I have a few extra wide magazine files that I got at the Container Store (I think it's this XL file, it's been a while since I ordered them). I am able to fit over a year's worth of magazines in one of these, I think around 18? That's primarily because I have taken the pattern sheets out of most of the magazines and put them in their own file. Now, if you do the math you will realize that 4 years of magazines are not pictured here, that's because I have the recent issues floating around in the room, I need another magazine file to put them in!
I photocopy the "All Styles at a Glance" pages of each issue and place them in plastic sheets in a binder ordered by date, just like Cidell has done. It makes for great bedside reading.
My traced patterns go in plastic protector sheets in their own binder, along with a swatch of fabric and a rough sketch of the garment to help jog my memory. These are also ordered by date and pattern number.
I know some people have really great electronic systems where they download the line drawings & photos from the website and create searchable tags, etc. I would love this but it's more work than I'm willing to put in. What I really want is for BurdaFashion.com to do this for us! I'd love a search feature where you could create your own query using:
Garment type (i.e. top, pants, dress)
Women's/Men's/Children's
Date range
Burda/Burda Plus/Easy Fashion
BurdaStyle is developing this search feature for the patterns on their site, and since they are part of the same parent company as BurdaFashion.com, why not share? I asked about this on the Burda Fashion forums but received no reply...
Hello, Hubert Burda Media! Are you listening? I'm willing to help test :)
The Burdastyle Coffee Date dress is done, I am wearing it tonight so I'll post pics this weekend. I have a 2/2009 BWOF dress halfway done to wear to a wedding on Saturday afternoon, so you can guess what I'll be frantically working on Saturday morning...
19 comments:
What great organizing ideas for those patterns! Right now I have my traced patterns folded up in ziploc bags that are stuff into shoeboxes. No labels, no pictures, no keywords anywhere. I can still get away with this method because I've only ever traced out three patterns and I know which ones they are. That may not last very long...
thanks for this! i just started a Burda Subscription and on my 4th issue. i've been wondering how to organize everything, there's so much material involved with just one issue! i really live your archive of "all styles at a glance" wicked idea!
Yes.... your containers were sold out when I went looking last week. But, I found some by Rubbermaid that are XL on Amazon that I will purchse shortly.
I forget your had the pattern sheets seperate. I should do that too!
I am a blatant copycat.
I would love if they would PDF the old issues - like more than two years old. Odds are that you won't use them very often (except a few favorites) so you could have the magazine electronically and just keep the pattern sheets. What a shelve saver that would be. I why oh why don't they give us the "at a glance" in PDFs to download. Gah. :-)
Christina,
Thank you so much for answering my question. I am going to get myself organized that way. I have over a years worth of Burda since I have only been subscribing since April 2008, but I have also accumulated about 5 back issues. Right now they are laying on the floor of the closet in my sewing room.
Anne - Agree on both points! Clearly there is so much that could be done to help us manage these back issues.
Rachel - You're welcome. And yes, start early, while it's still manageable!
Good to know about Burda's future site enhancements. I only have about 8 issues of BWOF to my name so far but I can see that an organization system is so necessary.
I started to copy the "all styles at a glance" pages the first few issues I received. Then I stopped. I better get to it before I fall behind. Right now my mags are stacked in several places in my sewing room. This weekend, I'm devoting my some time in my sewing room. Thanks for your tips. ;)
Mine is organized in a similar fashion. It seems to work for me as well.
I just started my subscription a few months back, but I think I need to look into a better organization system already. Yours looks pretty good.
Thanks for sharing! I keep meaning to photocopy the illustrations to put into their own binder. Memorizing all them is failing to work. I suppose I better get started before my 2 years worth gets out of hand.
I am a newbie when it comes to Burda and only have 4 issues under my belt. However, I am an organization freak and love your ideas. I will copy and put the styles at a glance in a binder this weekend. Thanks for the motivation.
My system is quite similar, but I cut up the copies of the "All Styles at a Glance" pages and glue them back together, skirts to skirts, dresses to dresses etc, writing the issue numbers next to them. When I want to make a dress, for example, then I don't have to look through everything but can directly go to the dress patterns.
Hugs
Beatrice in Germany
Organizing BWOFs is a science in itself! I like seeing how other sewers manage their collections. I should add that I store my traced patterns in Pattern Saver (ziplock) bags along with a picture of the garment and the sewing instructions.
Christina I hope you never have to see my house, the lack of organization will probably make you nauseous. You and Cidell are really setting the bar here. :-)
Super organized! I use that method too (file). Your ideia to print all "All Styles at a Glance" pages are very interesting. I guess I will do the same.
I am impressed. My magazines are stacked in an area of my sewing room. No where near as organized as you or Elaray!
I organize my BWOFs exactly as you do; I also keep my traced patterns the same way, adding a fabric sample and a short summary of the model so I can go back to it if needed!
Thanks for sharing your system, Christina.
A note to Anne LO: I scan the "styles at a glance" pages each month, so by the end of the year, I have the whole 12 months available for "flipping" through on my laptop. We can PDF our own until Burda does it for us.
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