Okay, so if you sew using store bought patterns, you have dealt with the issue of what to do with those flimsy pieces of tissue paper
afterwards. I hate the way that if you haven't destroyed the pattern already with pins, weights, trying to trace, or whatever, then you destroy it trying to put it back in the envelope. Heck, even if you don't even use the pattern, if you just unfold the tissue to get a look at how many pieces you will be cutting out, it can be near impossible to get it to fold all nicely again. I used to just figure if I really liked a pattern I'd wait until it went on sale and get another one.
That's what I thought before I borrowed a pattern from my sister last year. First of all, I was amazed that she had sewn from this pattern
twice, and was still offering it to me to sew with. Thank you, thank you, thank you Itsy (yeah, she's the baby girl still, even with her own babies) for this trick.
Just take a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock and fold it in half.
Then fold and lay all of those pesky pattern pieces inside.
And slip in in the envelope...
Perfect.
I've always believed that the simplest solutions are the best. Downloadable patterns that you print at home aren't such a dilemma because if you lose or ruin one you can always just print it again, but I like to save them too if I can. As long as I'm on the topic I might as well show you my system for them too, I simply put the pieces in a file folder,
label it,
and stick it in my filing cabinet.
I love to peek at how other people organize things. It never really makes me more organized, but it feels good to see that we all have to try a little.
