A couple of you asked me about how I store my patterns in binders. It all started with the first Sewcialites Sew Along. Fat Quarter Shop offered a Sewcialites binder for storing all the printed free patterns for the project. I loved the idea and bought it.
I've been storing recipes that I print off the internet in binders for years, so I don't know why I didn't think to store my sew-along printouts in them as well. Inside my Sewcialites binder, I have the printed patterns from a couple of other sew alongs. I quickly ran out of room in just one binder. Now I have four binders that I have purchased from Amazon and Staples. With all the free patterns I printed out for the Moda Blockheads sew-alongs, you can believe I filled up several binders quickly.
It is becoming a lot more common these days to purchase PDF files of quilt patterns online and print them out yourself. There is usually no monetary savings in doing that, but at least you have immediate access to the pattern and don't have to wait for it to come in the mail. I had a ton of Pattern Basket patterns that were just sitting in a stack. With a hole punch and a binder, you can organize them in a jiffy.
Which is exactly what I did last weekend when I wanted to make this cute heart table runner I saw somewhere. The pattern "Let's Play Hearts" is by Atkinson Designs. You can purchase it online, print it out, and make the runner in a few hours. Instant gratification.
Binders are a great way to organize your free printouts from sew alongs, as well as PDF files of patterns you purchase online. I can't tell you how many times I have bought a PDF pattern twice because I couldn't find the original one I bought in my computer files.
How do you organize your printouts and purchased patterns?