How To Store Sewing Patterns – 7 Creative Ideas

The messiest thing I ever noticed while attending fashion school would be the sewing patterns in general. These kinds of patterns are messy and very difficult to store, the patterns might come in handy later on. With different patterns, we are even able to come up with an entirely new design. So for us, saving the patterns is worth it. So, how do you store sewing patterns?

There is more than one way to store a sewing pattern. But there are two kinds of patterns, paper and digital. These have different method of storage as well! Organizing your stored patterns is also important. You never know when you need to find them, and having them organized will come in handy.

Do you want to learn how to store sewing patterns? Don’t worry, I have just the solution for you. Read on and find out how to store your paper and digital sewing patterns in an organized way!

7 Ways to Store Digital Sewing Patterns?

Instead of storing stacks of paper, why not try to store your patterns digitally? It is so much easier and so much more convenient to keep them organized after either scanning them or taking a picture of the pattern.

But how can you save digital patterns? From hard drives to cloud storage to apps that you can design and save them on, there are many options available to store digital sewing patterns. Let’s have a look at some of these examples in more detail.

Evernote
Tap forms
Trello
Dropbox
Google Drive
Sew, Help Me
Airtable

1.Evernote

Though Evernote has both a paid and a free version, here you’ll be able to categorize the patterns. You can even send an image to the folders. Set the patterns with different names and even add different notes. Access from multiple devices and search the pattern from the folders.

2.Tap Forms

Tap forms allow you to create a database, and here the folders are created according to the forms. You can even add a searchable option. Add pictures or tags, but they are not free. You have to give out some cash.

3.Trello

This is a free app that allows you to create boards, lists, and cards. You can even add the purchases and access them on multiple devices. The materials would be added, linked, archived, or moved around.

4.Dropbox

Dropbox is another system that will help with a shared system. This will help with the overall system. For example, the products will be stored in the cloud, where they can be shared among peers.

5.Google Drive

Well, this has to be the most common cloud storage system where you can just upload a file or a folder directly. Google Drive might be the most frequently used cloud system. They can be used for free and has tons of space.

6.Sew Help Me

Well, this app is perfect for the IOS system, and you can even get the lite or paid version of the same app. You can definitely create the sewing patterns, develop them, and even note the necessary fabric retirements. Even when the app is pretty old, there are several options added.

7.Airtable

Airtable is a database and spreadsheet hybrid that is very convenient to keep track of a lot of different information about a sewing pattern. The good news is that Airtable is completely free, so it is a good place to keep your digital sewing patterns with pictures and additional information about them.

How to Store Paper Sewing Patterns?

As a student, you will gather many sewing patterns. And you never know when a sewing pattern will be important. For paper sewing patterns some might suggest that getting rid of a certain pattern would be perfect, but what about when I want a certain design, and I can’t find the measurements online?

When you think about sewing patterns, the first thing that will pop up is paper patterns. This kind of pattern can be made or bought from a store. The methods of storing such paper can be a mess, as they tend to take up a lot of space. But when you are storing such paper patterns, they will be neat and organized. There are different ways of storing a paper packet, and these are:

Magazine Holders
Binders
Cabinets
Storage boxes
Concertina folders
Drawers
Hangers

1.Magazine Holders

Magazine holders are the ultimate way of saving patterns. You can put them inside a zip-lock bag and then place them inside of the magazine holders. This will ensure that the paper is stored safely and won’t get damaged. By placing them horizontally, no pressure will be applied to the edges of the paper and ensure that it will remain intact inside the zip-bags. An alternative to zip-lock bags could be envelope. A zip-lock bag might be too small for certain patterns so a large envelope will be perfect for this!

2.Binders

Ring binders have to be my favorite ones, as they come with their own plastic inserts. Here, you don’t have to spend some extra cash on the envelope or zip-lock bag. Fold the pattern and place it on the inserts and you can have dedicated binders for specific types of patterns. Not only will the plastic inserts keep the paper patterns safe, but the binder also serves as extra protection for your paper.

3.Cabinets

This is for when you have so many patterns stored up in binders or magazine folders that you need to start storing those. Having a cabinet will solve that issue! Just pop the folders into the cabinet and have them stored safely inside. Plastic cabinets work fine too. You just need a place to store all those patterns you have saved up and cabinets are a good way to store them all in one place.

4.Storage Boxes

And for when a cabinet might take up too much space, why not try storage boxes for your paper sewing patterns? They are convenient, takes up a smaller space, and helps keep the paper fresh! Same with the cabinet, storage boxes can also hold your binders and magazine folders. Some special types of storage boxes are comic book storage boxes or banker’s box. But plastic or cardboard storage works as well and costs less.

5.Concertina Folders

A binder can be plain and you have to make the categories of the different patterns yourself with sticky note paper. Not to worry, concertina folders can solve that issue easily! They have color-coded compartments inside so you know which pattern is placed inside which part of the folder. Not only that, concertina folders are used for heavy-duty paper so you know that your paper sewing patterns will be safe inside one!

6.Drawers

Why not utilize your empty drawers to store your sewing patterns? Inside your closet or tables, your drawer can become an easy-to-access storage for your paper sewing patterns. Add an extra layer of protection by having your patterns be inside plastic covers.

7.Hangers

What if you have a large paper cut out that you don’t want to fold to fit into a small storage? Then you can hang them on hangers so they remain as they are. With a hanger, the paper is not folded or cut and you keep your large canvas or cardboard paper patterns intact!

There are so many different ways to store paper sewing patterns! But it can become exhausting because you have to constantly switch between different types of storage for paper patterns. Well not to worry because you can also store your patterns digitally!

FAQs

How do you store sewing pattern pieces?

To store the sewing pattern pieces, the best way would be to use zip-lock bags or a paper folder.

How do you store pattern blocks?

To store the pattern blocks, you can go with the hanger or just use a storage cabinet or box.

Final Thoughts

Personally, having all my sewing patterns in their digital form not only saves space but also saves me the headache of remembering where I have all my sewing patterns stored. There is also the added benefit that if my paper patterns are ever destroyed, I have a digital backup that I can print out anytime! However, it is up to you because how you store your sewing pattern is a personal preference. Maybe work is easier to do when you have a pattern on paper in front of you instead of a computer screen. At least now you know how to store your sewing patterns, either in physically or digitally!

How To Store Sewing Patterns – 7 Creative Ideas