Pattern Storage

This is not what you asked for and I'd be interested to hear if anyone has seen these myself. But have you checked at Hobby Lobby and such stores for those super large manilla envelope type things. They're large enough to put architectual drawings in. The largest ones I've seen are about 3 feet x 3 feet. Darn, wish I could remember what these darn things are called.

I think I would try Office Max or Staples where they keep mailing supplies.

Cathi

Oh, good idea! I checked out Hobby Lobby and they are called artists portfolios and the largest on their website is 17" x 22"x 2." Around $5.99 U.S. dollars. But do check out the mailing supplies at the office stores. They might have just what you need.

I used to roll my patterns, thinking it was saving space in my studio; until I tried to use one of them again and the thing would not stay unrolled. I store all my patterns flat in a large artists' bin that I got from an art supply place. Larger design studios store patterns on garment racks, grouped together on hooks. It makes more sense to me to keep them flat. ...just mentioning a possible drawback...

If you still want to store them rolled, try the large tubes that carpet is rolled on. I got a whole bunch from a carpet store. Cheaper than mailing tubes, far sturdier and much larger...

I acquired a load of those from a local carpet guy, a year or two back when I was really into Am-Dram, thinking 'They look useful, I'm sure we'll find a use somewhere on stage for those.'

But we didn't, so a dozen large cardboard tubes got flattened and burnt in the end.

I am rethinking the tube idea now, it was difficult getting the pattern pieces to lay flat. I think the flat artist storage might be the better idea, I was just afraid that the paper would end up splitting where it is folded.

I have already looked online and the large artists red wallets are actually affordable. I already have the idea of putting a copy of the pattern picture on the front of each wallet/envelope.

I don't have enough space in my sewing room for a rack to hang them on. My treadmill takes up quite a bit of space, but I am not willing to get rid of it and there is no room for it anywhere else in our house. Thank you everyone for your feedback. Brenda

Art supply stores typically have some cardboard tubes available for paper storage... the downside is that these are small diameter for the most part. For larger diameter tubes, look at carpet stores, at fabric stores that sell on rolls. For very large diameter, ask at building supply stores for "sonotube" -- you'll probably need a saw to cut them.

Another possible choice might be PVC pipe, available in lots of diameters, with endcaps.

Frankly, the thought of fighting with brown paper that's been rolled doesn't appeal to me. One alternative would be to fold the pattern (and perhaps cut it from something like the Carrick soil separator "paper" -- looks a lot like thin interfacing, a whole lot cheaper), or to trace patterns onto cardstock and hang them like the pros do. That's been my choice, as I have only a few basic patterns for each person I sew for, and I use those basics to make one-off paper patterns. For hanging purposes, you'd then probably want something like "pattern hooks", or a loop of cord through the pattern pieces and then the loop hung on hooks or nails instead of on a closet rod as the pattern hooks allow you to do.

Ok, don't think I'm crazy, just throwing out ideas here. Is it possible to put some light weight hooks on the walls to hang these portfolios if you decide that's what you'll use? Or if your sewing room has a door would hooks on the back of the door be an option to hang these portfolios?

I don't think you are crazy, those are very good ideas! Thank You all for all of these great Ideas! Brenda

I use the Wild Ginger software, so I only save the patterns which turn out absolutely perfect (basic pants, etc.) I print them out on regular typing and copy paper, and if one is going to be re-used, I hang it up. In the closet in my studio I have one of those pants hanger devices, which have several rows of skirt hanger clips. I just clip all the parts of one pattern to a set of clips (with the name outwards so I can tell which it is.)

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

When I carried reproduction copies rolled, it was very important to roll them with the images on the outside, so that they could be laid out with the concave side down.

Later on, I figured out that it was better to sandwich them between two sheets of corrugated cardboard with the corrugations in one sheet at right angles to the corrugations in the other sheet.

Some of my patterns are in 9 x12 envelopes in an antique trunk. Those that I've used or created since acquiring a sewing room hang on little brass brads driven into the walls. I punch holes with a paper punch, and even though some are made of feeble paper, only two or three holes have torn. I ironed a bit of interfacing on the tears and re-punched the holes.

Joy Beeson

Post office has Tyvek envelopes. Free. (You're supposed to buy postage for them and send stuff.)

If you have people sending you stuff, it won't take long to colect many of these envelopes. (I have a pile, and now I know what to do with them!)

--Karen D.