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Create a Sewing Pattern Catalog - Evernote for Crafters Part 2

January 14, 2013 Beth
SewingPatternCatalog-EvernotePt2.jpg

How to create a Sewing Pattern Catalog using Evernote

For years I've been searching for an easy way to digitally catalog my 100+ sewing patterns. I've tried a few free online sites and I know there are others you can purchase but so far haven't been satisfied. I wanted something quick, visual and portable. I really wanted something like Ravelry but for sewing (if you are a knitter you know what I'm talking about). I know there are some sites developing out there but the ones I tried were too time consuming or confusing.

I already have my sewing patterns organized by type in plastic storage bins. The bins are the perfect width for an average size sewing pattern (see above) and store nicely on shelves in my hall closet. Would you believe that I have 7 bins and some are starting to overflow? I know. Crazy. I really am trying to cut back on my pattern purchases. But when those Jo-Anns pattern sales hit, it's hard to resist.

Anyway, currently, when I want to check and see if I own a particular pattern, I pull down the bin labeled Sportswear, for instance, and sift through. But wouldn't it be handy, if I'm on my laptop or even at the fabric store to be able to open up a program and see which patterns I have?

Enter Evernote. As I explained last week, Evernote is a great way to organize and catalog information that you can access online, on your home computer or smartphone. I really like how visual it is (see below). There are a few ways you can set up your own sewing pattern catalog. Here's how I did mine.

BloggingTip-EvernoteSewingCatalog4.jpg

1. First, I took a quick picture of every pattern using my iPhone. I know it sounds tedious but it goes pretty quickly and in the end it's worth it. You could use any digital camera but it's so easy with the iPhone. I was not worried about picture quality as this is just for reference. 

2. Upload the photos to your computer. Crop and downsize if desired. I exported the photos from iPhoto with a maximum 800 pixels and named them with the pattern make and number. It's worth the time to name the images because the name will show up in Evernote as the name of the note and it will be searchable. For my 170 photos this took a couple of hours.

3. In my Evernote account, I created a notebook for each category, similar to my bin organization. For example, above is my notebook "Sewing Patterns Bottoms". It contains pants, shorts and skirt patterns. Inside a notebook you can upload photos or pdfs of sewing patterns. 

BloggingTip-EvernoteSewingCatalog3.jpg

4. Drag the photos to their corresponding notebook. Just drag a whole category together and Evernote will create a separate note for each image. The name that you gave the image will appear as the name of the note. Later, if you want to see all of your Vogue patterns just type Vogue in the search field and all of the patterns will appear (see above). Pretty cool, right?

Other options and ideas:

  • Another way to organize your catalog is to create one notebook that contains a note for each category. Each category note will then contain all patterns in that category. I organized my library like this at first because I didn't want a bunch of notebooks cluttering my account. But I wanted to be able to see each pattern without opening a note so I went with the method above.
  • Instead of taking photos, you could use Evernote to clip an image of the pattern from the pattern company's website and save it as a note. Of course, this will only work for patterns currently in production.
  • I always have a hard time classifying sportswear patterns because they cross over multiple categories. Sometimes, if I only like the blouse in a sportswear pattern, I'll store it under Tops. In Evernote, you could store a copy in multiple categories.
  • The Evernote app does allow you to take photos but I had some trouble syncing the large amount of photos I was taking. So, I recommend this method instead. Later if you're just adding one photo, taking a photo with Evernote would be very efficient.

I'm pretty excited about this catalog system. How do you catalog your sewing or knitting patterns? 

In blogging, Sewing Tips
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Welcome to Sew DIY. My name is Beth and this blog is dedicated to sharing inspiration, sewing tips and tutorials for creating your own DIY life. Email me at sewdiyblog [@] gmail [.com]

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Today on the blog I'm sharing my #averyleggings made in compression fabric from @blackbirdfabrics ✂️ The pattern is by @helens__closet and I super ❤️ it. For my #sewingtall friends, I added 5/8" to the rise and 1" to the leg length. I love how high the waist is on these and I'm really looking forward to wearing them on my trip to Copenhagen next week. 🤗✈️
Day 4 #makersforfashrev Worn at least 30 times. My me-made pj's get lots and lots of wear. 😴 These flannel #ultimatepyjamas have started to pill and the stitches on my #louboxtop have started to pop but there are still as soft as ever and in pretty constant rotation. Because even though they're not in the pristine condition they once were, they're still completely useable and I like them even more for serving me so well over the years. ❤️✂️❤️ .
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 #sewcialists #ilovesewing  #makeitsewcial #happysewing
Day 3 #makersforfashrev Quality over quantity. In comparison to shopping, sewing can be a slow process. I love the instant gratification of a quick sew and will often choose "done" over "perfect" but lately I really try to make myself slow down and take my time. ✂️ I'll take the time to make the pattern adjustments (FBA, square shoulder and lengthening for me!) and I don't push myself to sew late into the night or when I'm tired because I know the quality of my sewing will suffer. And when the quality is better, my clothes will last longer. ❤️#kalleshirtdress #diyfashion #imademyclothes #ilovetosew
Day 2 of #makersforfashrev is New Lease. One of my favorite things to do with fabric scraps is make an improvisational quilt. ✂️ It's a really freeing creative process for me and at the end I use up a bunch of fabric that would otherwise end up in the garbage and I get a really cool blanket. It's a total win-win. ⠀
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#improvquilting #improvquilt #scrapbusting #ilovequilting #sewingleftovers

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DIY Compression Leggings – Review of the Avery Leggings pattern by Helen's Closet
DIY Compression Leggings – Review of the Avery Leggings pattern by Helen's Closet
about 17 hours ago

Today I'm really excited to share a new make with you. These compression leggings have been on my to-sew list for my upcoming trip to Copenhagen and I've finished them just in time. The pattern is the Avery Leggings by Helen’s Closet and it's amazing. I’ve made a few pairs of leggings before, using a pattern I drafted myself and the Virginia Leggings pattern. They are really fun and easy to sew. And they make great wardrobe staples. The Avery Leggings by Helen’s Closet is an upgrade from the basic leggings pattern. It features a two-piece waistband and a gusset making it more similar to athletic wear. I especially love the high waisted option and that the gusset provides more comfort and ease of movement.