Hi. I wanted to share how I organized all my designs. I have a
Brothers ULT2003D machine that takes the 3 1/2" floppy disk directly
into the machine.
I unzip each file on a set and save to the floppy. Then I make
copies of the designs and information (color sew out sequence). I
put the copies in a clear plastic sleeve (the stiff kind I buy at
Office Depot that has the top and right side open). I take a magic
marker and mark the floppy #1 and mark each sheet of the print out
copies #1 so they always can be matched. Then the next set is #2,
#3, etc. I purchased a tall 7-drawer dresser from Target and I
sorted the copies into groups, Holiday, childrens, monograms,
flowers, etc. The disks were all filed together in numerical order.
Now, when I want to embroider, if I want something floral, I pull
that stack of designs, go sit in a comfortable chair and browse
through them. When I find the design I want, I pull that floppy
(because they are filed in order by number in the bottom drawers it
only takes a second to pull the corresponding floppy). When I'm
finished it's so easy to file them back. My original are all saved
in a nice sturdy box just in case something happens to the floppy
disk or if I want to edit and change any designs I can work from the
floppy or the origianl.
Here's a secret that some people don't know about. If you have the
magic box that will only let you save a few designs at once, like
when you are converting from another format, you can save to the
electronic tiny card that you pop into your machine, bring up the
design on your machine screen, pop a floppy into the side of your
machine and save it directly to the floppy from your machine. When
I buy designs from Babylock or Brothers that come directly on the
little electronic card that you pop into the side of the machine,
this is how I save onto floppys and then put my original electronic
card away so nothing can happen to the original. If I downloaded a
free design like from Annthegram, when I print out the picture and
specs, I write the source of the design on the bottom, so I always
know where to access the design.
All seven drawers of my cabinet are almost completely filled and my
family knows if they want something embroidered they can just pull
the stack out of the drawer and browse for a design. I don't have
to worry about them losing anything, or anything getting broken.
The bottom drawers with the disks are divided by styrofoam that
actually came in the box with the cabinet and it makes 3 exact rows
to hold the floppys.
Hope these hints help someone else!
Vanessa in Oklahoma
