Organizing PDF Sewing Patterns {Self Care}

Organizing our things. How do we do it, how to get our plethora of junk squared neatly away in tidy places so we can find it when we need it and put it back when we are done with it? I am not the greatest at giving my things homes. I have too much stuff. And I am definitely not great at putting things away when I am done with it either, but I have been working on it and getting better.

But, as a sewist of PDF patterns, how do we organize those? And I am not meaning the ones already printed. I have yet to find a system in place for those. The hanging file folders in a crate is no longer working since it won't hold all of them! I am talking about those the digital copies we all have a knack for collecting.

Just having my pdf sewing patterns stored on Google drive, in a folder is starting to get a little bit stressful. I have a lot of patterns (not nearly as many as some though) and having them in one file got too cumbersome to sift through. Then I started separating them out by the designer.

It's really nothing special. But it does help a little. Surprisingly I am familiar with most the sewing patterns I have, but of course, tend to go to the same designers for the kids and certain designers for me.

Yet I needed a better way to catalog. So I went through and wrote down all the patterns I had in google sheets. I have them listed by designer, pattern name, the type, how many times I have sewn, and whether it is woven or knit (I think I may need to fix several).

Speaking of how many times I have sewn a pattern, these numbers are crazy and I definitely need to sew from my stash...
women's patterns owned: 52
                            Sewn: 17
                            Not sewn: 35...
                            that's about 33% of my sewing patterns I have sewn!
Kids patterns owned: 115
                      Sewn: 59
                      Not sewn: 56...
                      51% have sewn.

I locked the first row so I can sort the columns in alphabetical order by any of the categories. Which I love and has been a great help!

And I love having the different tabs at the bottom. Since In my folders the kids and adults patterns are all mixed in together, this makes it easier if I am looking for something for me or for the kids.

The kids' patterns I have listed the sizes so I can sort by size too.

I saw in one of the facebooks groups someone link to this tutorial from "Attack of the Seam Ripper" on using Trello to index your sewing patterns. Now, I am a huge fan of using Trello, but this process is taking me a lot longer than the spreadsheet! I am doing it a lot more slowly. I do love that I can link to the pattern I downloaded in google drive, I can link to project plans in another Trello board as I sew, and I can link those to my blog schedule board. 

I just don't know about organizing them at the moment, and I think I may end up changing the lists around. I'm just not super sure yet. But, it is neat to see them. all laid out so nicely.

There are so many different ways to organize your digital sewing patterns and to catalog them. How do you organize and catalog your sewing patterns?

Arizona Mug Rug: A Berry Bunch Pattern

remember when I first made the Mug rug? You can read the post about it here

It is now for sale on Craftsy!

Arizona State Flag Paper Pieced Mug Rug

Stay tuned for a little help with paper piecing!

Happy sewing,

GYCT Design: Lazy Day Crossover Bag {Pattern Test}

GYCT Designs (affiliate) came out with another awesome pattern, the Lazy Day Crossover. It is a great bag with lots of space! You can pick up this awesome pattern on craftsy or on Etsy. She has this awesome purse organizer, and you can get them both bundled for only 7.95 or (4.95 separately) until end of day tomorrow! Hurry! 

It is had the option for three different lengths of the strap so you can customize to your fitting.

I love the pleat in the center.

It is worn crossbody, but if you wanted to customize the length you totally could!

Check out all that space!

I have worn this bag to the library. Seriously awesome for books. I have stored some sewing projects for traveling and working. I've used it for my stuff and the baby stuff. Seriously love the bag!

Love this bag! I even made my niece the small version for her birthday; yes there is even a mini version!! :) You can make them reversible, or put a closing. It comes with directions for a zipper... So many options! :)

This bag reminds me of the 4th of July!

It is such an easy sew! So fast to put together!

Happy Sewing,

Mommy & Me Blog Tour - 4/28-5/8 {EYMM Patterns}

*This post contains affiliate links. All views expressed are my own.*

Welcome to the last blog stop of the EYMM Mommy and Me Blog Tour!

When I saw that Everything Your Mama Made & More was having another blog tour, I jumped at the chance to sign up! Perfect for leading up to Mother's Day! How awesome is that! Just don't forget to check back at Everything Your Mama Made & More tomorrow for a surprise!!! :)

I have sewn up the Dolman for both myself and baby girl.

I already have the Dolman tops for both the kids' sizes (12 months - 20) and the adults' sizes (xs - 5x). You can buy the bundle, which is what I did! Yay, bundles! I have 2 of the Dolman Tops already, it was just about time that I sewed up some for baby girl! Didn't hubby take great picture?

The cool thing about the Dolman Tops is that there are so many different versions to pick from! There is the high-low hem (that's what I did for baby girl) A basic one, or you can sew on a waistband (which is what I did for mine) or a longer version with ruched sides (perfect for your beautiful preggo belly)! The pattern makes printing your selected view easier with the page numbers listed for the one you want to sew! Hurrah printing ease!

check out those stripes at the seam!

She might be a little small for it yet, I did take in the size 12 month to accommodate for my little skinny minnie. But when she is crawling around the house with the low hem covering her little tush, it is just so cute (no pictures of that though) ... 

I just love her little smile!

And... Guess what?!? Today I turn 30!!! It is so hard to believe, I am entering the 30's! So long 20's, nice to get to know you. Right when we thought we were starting to get along you leave. But 30's, we will start off on a great foot and it will be great! :)

I really like this top. So comfortable. I will be honest the sleeves scared me. I thought it would feel baggy. But it doesn't! It flows so perfectly, is roomy but not baggy. It's perfectly comfortable! I love it! I sewed up another that just needs to be hemmed (4 way stretch so that scares me a little)...

Don't forget to check out the other lovely ladies and what they sewed up for the tour!

4/28 - Lisa www.piepiedesigns.com

4/30 - Deborah www.sproutingjj.blogspot.ca

5/1 - Alyssa www.calmandcarrion.blogspot.com

5/2 - Tasha www.FriendsStitchedTogether.wordpress.com

5/3 - Emily Www.justanothersewingmama.com

5/4 - Nienke www.pienkel.blogspot.com

5/5 - Shino www.nutta.typepad.com

5/6 - Melissa www.rebelandmalice.blogspot.com

5/7 - Erin www.craftybiggers.com

5/8 - Jessica www.bunchoberries.blogspot.com

My little man wanted to jump in with the pictures too. Since he is three, he wanted to hold the '3' cupcake. And it only made sense that baby girl should hold 0 since she isn't even 1 yet, right? LOL

and he is too cute not to take extra pictures of...

Don't forget to check back for the surprise tomorrow! So excited to find out! :) And don't forget to check out her other awesome patterns at Everything Your Mama Made & More!

Happy sewing from our desert home to your home,

Happy Easter: Baby's First!

Did y'all have a Happy Easter? We spent some time with family, got home really late... It was a good day, fun. I did not take many pictures. My lower back was hurting, so getting up and moving around was not happening. But I did ask a cousin to take some pictures for us using my camera. These two (we didn't take too many) were my favorite!

I love the smile on little man's face and how he is holding his sister's foot. :) Too Precious!

He just cracks me up! I love his little face!

It was a halfway homemade Easter. Nikolai was wearing his Number 9 Trouser's by Shwin Designs. I had made them for the pattern flip and blogged about them here and you can see him wearing them on his 3rd birthday here. I haven't figured out collars yet, so I have not really attempted too much for shirts in that yet... Any patterns or suggestions that explain the color step-by-step would be greatly appreciated!

Samara is wearing her Kenzie's Party Dress by EYMM that I had made for the blog tour. You can see that post here. I am surprised that she can still fit in it, I thought she was growing like a weed and expected her to grow out of it, but nope! :) I was going to take the elastic out the bottom, but she was just too cute!

And last was one that I haven't shared with you yet... My skirt. It's the Rabbit Rabbit Creation's Strip Quilt Skirt ... Man, I've been slacking! It's amazing what not feeling good does...

Love this skirt! comfy and cute!

The skirt picture was when I tested it. I love the look with the shirt, so I went with that for Easter. :) You could probably see from the family photo that my back was hurting, I was just standing weird. Kind of bummed that I didn't take more, but oh well... I got some and that is enough. :) And we had fun celebrating with friends and family and that is the most important thing! :)

Get Your Crap Together: Fox Coin Pouch: Testing a FREE Pattern {GYCT Designs}

Have I said how much I love testing patterns? Yes?!? Well, I am going to say it yell it, again... I LOVE TESTING PATTERNS!!! Check out this adorable fox coin purse from GYCT Designs. Nikolai has claimed one already!

Meet Bax the Fox

The cutting of the pieces takes the longest. But, the way that it is suggested in the directions makes the process go much faster! And, you can do multiples at a time this way too... Super easy! And the pieces sew together quickly too. Yes, it is a little coin pouch. But, don't let the applique of the fox facial pieces scare you!! It is so easy, and the result is awesome!!

How cute are they? The paisley one Nikolai says is mine and keeps bugging me what his name is... I think I will call him paisley (not very original, I know).

Check out the back... 

The best part about this pattern? GYCT Designs has decided that this pattern is going to be available for free, for now! Just think of all the possibilities with this little fox..... 

Have you checked out the talents of Get Your Crap Together yet? No?! You should, because she is awesome! Her blog is full of cute clothes on her adorable kids, nifty organization ideas (I seriously wish I was that cool with the organizational things), and ... Awesome patterns!!!  (psst, guess what? She used to live in Arizona too!)

I am so lucky that I have had the honor to test for her! Check out my post on the Love Me Knot Shorts that my niece adores! They are so cute.

The Seaside Summer Top, or as Nikolai has so dubbed, his airplane and his shapes shirts. These are easy sews as well. Samara has been wearing her Shorty Nightgown a whole lot more lately because of our heat and it is so much cooler than footie pjs! 

So fun! :) Bonus, I used the zipper from a vinyl pouch, the kind that you get at the store that has bath lotions and soaps in... It was the perfect size for this! You would be amazed where you can find notions like this, as long as you look! I used scrap fabric and a repurposed zipper (for both the foxes)! How awesome is that?

Get Your Crap Together: Love Me Knot Shorts Test {GYCT Designs}

If this is not the cutest little type of bubble shorts you have ever seen, then I do not know what is! Check out these adorable shorts by GYCT Designs! Head over and sign up for the newsletter too, they had a discount code for the only those that received the newsletter, you wont get this one, but you wont miss the next one is loveme! it's good on etsy until 4/12! hurry over and get it! Or don't hurry, but you only have 2 more days!

The pattern was just released, and you can get it now at the GYCT Designs Etsy Shop or GYCT Designs on Craftsy

The pattern ranges size 6 months to 12! I tested the size 6 and my niece was so nice enough to model it for me with bribery of keeping the shorts, and selecting pocket placement! :)

The pattern has 2 pockets that are placed on the front, but completely customize-able to place them wherever you so wish! I made one with a pocket on the back and one with the pocket on the front. One tester placed the pocket a a cargo pocket on the side! 

The keyhole on the side is super cute too, and the pattern comes with a super easier tutorial to make your own bias tape for the edges of the leg and keyhole! I used some of Brandon's old pants for these shorts and they are not a lightweight denim! So bias tape out of a rather thick denim was a bit difficult, but I love how they turned out!

Another great pattern from GYCT Designs! I am so honored to have been able to test these shorts! And don't you just love the name? Love Me Knot shorts? There was a 'contest' and poll to decide the name of the shorts and isn't it just perfect for these? The crafty mind behind Crafty Biggers thought of it and won the pattern, congratulations to you, Erin! 

Head on over to  the GYCT Designs Etsy Shop or GYCT Designs on Craftsy to pick up the pattern!

linking up