Organizing my Patterns

Well, I've been away for a while, but I can say I've been busy.

• My daughter decided on a college (she's decided to do pharmacy)
• traveled home to see my parents (actually went fabric/pattern shopping crazy with my Mom)
• found a store called "dirt cheap" on my trip home, yes that's right - for another post!
• started teaching part-time at a local college
• bought an adjustable height table for my sewing room to do cutting
• got a stash of vintage patterns from my Mom
  
• used some of my sewing stash (& bought replacement fabric - LOL)
• organized my patterns
  

First things first though, the pattern organization. I decided to make an album of all of my patterns with 5x8 index cards, so that I can use when I'm shopping. Here's a picture of my book:
For my newer patterns I have a word template that I use. Then I go to the pattern company's website and cut and past the information that I need, such as a picture, pattern description, yardages, front/back line drawing:
I've left areas to add notes such as fabrics used, alterations made, etc.

For my older patterns, I copy the pattern envelope (front and back) by reducing it to a 5x8 card without borders. (My 4 in 1 printer has a copy function that allows me to reduce).
When I go shopping I just take the card out of my notebook and place in my purse. When I pick out fabric for a particular pattern, I clip a piece of the fabric and pin to the card. It makes it easier to pick out notions etc. since I have the card with the fabric sample attached.

Well needless to say I have discovered that I have a LOT of patterns to say the least. We won't say how many though - SMILE! And they've just increased by another 100 or so because of my Mom's gift of some vintage patterns. I had to send those by UPS, since the planes won't let you carry baggage for free anymore. I'll take pix when they arrive.