[Kenny_S]

Has anyone else had problems keeping their patterns or carving books readily available. I had stacks here, there, everywhere. My little bride said, I about getting 12'x12' page protectores and 3 ring binders and keep the patternes in them.. But now, I want to keep my books (carving Mags)by the patterns of that book. Well, being the crafty person she is(she married me), she used some plastic canvas and cut slots and holes in them(Made 7 mag holds) and all I have to do now, id open the mag to the middle and insert the mag through the slot and then put it in the 3 ring binder. Now my patterns are in a page protector just in front of the mag so as to see the article.

No wonder I keep her around(35 happy years),(she made me say that).

Hope this little tid bit helps others.

[mdallensr]

Great minds think alike. I made binders for the categories I like: bears, marine mammals, Christmas, spoons, architectural decoration, etc. I put photos, patterns and drawings in page protectors and three-hole punch the rest of the pages. It was a big effort for awhile, but getting organized made a big difference, and now I can find my patterns when I need them. I really hate to have to spend a 1/2 hour just getting ready to do some carving. My instructor did all of this and more on a large scale and can find just about anything we use without growing old. I'm convinced that making something easy is important if you want to get a lot done and keep interested. Make it tough enough and sooner or later you'll lose interest.

[Donna_T]

I'm not quite that organized, but I have 4 rows on the bookshelf for my carving materials. I keep carving magazine in a plastic magazine holder (Walmart) by category and I put them in by date. When I get one of these magazines, I use a It tab to mark those patterns or photos of things I think I will want to carve in the future. I also get our state's wildlife/conservation publication and it is a good source of color photos of critters and plants--so I keep them that way, also. The carving books are on one shelf-alphabetically by category. Then for all the loose patterns or photos I've torn out of other places, I just have a file drawer. I have a individual file for flowers, bears, santas, etc--major categories. Then I keep a file by instructor that I've taken, like in Debbe Edwards file I have all her project patterns, roughout ordering info, photos of projects, etc.

Like you said, it takes a day or two to organize it, but once it's done, it is much easier to find something specific when you want it.

Donna T

FYI. When I carve a blank I stop the cut short on the first side
rather than going all the way through, I then do the side cut all the way through. I wind up with a pattern from the first side.I then run this piece through a band saw making it about 1/4' thick and then sand. I take these to a show with me and give them to children who might be interested in carving or coloring. Sometimes I do a intarsia and drill a hole in the top to use as a tree ornament or a future pattern. The next time I do the same pattern I start the cut on the side view and the I have two views of the same subject. These are interesting at Christmas time to hang on a tree. Big Al

[Kenny_S]

I forgot to add, now to find a place for all of my books and patterns. I really do not like keeping them in the garage/woodshop. Maybe a set of buildins or shelves with doors.