How do you store doll patterns?

I store mine in photo-albums, standard photo size 10x15 is nice for 1\4 and 1\6 dolls, for 1\3 dolls I found photo album A4 size.

 

I have a binder with clear plastic pockets. In it I have one envelope for each of my dolls and I store all the patternpieces that I made for that specific doll in there. The envelopes goes into the plastic pockets, usually sorted by company. Smaller envelopes for smaller dolls and larger for the bigger dolls, just so I don't have to fold the pieces too much.
It's very basic, but it works well enough.

I am also slowly getting better at actually write on every pattern piece, not just what the pattern is, but for what doll. It makes it so much easier when cleaning the sewing space and I find random little pattern pices that have been left out on the bench.
I do also have a place in the binder where i put any "orphaned" pattern piece until I can figura out what it belongs to. Sometimes I find a piece that I just can't figure out and that's where it goes. This way i have a place to start looking if a part of a pattern is missing from the envelope where it should be.

 

I also have a binder with the clear plastic page sleeves, but I use one sleeve for each different doll type (basically each different body). Each sleeve is labelled with a sticker and I just put all the patterns for that doll in there. I organize the binder by section, based on what scale the dolls are. In the back are my smaller human-scale patterns and patterns for things like props that can be used with more than one scale.

As for folding, I do fold the ones that don't fit into the sleeves. I also draw most of my patterns on printer paper, but I don't find that I have issues with folds, so long as I fold it back the other way real quick. Tissue paper probably does do better with folds, but it's too tear-prone for me.

 

I also use printer paper for most of my patterns. I never had a problem with it. I fold as little as possible, of course, but it usually lies flat enough on the fabric once folded out.

 

Thanks, Doll Peeps! These are great ideas! Mine are marked and in envelopes, but stored in a storage tote in the garage so not very accessible or inspiring out there. An album with clear zip pages kept nearer my dolls and sewing machine would be far better!
Alas, another organizing task on my list now!

 

Mixing up patterns used to be a problem but now I label every piece with exactly what it is. Like "Doll Zone 1/4 boy shorts front", so with the exact body, what the item is, and what part. This has helped me immensely. I'm not allowed to put a new pattern away without labeling it.

 

I agree with @BlackSheep about labelling. I’ve never done up pattern pieces without labelling, even for patterns that I’m only going to use once right away- I just know if I did I’d get confused and mix them up

 

I have binders for each doll size if I don’t have a lot of patterns for a certain doll, and several binders for different types of patterns, like dresses, jackets, skirts.

I keep each pattern in an individual clear plastic sheet protector with the picture of the garment facing the front. I usually make copies of the pattern pieces and keep the original intact in case I need to replace a pattern piece.

 

Closed-sided manila file folders in the bottom drawer of my small filing cabinet. Each folder has what's in it written on the top tab and they're arranged by size.

It's a simple system, but it works for keeping all of the patter pieces together and everything neatly in its place.

 

I keep my patterns in clear plastic sleeves in a three ring binder. I print the instructions, which usually come with a nice appealing cover picture as well. There’s one binder for 1/3 scale and one for slim msd or smaller.

 

I have a lot of patterns for a lot of differnt sized dolls (and types of doll) so I have each pattern in a ziplock bag, and arrange them by size/type of doll in the hanging folders that come with the Really Useful Box filing boxes (I have three of them, now very overfull, with overspill in a regular Really Useful Box without the hanging folders... at some point I must get another filing box to expand into).

Teddy

 

I keep all my patterns in a 60 pocket A4 foldermate presentation book. 富美特 I use normal weight paper for patterns I use once or just a couple of times, but the ones that see frequent use I make with heavier paper so they do keep for a while. I mark each piece of the pattern with size and what doll it is for. I usually draft all patterns myself, so I have very few printed out patterns. I have no troubles with folding the pattern pieces. I use the same storage method for human patterns as well and have no trouble with folds then either.

 

I see a LOT of nice ideas here, is it only me who "stores" them in a big pile on the table?
I guess I should get also a photo album
Big thanks for asking this question and for all the answers.

 

I do that while I'm waiting to get around to sorting them into the hanging file boxes:


Sometimes it takes several years to get arund to sorting and filing them....

Teddy

 

I'm like Teddy. There is always a few patterns lying around out in the open, and yes, I sometimes loose pieces.
They do usually turn up eventually, though. It's a good idea to have one designated place to put random pieces when they turn up. Usually they turn up when I'm looking for something else and I don't always have the time or energy to switch tracks and sit down to sort it out right away, but if I have a place to put them I know wehre to look when I'm missing something.
It's a pretty solid system.

 

I must steal that one from you and instigate it in my own sewing room. I have little pockets of stray pattern peces all over the place and can never find the one i need when I need it becuase i alwys miss some of the places i've stashed them.

Teddy

 

Go ahead.
I stole it from the system used for odd socks in the laundry room when I was a kid. Thank my mother for the idea.

 

I used several binders for years but it was so unwieldy I changed a few months ago.

I now use a bankers box with hanging files, with manilla files for individual patterns, and tabs on the hanging files for different sizes. I find this easier to flip through than turning heavy pages in a large binder. Plus my office was throwing out a bunch of hanging files so it was a win win

 

All Hail Lilliths Mother!

Teddy

 

I also am on team envelopes, because most of my dolls are small and so are the patterns. I keep the pieces for individual outfits together with small paper clips. I have them organized by source (because a lot of mine are from Japanese sewing books) rather than by size--unless I have multiple sizes from the same source. Then I keep them all in a magazine file, since I can fit 2 rows of envelopes in there. Not the MOST elegant solution, but it certainly works!

 

I use gallon size ziplock bags, with all pieces folded and put in. All the bags are then stored in a scrapbook organizer by size. I don’t have that many patterns yet though. I like the bags since it’s easy to see what it is.

 

I have a binder with those little pocket dividers! I keep them all sorted by size. It helps that they're all YOSD and smaller though...

 

Ziplock bags with Sharpy marker descriptions, kept in the same general pile as my doll and miniature supplies. (I'd like to say I keep the pile in a box, but that is a lie. The Pile™ is a slowly shifting sand-dune of junk which migrates around my apartment as I pick up projects and put them down.)

 

I have mine in a plastic wallet folder. I've put card into each wallet so that I can easily label which patterns are in which wallet, ( and it let's the plastic wallet be used on both sides!). Thanks to the card labels, I can easily change where the patterns are in the folder to try and keep them organised by type of pattern/ for which size doll.

 

Bumping this back from the "dead" for more ideas on good solutions. I need to figure out my pattern collection of everything I've drafted over the years.

 

Well, I am on "Team PDF Patterns." It's so much easier to have them all on my computer now. For physical patterns I can only suggest plastic ziploc bags and a filing cabinet.

 

If I don't have them already printed out and cut out, I never get aroudn to using them.

I need the pattern ready to go, or the time I've snatched for sewing is all taken up with the printing and cutting-out part fo the process. Many a lunchbreak at work has been spent sat in the local cafe, cutting out pattern pieces from printouts while I eat, so they'll be all ready to use if/when I decide to make something from that particular pattern.

I seond the use of ziplocks - mine are in various boxes/storage crates (according to general size and type of doll) as space for a dedicated filing cabinet isn't available.

Teddy

 

I use a binder with those clear pocket pages. I put dividers between the different sizes; granted, I don't have a huge ton of patterns thus far, and don't have very large dolls, but it works out well. Keeps everything organized and in one place. Plus, I only have to worry about storing one binder rather than a ton of ziplocs or folders or what have you! Very handy with limited space.

 

I sew for myself and I sew for my dolls (Large size, generally). For my own patterns, I have a filing cabinet and each filing folder holds a manilla envelope with the pieces, instructions, and any notes I might have made about that particular pattern. For dolls, I don't have nearly as much stuff and they don't take up nearly as much room. I like to keep those in a wide, good quality binder with clear zipper pouches made for binders (they have a built in 3-hole punch). I put a picture of the pattern in the front of the pouch, and all the pattern pieces live inside along with notes and instructions.

I also keep backup copies of everyone as a PDF so if I ever lose a piece, or lose the original, I have a way to replace it. I try to make sure every piece, no matter how small, is clearly labeled but even with best intentions some things will go missing. If I can just print out a replacement piece it makes my life so much easier.

 

Y'all are far more organized than I am. I put each pattern in a ziploc bag, write the size and pattern name on the bag, and throw it in a box.

My digital patterns are a bit neater, and stored in folders by size with subcatagories for characters they're for or clothing type.

 

All of my patterns are digital, and I have them stored in folders by size. I also try to note in the file name if a pattern is complete or if I'm still testing it. Each pattern piece is labeled with the doll size, pattern name, name of the actual pattern piece, along with the last date of revision.

For patterns that have been printed out and cut (and haven't been butchered completely with my rotary cutter lol), right now they're stored in a binder with plastic sleeves with a sleeve for each doll size. But it's getting difficult for some of the sizes to track down all the pieces I need, and often have to pull the entire stack of pattern pieces out to find them. This is happening a lot with patterns for my tinies and one of my OT doll sizes.

I'm currently working through my patterns and seeing if I need to make any adjustments to fit, as I'm a more experienced sewist now than I was when I first made some of my BJD patterns. As I'm doing so, I'm moving each pattern to its own 6x9 envelope. I have a storage bin that will hold the envelopes nicely that also fits into the storage unit I have next to my sewing table.

Right now I'm only labeling the doll size and name of the pattern in pencil; but eventually I'll be making stickers for the front that will have the doll size, pattern name, and scaled down pictures of the pattern pieces. Color coding the sizes and adding a sticker in the designated color over an edge of the envelopes is also an idea that I'm floating. ^^

 

Depending on size, I use magnetic photo albums! It's really ideal for 1:4-1:6 pattern pieces. It makes it so much easier to store all the pattern pieces and see what you have. If you can find a large format, it will work fine with 1:3, but I haven't been able to find any that didn't require shipping or a ridiculous price. My friends in various FB groups loved it, so maybe it will be of some use to you.

Here's a link to what it looks like using the magnetic photo albums from Michaels:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz1bsX9HkFL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

Oh wow are they slightly adhesive pages or something like that?

 

They are! It's a very light reusable adhesive. You first need to peel back the plastic sheet/cover which is attached, and you can insert photos, or in our case, pattern pieces, and then put it back on.

 

Oh fantastic! Thanks so very much!

 

I would steal that idea for myself if it weren't for the fact they'd need bookshelf space to store them and I'm right out of that.

Teddy

 

I usually use plastic pocket where I sort by type of doll. If there is too much, I take a second pocket and it works well

 

I usually store my patterns in folders, with a photo attached on each page.

 

I really need to find a better way to store pieces. Right now they're a bit scattered and tucked in random places. My problem is that I want to keep pattern sets together, but I also like reusing particular pieces to make adjusted or similar patterns. Maybe I need to make copies of some. And I definitely need to find a better way to store them! And label them!!!

 

Honestly? I have Ziploc gallon-size bags, which I use to separate them by doll size. So I'll have a ton of patterns for the same size doll all mixed up together.

It works for me.

 

My system is slightly chaotic but I've been trying to organise it be a bit more efficient. I have the type of patterns (pants, shirts, jackets, etc) sorted into smaller envelopes that are then all put into one big "BJD patterns" envelope. unfortunately I haven't labeled the smaller envelopes so it takes a while to find what I'm looking for

 

Oh gosh I’m still trying to figure out how to mine! Lol

 

I make new patterns all the time because I always want something completely different next.
I used to save them but never even looked at them again, so.