Storing Patterns

So, I have a lot of vintage patterns.

Well, technically, they're my mom's patterns from when she used to sew, mostly in the 70's.

 (Genetic inclination?)

She worked at a fabric store. When a pattern went out of print, the stores were supposed to send back the envelopes to prove they weren't selling them anymore. This saved postage charges and waste.

It also meant the guts of the pattern, the important part, were conveniently taken from the garbage pile by workers thrown away.

So, forty years later, I have buckets of sewing patterns for women's wear, mostly in sizes 12-14, but no envelopes. The things float around my pattern box, all weak and vulnerable and cute, like puppies. Puppies with no skin.

So, I took a clue from Burda and wrapped those suckers in zip-locs. I only had the jumbo size, so I taped the bottom and one size to fold over in the back. Perfect fit.

I also did this with a few patterns which had seen better days, or where I had a hard time shoving the pattern pieces neatly back into the envelope. (Pretty much any pattern I touched before age 18)

Moral of the story? Use zip-locs, get happy patterns. 

Put some skin on those poor puppies, amirite?

-Hannah Jean