If you have a PC, you may want to read this post anyway, as there may be a similar program out there for you that does this same type of organization, but, this post is actually for those of you who own and operate a Mac.
If you have been reading this blog over the last month or so you would know that I just recently became the proud owner of a MacBook. When I started exploring all the nifty things my MacBook could do, I came across the MacJournal. Can I just say Wow?!? The way this program has organized my knitting patterns (and other parts of my life) is just amazing!
Let’s go back to the beginning. When I had a PC, I would keep all my downloaded patterns (free or not) in file folders. These were organized by category like shawls, socks, hats, etc. While I found this organization structure to be helpful, it led to having various file formats in the same folder. For example, in the Shawls folder I would have some PDFs, some Word Documents, and even some HTML patterns. As a result, when I wanted to “browse” my pattern collection for something new to cast on, I would have to open various different programs to see the different patterns in the file folder.
Fast forward to today. MacJournal is a program that you can get for Mac computers. It seems that it was intended to be a “journal” program, which it is, but it is so much more! I am able to drag PDF files into the journal entries and see them without opening them. I can also drag and drop the PDF files in and out of the program, print them, add notes to the entries, etc.
All my patterns are no longer in notebooks on the shelves, but scanned and saved in one SEARCHABLE place, the MacJournal. Even my online purchased patterns are included. I can open a web page in my browser that has a pattern on it and “print” the page directly to MacJournal. The titles of the “journal” entries become the titles of the patterns and I have the patterns organized by craft, with sub-catagories within (see screen shot below).
For those of you who own a Mac and have not checked out this application, I cannot recommend it enough for this purpose. Oh, it also organizes your receipts, recipes, notes, and if all that isn’t enough, it is also a journal notebook that can be password protected.
Fair Winds
DeborahFillmer.com 
OMG!!! DK, Thanks. I’m gonna have to check it out. I didn’t know it existed. Is it a program that came on your MacBook or is it a separate program you have to get from Apple?
I have my knitting patterns and my recipes in file folders just like you and yes, it is a PIA, to open review, word, etc. when I am searching for something. This sounds great! Thanks so much for sharing!!!!
I use NoteTaker for the Mac, which is very similar. There are similar programs for PC too, but lately I’ve been using a Firefox plug-in called Zotero, which is free, works on both PC and Mac. They dont work exactly the same, but Zotero can do similar things. Currently it only works on one computer at a time, but they say in the future you can store your files on a server and it will work from any computer (yes, thank you, I will give you all my personal information now). I prefer MacJournal or NoteTaker for the ability to print, add video, etc. These tools are fabulous.
Kimmen