Organizing patterns

[macfil20]

I keep my patterns on my computer and once a month I transfer them to my thumb drive and copy on to a CD. Then I erase the one on my computer.
JP

[Dawie]

I have most patterns on my pc. As already said by others in file under scroll saw patterns and then I file in catogories and sub catagories eg Animals and under this Cats, Birds etc. My printed copies I laminate and number and put in a folder, I can copy at my work so I mostly only print a pattern once and make copies to use as I need them. I have a spreadsheet with the numbers of patterns on file and how long it took to make and what finish and for whom and the costs of making it. Works for me. Only orginized this about 2 months ago, took me about a week, but works well. I used to have my patterns all over my pc and all over my workshop and could never find what I was looking for.
David

[Spartan scroller]

Jan,

Organize? Did you say Organize??? I got patterns all over the dang place.  I have patterns from "Creative Woodworking and crafts"  all the way back to 1999 by years in manila floders in a file cabinet.  I have the magazines themselves in those magazine holder boxes on a shelf.  I have patterns from scrollsaw woodworking an crafts magazine in the same manila folders an boxes too.  Could never find the pattern I wanted so I created a data base on the computer and all I have to do now is do a search.  I also have a big ring binder that I was saving Steve Good's patterns in protected by plastic sleeves till it occured to me one day to just down load the things into the computer and save them there and print them whenever I want.  I'm a pack rat an very disorganized.  You should see my scrap wood storage "system" in my shop"!  If you find a good system that works for you let me know. I probably won't use it, but it would be nice to read about.

Regards,
Terry

[dgman]

Downloaded patterns are in a file on my hard drive, paper patterns are in a plastic file cabinet in my shop.

[Becky]

I am totally disorganized.  But then I don't have all that many patterns yet.  I am counting on this site being around a good long while as I tend to print as I go.

I do remember Steve mentioning a program in one of his videos.  It was to help organize patterns but might only work with pdf format patterns.  I believe it would pop up a picture from each file to show the finished product of each pattern.  It sounded nice but I think it cost $40 or thereabouts.