Sewing Pattern Organization

How I Organize My Sewing Patterns (and Actually Find Them)

If you sew, you probably have more patterns than you realize.

With frequent sales—$1, $2, even $5—it’s easy to pick up patterns you like “just in case.” But once your collection grows, keeping it organized (and finding anything later) becomes a challenge.

I ran into that exact problem and eventually landed on a system that works really well.

How I Store My Patterns

I keep my physical patterns in two IKEA dressers in the basement, organized by publisher and then in numerical order. That part is simple and keeps everything easy to locate—as long as I know what I’m looking for.

The real solution, though, is how I keep track of everything.

 The System That Makes It Work

To organize my collection, I use a free board in Trello. It’s easy to learn and works perfectly for this kind of project.

Here’s how I set it up:

• One column for each pattern publisher
• One card for each pattern

Each card becomes a quick reference for that specific pattern.

 What I Include on Each Card

In the description field of each Trello card, I add:

• Year of the pattern (usually found in the copyright info)
• Description from the back of the envelope
• Sizes included
• Any helpful keywords or notes (style details, designer info, etc.)

The key here is searchability. The more useful details you include, the easier it is to find a pattern later when you only remember part of it.

Adding Photos (Without Making It Complicated)

You can take photos of your pattern envelopes—but you don’t have to.

Most of the time, you can find images online by searching the pattern brand and number. Once you find the image:

• Copy it
• Paste it directly into your Trello card
• It will attach automatically

This saves a lot of time, especially if you have a large collection.

Why This Is Worth the Effort

This setup does take some time upfront, especially if you have a lot of patterns. But once it’s done, everything is in one place, searchable, and easy to browse.

And the biggest benefit? You’ll actually use your patterns.

Instead of digging through drawers hoping to find something, you can quickly search, scroll, and pick exactly what you need—then go straight to the right drawer to grab it.