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Old Knitter
Seriously Hooked
USA
790 Posts |
 Posted - 09/10/2006 : 03:03:37 AM
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I have notebooks...they are labled....my husband built a bookcase for them....but, everytime I start to catagorize them I get side tracked. It could all be so nice. Instead all my patterns, books and loose sheets are piled in two boxes in front of the book case. What a waste!
www.knittinghaven.com |
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Elisjay
New Pal
United Kingdom
18 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 03:08:39 AM
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Must admit I would like to get organized in this respect too. I have bits of paper and note pads in one place and patterns in nearly every drawer and cupboard shelf. Think I must really get down to this instead of just thinking about it |
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SurfinSandy
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
473 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 09:42:40 AM
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I buy lots of the the 3 prong pocket folders when they are cheap for back to school. I keep my patterns semi-organized with them. I get a variety of colors, and use one folder for shawls, one for hats, one for things on my to-do list etc.... I'm far from perfectly organized too, but it helps....
Surfin'Sandy
No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
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llinn
honorary angel
USA
1650 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 3:12:46 PM
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I have virtually all the kniiting and crochet leaflets from 1970 to 1990, I have virtually every specialty issue of the big companies from 1960 to 2000. I have every issue of Knitters from the beginning to 200-.I have needlework magazines inherited from relatives going back to the 1800s. It takes up a LOT of room and no matter how I try, isn't really organizable unless I cut magazines up--have a real problem with this.
I am SLOWLY getting all my patterns loaded into what will eventually be one mother of a database. Best estimates are something more than 10,000 patterns. What I do with all of it then, I don't know. I'm thinking something on the order of a subscription library online maybe if the legal angle works out. I don't necessarily want to make money from the patterns, but I think maybe some of the yarn companies would pay me to rate equivalents for long gone yarns. There really isn't much that is genuinely new under the knitting sun. More or less shaping and more or less ease is pretty much the only difference between today, 1980 something and 1960 something. (You didn't think the 80s INVENTED stirrup pants and leggings did you?) (And Coco Chanel invented Vogue's "popsicle silhouette" with a lower hemline in about 1962.)
My biggest ambition isn't to get my patterns organized--although it's a big one indeed, but to learn enough to write a sweater design program I can stand. I've looked at and played with several and they all just tick me off. I want one that will show me how a yarn will LOOK and I want one that will immitate drape. That way I can make pictures of my designs that don't look as if a 3 year old was playing with her mother's crayons.
I knit, I crochet, I design, I have trouble counting sometimes and a screwy memory but am reasonably intelligent overall--how come I can't draw worth spit?
mumble, mumble
Llinn
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becka always
Permanent Resident
USA
1959 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 3:27:13 PM
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LOL, my collection of patterns doesn't even compare to Llinn's! I did sit down and put them all in page protectors and 3 ring binders and, I must admit, it is nice to be able to put your hands on a pattern when looking for one!
Addicted to the Knit
Becka
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y119/rebeccame/avatarslinkyfeet.jpg[/IMG]
Whimsical Knitting |
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phlame
Permanent Resident
USA
1547 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 5:06:48 PM
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Becka...what a cute website you have....I usually don't check them out, but I loved the name of yours!
Shirley Ryan, living in Dana Point, CA
...and dance like no one is watching! |
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gwtreece
Permanent Resident
USA
7254 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 07:24:38 AM
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I have mine in the page protectors but I need to add them to excel so I can find them.
Wanda
My Blog
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becka always
Permanent Resident
USA
1959 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 08:20:21 AM
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Thanks so much, Shirley! I noticed that you have the same motto as my dancing daughter! Very cool!
Addicted to the Knit
Becka
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y119/rebeccame/avatarslinkyfeet.jpg[/IMG]
Whimsical Knitting |
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angie-knits
Chatty Knitter
USA
193 Posts |
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becka always
Permanent Resident
USA
1959 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2006 : 07:38:15 AM
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LOL, I started with one 3 ring binder and that one quickly filled ... now I believe I have 5 or 6 and oodles of patterns saved on computer but they must be printed because they are taking up gads of space! So, I'm about to be at it again!
Addicted to the Knit
Becka
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y119/rebeccame/avatarslinkyfeet.jpg[/IMG]
Whimsical Knitting |
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MissKnitty
Chatty Knitter
USA
121 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2006 : 4:49:14 PM
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O.K. So Mom was right that I should be organized. I'm just a procrastinator with bad habits. My patterns are crumpled up in corners, swatted by the cat, and stuffed in many places that I won't remember.
I get so frustrated when I'm trying to find that one pattern I designed and find nothing!
So, from this day forth I will be organized and never lose another pattern. . . |
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busygirl
Permanent Resident
Australia
1672 Posts |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2006 : 6:42:58 PM
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I've started organising my patterns and magazines because we'll be moving and I don't want to spend my life moving unsorted junk from place to place.
I use plastic page protectors, divider tabs, and binders for patterns. I have no problem ripping out only the patterns I want from magazines which saves lots of space. Unlike some I have no problem selling, recycling, giving away or burning patterns I have no use for.
http://www.femiknits.blog-city.com/knitting_for_canadian_troops.htm
http://greenfishoutofwater.blogspot.com |
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lucylocket
Permanent Resident
4172 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2006 : 7:03:34 PM
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Hi everyone- I keep mine in sheet-protectors in ringbinders.However they are not REALLY organised within - I have resolved today to buy a couple more binders and write the contents on the spine-label!ALL I have to do [:00]is reorganise everything, and then hope I stick to placing future additions in the relevant binder!I also have pages and pages of notes, a few designs of my own, things that need another look etc.etc.....well all I really need is TIME[crazy]- Happy Knitting -Lucylocket |
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hillstreetmama
Permanent Resident
USA
3448 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2006 : 3:42:47 PM
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I do the plastic sleeve thing, too, but periodically look through them and say, "I'll NEVER make THAT!" and toss the pattern. Or I make it once, say "never again!" and toss the pattern. What most of us need more than anything is TIME to organize all this. For the last three years I've taken a week off work in January or February as my 'mental health week'. The kids are in school, hubby is at work, and I'm at home catching up on UFO's. One year, I finished five quilts that had been in various stages of completion. This year, I cleaned the spare room (that's something new to me since the kids started leaving home...a room that's not in use!) and stashed yarn in new places. My current resolution is to knit up anything I have in large quantities while it's still in vogue....so I can buy NEW stuff![:00][:00] |
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bcartercps
Warming Up
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2006 : 11:50:38 AM
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In addition to my patterns being sorted by type (socks, hat, etc) I also have a binder of the patterns I've already made, with dividers for each type. This way if I want to make that cute hat I already did for Betty Sue, I can go straight to the "already made" book (which is quite a bit thinner than the other books) and find it there.
~Beth |
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Knit kitty
Permanent Resident
USA
1383 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2006 : 2:05:41 PM
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My patterns are one of the few organized things in my house. I have them in hanging file folders in a file drawer. (With labels as to type of project, even) Every so often I make myself go through them and pitch the ones I KNOW I won't ever make. Now if only I could get my stash organized...
~Rebecca
"Nothing, why?" |
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busygirl
Permanent Resident
Australia
1672 Posts |
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sjanova
Seriously Hooked
USA
960 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2006 : 3:09:33 PM
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I have a FO binder also, like Beth. I include in a page protector a copy of the pattern with my markup/notes (size needle, for ex., and all the list of rows as I knit the item), a snip of the yarn (sometimes where I got it), who received the item and when (or who WILL receive it, eventually), and, if I really get it together, an inkjet printer printout of the photo as well. Since I've sometimes re-typed the pattern so I can follow it more easily (adding row numbers, enlarging the print, etc.), it's easier to keep that version of the pattern there also, in case I want to pull it out again, as I often have done this past year or so. Because I give the recipient of the FO a photocopy of the yarn band, with a snip of the yarn, what the item is, and care instructions highlighted, I include that in the page protector also.
Discarding patterns isn't something I seem able to do. I guess I don't believe in "never" -- as in, well, someday I really really might make that.... Other than the FO binder, books and magazines, including my vintage patterns, are currently in a box, which is not where I want them, so this will change, someday. More recent printouts from the Internet are mostly in binders by section -- baby hats, baby blankets, toys, etc. In fact, I seem to have a whole binder just of toys and they're subcategorized by type of creature. [whatever]
sja |
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stherio
New Pal
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2006 : 04:10:42 AM
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I went to Staples and bought some of those cardboard boxes that hold magazines - they are about 6 inches wide and taper up so you can see the whole spine of the magazine. I organized all my magazines by title and year, and then I organized all my pattern books by category, ie, baby, sweaters, socks, etc. Anything that was loose I put into plastic protectors and put in a 3-ring with separator by category. I then got a cheap (but nice) shelving unit from Target and put all the cardboard magazine holders and my pattern books on it. It's very comforting to look at!!! he-he My daughter-in-law says it's like a knitting library! But it works really well for me.....
PS I hate to cut up the magazines. It's amazing how something that didn't catch your eye 10 years ago is now EXACTLY what you are looking for.
Suzy |
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andugger2003@yahoo.com
New Pal
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2006 : 05:03:53 AM
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I also use a binder with the plastic sleeve protector. I never use the original pattern when working on the project though. I always made a color copy of the pattern and make all of my mark-ups on that so if I want to make it again, I can have a clean copy to work from. For all of my IK mags, I use a couple of those cardboard magazine holders from IKEA (pretty blue floral print) and that way I don't feel guilty keeping all of my magazines! :)
www.knitfriendly.blogspot.com - Come visit me! :) |
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