folders for each website that I get designs from. This is going to be a BIG job getting my designs organized. I wish I'd known how to manage them when I first started. If anyone can explain how's the best way to organize designs I really do need some help. Thanks

if you open all of the zipped files daily, don't forget to get the color charts, special instruction, etc. to go with the design AND transfer these WITH the design. sometimes you have to rename these to keep with the design. Good luck. Big job ahead. I know what you are going through.

I am fairly new at this but have learned by trial and error. When I download a new design I first put it in a temporary folder until I can use it once to see if it works well for me. I then move it to a folder like you suggested for different catagories. I always rename the design when I first download it so I can remember what it is and I include what site I got it from in the new name. some designs only have a number which makes it doubly confusing, so I just rename it, for instance, 'monkey with banana, cute emb', I also print pictures of the designs and keep them in notebooks, organized similar to the folders, in my work area.

2 comments

by sewmom 20 May 2011

To rename or not. I'm still wishy washy on this idea. If I rename it then it's harder to look up to check if I already have it. But if I do rename it (BD...(Britt Designs) to what ever it is (Cactus) then I can find the cactus easily by alphabetical order.
Some people say you should keep all of one designer together but I think type of design is more important for the way I work. I can still search for the designer if I need to in my files and documents.

by sewmom 20 May 2011

When I do rename it I usually add my title to the one it already had so I can still find it.

I also have embird iconizer and see my design without having to open them. There is a program from Sands computing I believe for minmal money ($20) that allows you to see them too. You will wonder how you did before this once you are used to seeing everything right away.

When I started a LONG time ago there were not nearly as many free designs available and people bought designer cards. These usually had a theme and most of the designs would be associated with that theme. However this was not always true and you could easily forget about the one Christmas design in a collection of other things.

I have many folders and some are for the intact cards ie Bernina cards, AD-amazing designs cards, Brother cards and then some by site i.e. OPW-oregon patchwork designs. Then I have many, many folders by subject - animals - birds, cats, dogs, horses, wild animals, etc. The amount of divisions possible for Christmas is cverwhelming.

I also do a month long folder (05 2011) for anything and everything I download for that month. Inside that are regular categories Applique, Babies, borders, colorwork (CW), embossed, floral, fonts, FSL, Holiday, household, quilting, Redwork (RW), text, tiny, vintage, Xmas and lastly XST (crossstitch). This months worth of designs are put in the appropriate folders and size is listed first 44,57,610 for hoop size on each design. (I quit putting the x in the middle of the numbers. )

Days when I can't sew or my brain isn't working I can then go to back folders and transfer those designs by category. I also slowly am going through the designer cards and getting their designs in the right folders too.

The MOST important thing is to back up in more than one place and on different media. Flash drives, CD's, DVD's, external hard drives etc all are subject to failing and you need more than one copy. Keep one copy NOT in your house. Fire, floods, etc don't care that you have been collecting for over ten years!!! experience is talking here. I also use a program recommended by Terry at SewTerrific called carbonite I think. It works in the background and keeps itself up to date on any thing in your computer - photo's,music and of course-designs! Cheap at about $50 a year. I lost 10 years worth once and luckily found a lot of them on an older laptop. This one is 40 Gb and it's full. That's thousands of dollars of designs. Protect your investment.

It's likely to keep you up long past time at night when you get on a roll sorting but it's better than lots of other things you could be doing.

1 comment

by sewmom 20 May 2011

I have a file that I call Holiday Medley for those that have 12 holidays in 1 collection. Very confusing.

ttt

When I down load a design I place a 3/4 letters at the front of the file name of the designer..
as example :- CUTE for cute
AED for Amazing Embroidery Designers
JND for Julias Needles designs
and so on :-)
Big hugs from London
Maria xx

When I down load a design I place a 3/4 letters at the front of the file name of the designer..
as example :- CUTE for cute
AED for Amazing Embroidery Designers
JND for Julias Needles designs
and so on :-)
Big hugs from London
Maria xx

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thank you, I will try that. Here's a *4U

I know how you feel. I have my designs by digitizer in a folder, and have sub-folders in each file. I try to label everything by the way the digitizer calls it, and any numbers that they may use. I still have many designs that are not labeled correctly, but maybe when I retire I can get them fixed.

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks, yes it takes time to sort them out. It takes me even longer because I'm not good with the computer. *4U

I organize my designs by category....To keep up with where the designs come from, I put a 2 or 3 letter abbreviation at the end of each design's name - such as: "Santa, ce" (ce = cute embroidery.) Then, because my memory often fails me, I created a list of the abbreviations along with the site name and web address. I add new sites to the list as needed.

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks, that's a good idea, I'm sure I'll need to do the same.*4U

I sort by website and then by paid/free. I use an organizer software from Ann The Gran to categorize it.

You can add the site name to the design after the design name eg. xmasfont_k - Cute Embro or xmasfont_k - CE which is my short letters for Cute Embroidery. Amazing Embro=AE Cute Alphabets=CA etc. Keep a list on near your computer so you can remember what you have used. Some sites have there own short letters. Best of Luck

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks for your advice. You all are the greatest when I need help. Here's a *4U

I file mine by web site and then by animals, flowers, etc. then I break them down in the folders as Bears, Rabbits, dogs, cats, birds, then hummingbirds, etc......Yes it is a lot of work but worth while.
I have 2 large folders call "by designer" and "designs".
When doing designs, I put the digitizer name after the folder. example: cute dogs 1223 Ad. This helps me know where they came from and avoids duplicate names.
When I do a project, I want to stay by the same digitizer because of quility of work. Hope this helps

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thank you for your reply. I really want to get my designs organized so I can find what I need when I need it. Here's a*4U

I have them by Designer/ Website. And then subfolders like animals, flowers, winter, Christmas etc., and then sub-subfolders. But you can see the problem: I have to go through all 'flower' folders to get what I want. So I'm now in the process of adding codes for the different website to my designs and putting them in subject folders - finished the flowers, but have not a clue what to do with 'miscellaneous'. And I'm making a list of the codes to keep track, including the different terms and conditions of those sites and deleting about half of the designs. Some have been sitting there never been used and unlike to be used in the future, so out they go.

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks mops for you help. You all have been alot of help to me. Here's a *4U

I have a folder on my computer for designs. Inside are sub-folders with categories like Christmas, Alphabets, Florals, etc. I have a word document in each folder with the information for each design. The document includes a cut and paste of a picture, url of site where I found it, Name of design, size of designs and sometimes more information depending on what's available. Each design now has it's own folder too with the design in it, a picture of it, and any other info that was included in the download. This last part is newer for me and I have to create folders for my older designs. The reason I do that is so that I can look at the folder with "thumbnail" pictures. Some people have software that can show them the design immediately but my software is the kind that I have to open each design individually to view it so the thumbnail pictures are easier. My category documents are useful for searching because I also add tag words to each design info. Say I'm searching for a train, I go to my transportation folder, open the document, and search "train". I also add tag words such as FSL, applique. Some designs can fit in more than one category so I file it in the most obvious folder but cut and paste the design information to the word document in the other folder too with a note of where it is filed.

I back up my folders on a portable hard drive in case my computer dies.

More organization tips: you can add tag words to your questions here on Cute. I added "organize" to this post. You can see it under the original part of the post. Now look to the left for the "All topics" and "My topics" search box. You can type in search words to find posts using the tag words.

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks sewmom for the information on how you organize your designs. I will try to use some of your ideas. Here's a *4U

when I download I put everything on a high capacity thumb drive in files by the name of the site where I got it. Then when I have time or am ready to use a certain design, I transfer it onto a low capacity thumb drive( that my machine will read) and categorize it by animals, fonts, Christmas, applique, etc.

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks, I also file my designs in files by the name of the sites where they come from. But now I want to break them down into type of design or categories like animals, flowers, holiday etc. Wish me luck and thanks for your help. Here's a *4U

I find it is easier to file by subject matter than by digitizer after all, you want a design to embroider not the digitizer .
Here is an example ;folder Animals then create sub folders for the different type of animals eg horses in which you might want to put a design of a horse for arguments sake it comes from cute site, this is how I would list it- Piebald Horse-cute.If you want put the digitizers name if you know it.I know immediately what type of horse it is & where it came from.

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thank you very much for your help. You are right, I'll be looking for a design not the digitizer. But if someone ask where the design is from I would like to be able to tell them the site it's from. Here's a*4U

I only put mine in folders of what the designs are like you already mentioned and I don't know where most of mine come from. All cuties designs say that and some I can figure out by the name/number they are associated with but mostly, who knows where I got them! I wish I had known so much more before I started so I could have organized within a folder that has say, animals and put them in a sub folder telling the site I got them from. Good luck!

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thank you, I hope to start doing better about organizing as I download each design. Here's a *4U

I download my freebies and designs I buy into a folder with the name of the site I got it from. I have 1 year + of files that need filed.

Then, I put the designs into two different files 1st) is by digitizer site, and are filed in alphabetical order. I add a code at the end of the file to reference with the 2nd section of files.

The 2nd files are by categories, animals, flowers, etc. These file have sub files such as roses, begonias, etc. Inside the 2nd section of files I have applique, redwork etc. In the categories files I add an extension code. That same extension is coordinated with files by design site. I keep track of everything with an Excel master file.

I also keep a master list in an excel file with the code, name of the digitizer, web address, etc. So far I've been able to find most of the designs when I need them, but it is time consuming. Thats why I am a year behind.

Its interesting to see how you all organize yourselves.

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thank you twee, seems everyone does theirs different. I will just have to find what works best for me. Here's a *4U

Flower for you! I have a super organized mess and can spend some days looking for a design.
So I have a folder that says "BEV FOUND IT" and "BEVS FAB". A special folder for quilts "TO DO"
My folders do both under type and sites so a lot of designs are saved more than once.
I don't read books any more and love to look through all my designs.
Happy Sorting
From Bev

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

I'm glad to hear that someone else has a SUPER MESS like I do. I was thinking that maybe I would keep the folders with the designs from the sites where they came from. Thanks, Here's a *4U

I store the designs in folders like animals, alphabets, etc but then I also create a word document for each day's downloads. In that word document I put the file name that the design was stored under, a picture of the design, size and number of stiches, where it was downloaded, etc. Then if I am looking for a design I can look under the folder to see the date stamp on the file and find the word file which has all of the corresponding information. A lot of extra work but it does allow you to store the extra information about a design that many of the sites don't include in their downloads.

3 comments

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thank you for your help. I wish I knew how to create a word document and make a picture of the design to file with the information. Here's a *4U.

by tmcginn 03 Jan 2011

I copy the picture that is provided on the website that has the design. Most of them you can right click on the picture and copy and paste it into the word document. There are sites though that do not allow you to right click on the design and copy it. For those, you can usually highlight the picture and then copy and paste it using either the edit function on the browser or Ctrl-C is the keyboard shortcut for copy.

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thank you for explaining this to me, I'm still trying to learn how to use a computer. I usally ask my husband to help me when he isn't at work.

I don't know where my designs come from, I wish I had started different, but it is easy for me if I have them itemized***

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks, I know what you mean, after awhile it gets too much to handle. I want to get my designs organized so I can easily find what I'm looking for. Here's a *4U

I sort mine similar to chris (pennifold)....when I download I make sure I have where I got it even if a freebie...you have lots of ideas here. I think it is personal choice. Hugs Sally

1 comment

by designcrazy 02 Jan 2011

Thanks Sally, You all have been very helpful. Here's a*4U

I do like Chris. Adding the site using my own abbrevations..like HOL for HandsOfLove which is actually Designs By Sick. (At one time it was Hands Of Love) Have the folders with sub folders and sometimes more sub folders in the subfolders! Like if there's a set of designs like the ones you buy or the Artistic Thread Works weekly sets. Hope we've all helped you!
Gerry

1 comment

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Thanks Gerry for your help, now to get it done. Here's a*4U

Hi "Designcrazy",

I tend to have them in styles of Embroidery as the main folder. For example I'll have the main folder as APPLIQUE, then under that I will have SUB-FOLDERS with names of things like Animals, flowers and vines etc., Christmas and Easter, Fairies etc. etc. etc. As I download each design I put in the name of the company I got it from and the size of the hoop and how many stitches there are. So one of my files will look like this APPLIQUE - Santas, then I'll have Shepherd Santa from SOE (Secrets of Embroidery) 5x7 and 20 456. It's best to do it at the time of downloading otherwise you will forget! Ask me how I know??????

A great programme to use if you haven't got it is AVA find and it is free. If you can't find something that programme will find it for you if you type in a word that you can remember, say for example SANTA and it will find all the things on my computer with SANTA in it. I am sure there are other ways of doing it and each person has their own way.

It will be interesting to see how other CUTIES file their embroideries.

Love and blessings Chris

11 comments

by designcrazy 02 Jan 2011

Thanks pennifold for the quick reply. Your way is different from any I've seen so far, putting the hoop size and # of stitches, that's a good idea to do that. I have 4D Emb software. I bet you are very organized. Here's a *4U

by pennifold 02 Jan 2011

I have the Husqvarna Designer 1 4D software too. And yes, I am a very organised person, some people call me ANAL! Ha Ha He He. I even have my wardrobe colour co-ordinated and my fabric stash! I need to be! it's just my nature to be neat and tidy and well balanced. Must be one of my Libran traits. Love Chris

by beatie58 02 Jan 2011

Chris, you are right about the libran trait, as your symbol is scales and your life must balanced, work and play equal amounts.

by designcrazy 02 Jan 2011

Chris, I need lesson from you. I am also a LIBRA, but I don't know what happened. I've really let everything get in a mess since I started this emb. hobby and it is about to get to me!!!!!!! I am going to take some time off from sewing and see what I can do about it. Thanks again for your help. Jane

by noah 02 Jan 2011

Chris i just went &looked at that program & its free for 30 days then its $40. dollars did i see right THANKS carolyn

by leenova54 03 Jan 2011

Chris, please come live with us for about a month??!! We are not organized in any way shape or form and could really use the help, lol! If it helps, I am Taurus and hubby is Scorpio, are we suppose to be messy?

by danababes 03 Jan 2011

I went and read the review of Ava Find (on the CNet DL page). It seems that the program is indeed free, but if you want to rename or delete the files in the results window then you need to pay for the Professional version. If all you want to do is find your files, then yes, its free.

The review noted that it takes a lot of memory power so sadly its not for me as I only have 512M RAM (min req for this prog).

I'd be interested in other reviews tho, it sounds interesting :) xXx

by pennifold 03 Jan 2011

You're right Dana - I've only used it when I couldn't find a file from a long time ago. That's all I need it for. I don't need to have the Professional version.

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

Chris, will our 4D software not do the same thing?

by theduchess 03 Jan 2011

I may not be as neat in my embroidery but my friends make fun when they come over. I have drawers in my kitchen and I have each drawer set aside for specific items bowls, plates,Micro dishes,Pots, pot holders,. They are all neatly stacked. My xmas item are stored as Tree Ornaments. Table Decorations,(includes Santa's Cookie Plate)Outside decorations(w/lights),Nativity and animals,This way I know just what to open the next year.That way if I'm ill I only decorate a tad.My bins are all in alphabetical order, eg. sugar, flour,Cereal,tea,biscuit mix, rice,etc. I have a fast visual scan to see what items need to be replenished this way.Makes life easier for me.Don't know how to do the files so I only download minimal items for now.

by designcrazy 03 Jan 2011

WOW, I would love to have enough room to be that organized. I know I just need to get rid of some stuff! I'm sure if you are that organized you would be good at figuring out how to organize design files. Thanks for your comment.

You might use tags as you save designs(for each design, use the designer name as tag). then, you can use the search box to bring up what you want.

1 comment

by designcrazy 02 Jan 2011

Yes, thanks shilly, I needed to know how to keep up with where the design is from. Here's a *4U

I put a note with the design....ie teddy bear Cute Emb. Only takes a second to do but, if your one who wants to know, it's worth it.

1 comment

by designcrazy 02 Jan 2011

Thanks ramona, I always get an answer quickly here on CUTE. Here's a *4U