it, check it out.

Sewing Pattern Storage - A Diy Version

Want to make a supersized cardboard file for your patterns? To start, let me tell you why I love my diy pattern storage. It's

• zero cost,
• green (upcycling old cardboard boxes)
• easy and fast.

And these storage files are huge! They can be used for a number of purposes, like kids' art folders. Seriously, these can house even the largest art creations they have brought from the kindergarten!

With that being said, the top value of these diy folders comes from being able to store a wealth of those large patterns that come in huge sheets of paper. If you are looking for where to store them, this is the tutorial to bookmark. First, the supplies.  

You'll need this:

and two cardboard boxes like this one:

How-to:

1) Cut the two boxes so you get one bottom piece and another one - but mind, you need to leave one side of the box attached to the bottom - see the next 2 photos before cutting!

2) See? One bottom of the box and one bottom with one side still attached. You'll use these two pieces.  

3) Glue them together so the (additional) 'side' of one piece will overlap, as seen in the photo below:

4) This is optional: I glued some wrapping paper over the top of one side, to make it prettier. And used duct tape to make the embellishment last longer 🙂

    5) Using an olfa cutter, cut two tiny holes to the front and the back piece of the folder:

6) ...and insert a ribbon into each hole. You'll use this to tie the two parts together.

7) Done!

      If you only have a few large pattern prints, one single folder will be perfect. Others might need a whole closet, but I am not talking about that... Yet 😀 This solution is great for those sewing enthusiasts who don't (yet) own a huge pile of patterns but could use a smart way to tuck them all into one place...And one more thing is of HUGE importance to me: it takes nearly no space in my home! (I'm always in search of space-savers) Now, one more thing: it's good to eliminate the guesswork and label the individual pieces of every pattern properly. What I do is totally easy: write down the name of the project and the total No of pieces. On each piece. Even if they fall loose, you'll be able to find them again. You'd like to know which pieces belong together, right?

On a side note, you might need to store that little patterns, for bibs and similar ones: for smaller items, you can use clear plastic envelopes or transparent binder sheet protectors - you'll find them in any office supply store.

It doesn't look really large in this picture, but let me tell you this is the largest yellow box I have, and it holds nearly half of my stash of knits. But the folder fits right into this box, and this is what makes it PERFECT for me.

OK, it's not much but it's a good start, isn't it? I hope it works for you too. However, I'd still be happy if you let me know what pattern storage solution works for you. Especially if it's a DIYed version, I'd love to see that!

Other Ways To Organize Your Sewing Patterns

Here are a few ideas I've collected and think could help organize your sewing patterns:

1. Put them in super large plastic bags. Store or hang them by designer, then in alphabetical order.
2. Get manila envelopes
3. Use gallon size zip lock bags
4. Put them in sleeve protectors in binders
5. Storing in the open space? Get a rod ( cable) and rings like the ones are sold in Ikea, and hang your pattern pieces like that.
6. Got really have a lot of patterns? You need a big file cabinet!