How do you organize your knitting/crocheting supplies, patterns, yarn and current projects?

I bought several 3-ring binders to organize all of my computer printout patterns. It's a project to sort them into categories, make labeled dividers, and punch the holes but it's worth it.

I have a baker's rack that no longer fits in my kitchen that is now home to all of my knitting supplies. It has a long shelf for my books and binders, two small drawers for odds and ends (like tape measures and ball bands), and room for my baskets of yarn. A bookcase would also do the trick and look nice.

Besides categorizing yarn left-overs in zip lock bags by color and type of yarn (you don't want to store wool with acrylics), and using the three ring binders with plastic sheet protectors for computer patterns or patterns I've cut out of magazines I no longer want, I also use some plastic holders to put my paperback books and leaflets in the binders. Annie's Attic has some in their last catalog. They slip over the pages of your book to the center and have a three hole punch on them to hook them into the binder. If you use the view binders, you can make decorative binder spines and covers for your categories of patterns. I also use the hard plastic magazine holders that you find in office supply stores and categorize patterns and pattern books by crochet, knit, cross-stitch, etc. You can also make these by taking a cereal box and cutting it on two sides diagonally and then covering with contact paper, fabric or whatever, but the hard plastic ones are cheap and come in lots of colors. If floor space for shelves to store the magazine holders is a problem, put some shelves up higher, around each wall to store them. It really helps keep them organized. I have 60 gallon plastic tubs for skeins of yarn, but cubicles would be more ideal if you have the space in a closet. Another room or two for yarn, crafts and sewing would be ideal!! =)

As for me, I use a 3 ring binder also but on a lot of my copies and printed out patterns on the net, I have them in folders. I have folders for Wearable, Thread Crochet, Kitchen, Christmas and so on and so on. All my magazines are in those magazine holders and are labeled. I have about 3 years in one holder and stuff like that. All my leaflets has their own plastic magazine holder and I have them labeled for whatever they are, like, barbie, thead and stuff like that. All my yarn is in plastic containers and are located in our open attic (for the time being). All my finished project are also in plastic containers and labled. The house we own is over 200 years old so their is no closests but I do have a small craft/computer room an dit has a closet. So other then my clothes I do have a box with yarn in it for what I am doing now. In the near future I will ahve my own storage building outside and all my yarn and finished projects will go in their. Which this willleave my attic more then half empty and we do have a large attic.

Organize and Stash have absolutely nothing in common!!!

However, I do keep my yarns in clear plastic boxes on shelves and hooks and needles in my

"Hooker's Box" which happens to be a nice sized cedar chest about 18" x 6" x 6". I keep most of my patterns in 3-ring binders on shelves with the approximate year I purchased them.

I have over 100 years worth of knitting and crochet patterns handed down from grandmothers and great aunts as well as stuff I have purchased to use. Yes, It can be a mess hunting for a pattern.

Make a program using excell for listing name of pattern, binder number, etc put it on a CD or on a flash drive so you can add to it but make it simpler to find and keep this with the shelves you keep the books on.

I keep all my computer printed patterns in 3 ring binders. If you put them into those clear page holders, they stay clean forever and you can add any notes or pictures,

For separating projects, I got some great tapestry tote bags on sale at the local craft store (they were only $1) that are big enough to hold a sweater or small afghan, and make it easy for me to pick up a project and take it wherever. For larger afghans, I use large baskets.

For the leftover yarn, I keep it all in one of those plastic storage tote boxes.

My yarn is in plastic storage boxes.

I have a standing sewing box my grandpa made me, I have all my hooks in there. I store my hooks in cloth holders.

I keep my purchased patterns in boxes and have scanned the ones I would make and keep them on a disk. The patterns I've gotten online are also on a disk.

I now only allow myself to work on one project at a time and that is all over my couch lol. I have a sewing basket and a project bag and use one of those to hold the yarn for the project I am working on.

I have afghans all over my house and everyone elses, folded up under lamp tables and on sofas.

Well, like the others I use three ring binders for loose patterns of all sorts. I also use magazine storage containers for booklets, small book patterns, and knitting magazines. I store all of these in a 6 ft bookcase, oh, who am I kidding, I have four of them upstairs in the living area for this and we will not discuss what's stored downstairs. For yarn, I have an antique blanket chest that was my husband's grandmothers, and I use the 56 gallon plastic storage boxes for the rest of it. No, we will not discuss how many of those I have either. But a bureau (high boy) might adequately hold your current stash, or a wicker chest used as a coffee table, or a cedar chest, or even a wicker clothes hamper for works in progress rather than a laundry basket. Soft options include the spring wire hampers, or tote bags (I collect these when I travel rather than t-shirts). The plastic drawer sets on wheels are good for storing small tools, hooks, and needles, too, as well as WIP, and can be kept next to your knitting chair. The surface is good for a book rest to hold your patterns for easy reading while you work, too.

When you put loose patterns into binders, though, let me suggest that you get page protector sleeves and keep them in these, too. The plastic sleeve keeps your pattern clean and make it easy to use sticky notes to keep your place on them, and you don't have to punch holes in the pattern itself either. Organize them into categorieswith dividers, hats, scarves, mittens/gloves, purses, toys, mens sweaters, womens sweaters, other accessories, and then in alphabetical order to make it easier to find. But if you are printing these down from on-line sources, honey, store them in a computer file into smaller files by pattern type. When the folder gets too big (trust me, you'll know, the CPU will bog down <G>, that you can ask about), and then burn them to a CD for the smallest amount of storage. Then print them out as you need them.

I love this question. My yarn stash has grown so large ( I can't pass up any yarn on clearance). I use Rubbermaid totes that stack and I try to label them. I use the page protector-3 ring binder method to organize my patterns. I suggest you listen to the yarncraft podcast thru the lionbrand website that's featuring Episode 4: Behind the scenes with the yarn harlot Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee. Stephanie has some great insight and advice on yarn stashes and husbands. :)

I, too use 3 ring binders for patterns. I do not hole punch them, I put them in plastic page protector sleeves and have then organized by tabs. I like the page protectors much better. You can also put the smaller pattern books into their own sleeve.

I put all of my skeins in different baskets. I put projects into a separate basket. I started with the cheap plastic baskets for $1 at Dollar Tree store and then upgraded them into the nicer wicker baskets as I could.

On EBay, someone sells a great crochet hook holder that holds multiple hooks and snippers, rings, etc. I bought one and love it! The individual pockets in it are sewn to a perfect size. They hold the nicer hooks that have the fatter handle as well as your standard steel hooks.

I love the baker's rack idea of the previous poster. I bought one off of Craigslist.com a while back and I think I will move it to the other room and put it to much better use.

I also use the "cubes" turned on their sides. I store fabric in some of them. They also hold skeins of yarn even the big pounders fit in the cubes. You can arrange them prettily. Cubes can be purchased at K-mart and WalMart.

Mrs E has good ideas.. I have a 3 ring binder also for my internet patterns. I didn't punch holes in them i put them in page protectors. So that the pages wont get ripped and you lose info. You can also put the whole pattern in one protector or you can do it so you have two pages in one protector ( back and front) As for my yarns I have a Medium tote that I have skeins in. My Present projects in the works are in shopping bags and tote bags. Its a mess too. I have my sewing and other crafts in plastic sweater boxes and shoe boxes. I have a tupperware container that I bought my crochet hooks in. Thats pretty much it. Good luck