Taming the Pattern Chaos: How I Organise My Bag Making Patterns

Why I Needed to Organise My Bag Making Patterns

If you’ve been sewing and bag making for a while, you’ll know just how quickly your pattern stash can get out of hand. Mine had grown so much I didn’t even know what I had anymore. It got so bad I ended up buying the same pattern twice – oops! That was my wake-up call to get things sorted.

My Filing Cabinet System for Printed Patterns

I started by sorting out all my printed patterns and giving them a proper home. Each pattern now lives in its own plastic folder with the front sheet printed out and filed away in a folder so I can see what I have at a glance. That way, I can flick through my stash like a mini catalogue and see exactly what I’ve got. I’ve grouped them into different types of bags – crossbody, totes, pouches and so on – so finding what I need is quick and easy.

Going Digital: Trello and Hard Drive Storage

Because I do most of my planning and sew-along prep on my computer, it made sense to get organised digitally too. I’ve started using Trello to map out my projects and keep track of my digital patterns. It’s brilliant for staying on top of what I’ve got planned.

All my PDF patterns are stored on a separate hard drive now – they were clogging up my laptop something awful. Having them stored safely but out of the way has been a real game-changer.

Bag Making Pattern Organisation Apps Worth Exploring

If you’re looking for something a bit more structured, there are apps like Stash Hub and Threadloop that are designed to help you catalogue your patterns and fabric stash. These are fab for making sure you don’t double up on purchases (like I did!) and for giving you a handy overview of your stash when you’re stuck for inspiration.

They’re especially handy if you like having everything on your phone or tablet while you’re browsing fabric shops or planning your next make. Its easy to see what you need for each bag making project.

Where I Get My Bag Making Supplies

All of the bag making hardware and interfacing I use comes from my own shop Me Made Makes, which makes it super easy to grab what I need when I’m starting a new project.

As for fabrics and vinyls, I like to shop around and try new things. I don’t stock these myself, but I’ll often share links or details in my YouTube video descriptions so you can find the same materials if something catches your eye.

🧵 Final Thoughts

If your sewing patterns are piling up and you're not quite sure where to begin, give my method a try – it’s made such a difference to how I plan my makes. I talk you through the whole process, from physical storage to digital tools, in my YouTube video over on The Bag Makers Sew-Ciety channel.

Grab a cuppa, have a watch, and let me know how you store yours – it might just stop you buying that same pattern (again)!

👉 Watch the video here