Storing your patterns?

[littlerose]

Save on the computer and print when you need it or print and save it in a Binder?

 

 

I was wondering how everyone stores their patterns. I have a few on the computer and I have some that are printed out and placed in in a binder. Once my Dh gets his garage completed, I can have the basement as my craft room . I had alot of patterns once before and I threw them out:blush. Now I am starting to collect them again.

 

Tammy

[Bailey4]

I tend to be a binder person with computer back up. I have lost more than one computer and as a result don't like depending soley on the computer for my patterns. One of my motivations for starting my craft blog was to save the links I would want for later. I have gone back and printed copies of patterns I lost. That is not always a great solution as sites do disappear or people remove patterns. So I am thinking about a better backup storage for computer storage of patterns.

[dorothysgirls]

I tend to print them and put them in a file cabnet. If iI don't it seems the ones I want are always gone when I go back to print them.

[jillkap]

I have some that are in a folder (haven't made it to a binder yet) but most of mine are saved on my laptop... this thread makes me want to print them out though because I don't even know what I would do if my computer crashed and I lost them!!

[littlerose]

I have thought about saving them on a disc also, but thought it was getting to be too much.

[20Mary08]

I have mine in protective pages in a binder. I usually print them off when I see them otherwise I can't find the sites I saw them on.

[Emalia]

I put mine in a file with protective sheilds altho' my craft items pages are in an ordinary folder.

Keep looking at them and thinking .."I must do that soon" ...

[Nira]

I usually print right away and keep in a big binder with protective covers or save to my external hard drive (it's where I keep my important stuff). I rarely bookmark a pattern. People delete their pages, websites move so I store the Patterns I want.

[FrLopLady]

I have done some of both. But my "O" skills are not always the best once it leaves my computer! Need to be more...oo...ooooo...oooorganized

[rscowtown]

got a big 3" binder, tiz almost full and have another same size in the wings lol

 

when I use a pattern I like to put it in to a plastic sleeve so I don't spill anything on it.

[alibra]

Three ring binders, with plastic sleeves to protect the pattern, I also have magazine racks that I store the books in...and boxes...lol!!

[Amibel]

Right now, I have a couple of the expanding file folders that I use - one is for patterns only and the other one is actually pretty nice to put my tools in with the pattern in progress and take that with my yarn to where I'm headed.

 

Otherwise, they are either on my hard drive in my Crochet Patterns folder, still in the magazine or the various books scattered around the bedroom.

 

I really do need to print off all the ones on my computer since my laptops are notorious for dying after they hit 3 years old, and I've had this one at least 2, if not 3 years now So once I start printing off, I'm going to go hit up Staples and buy some binders and page protectors. I'll probably do 3 inch binders and enough page protectors to do pages back to back so I don't have to take multi-page patterns out of them to work them.

[Startigerlily]

I have some stored on the computer, some in links, others printed out and in plastic sleeves in a binder. All will eventually be in a binder.

 

Although I do think it's probably a good idea to go through and edit the patterns.

[cshort]

I like to print them and save them in protective pages in binders.

[sahm2g1b]

I save a lot of mine to my computer & print when needed, but I've recently started saving them as PDF files so that I can download them to my Kindle & take them with me. This way, I'm not losing my pattern while I'm out.

 

I do have several in page protectors in binders, but I just don't have room to store them all that way right now. I also have put some ( in the past) on a thumb drive. I need to do that again very soon. Don't want to take a chance on losing any of them.

[Raccoon]

Agreed, print and store in a plastic file envelope. I have a bookshelf full of these, and love to browse through them when considering new projects.

[Raccoon]

If the pattern is on Ravelry, I will store it in that library until I want to make it. Even if the computer crashes, it will still be there on Ralvelry.

[Peggy85225]

I do both, store on the computer, on an external hard drive so if there's a crash they will be safe, I also print some and save in a page protector in binders, so many binders.

[chrissyf]

I do both...i will find patterns and save them to memory stick...i have alot of pattens and a tiny netbook with little memory so i use memory sticks. But in the beginning i printed everything and organized it into binders and sleeves. Now i rarely print anything, i just do not have the room to store anythihng paper. I work from my computer or my NOOK unless it is something i already printed out. The only things i print now are my own filet designs since i like to mark them up and it is tough to mark up a computer or NOOK screen

[reneeann]

Thanks for sharing your ideas, I actually print mine off most of the time,if I find one and like it. I have the legal size carrying file folders and store them in there I have three of them and they are all labeled according to subject, baby, sweaters, hats, scarfs, afghans, doilies, and so forth. My biggest storing problem is magazines, I just cannot get rid of them, once I buy them. I know there is alot out there online, but there is just something about setting down with a cup of hot coffee and a magazine.

[LaceAngel]

I have thousands of patterns, mostly on computer, used to store them on CDs, but found that I LOVE the flash/thumb drives for doing my back up storage. I print the ones that I want to do soon (don't think I will Live Long Enough to get them all done, LOL). Those are put into binders, separated by type of project (afghans, neckwear, hats, doll clothes, etc; often with sub sets also). I also intend to load some on my Nook, which uses a sim card (some need to be converted to pdf files for that). And at a crochet meeting at the library, I saw a lady using her PHONE, to crochet a pattern. So I tried that also. Bookmarked it, now I can bring it up anywhere, as long as it doesn't disappear from the internet.

[RoseRed]

I'll copy and paste the patterns I find on the internet into a word doc. Too many times have I tried a bookmark and the pattern is gone. I don't share the word doc - they're for personal use.

[spiritwalker]

I print out patterns when I find them. I have several binders. I sort by

item such as afghans,sweaters,ect. Each pattern is in a protective sleeve.

As I make things I add personal notes about each project.

[Momcrochets]

Unless it's a pattern I want to work on very soon, I usually print it to pdf (cutepdf...love that program), and save it on my memory stick. I have a few of my top "gotta make it's" on my kindle, too.

 

But this thread reminds me that I have piles of bookmarks of crafts and crochet patterns , that need to get copied and pasted (along with the original link address) into documents to be saved, as websites are notorious for disappearing. Once the kids are in school, I should work at saving a few every day until I get caught up!

[Momcrochets]

I'll copy and paste the patterns I find on the internet into a word doc. Too many times have I tried a bookmark and the pattern is gone. I don't share the word doc - they're for personal use.

yes, exactly. if I print or copy and paste, it's for personal use only. I will copy the link info as well, for reference...if it doesn't disappear, of course.