Hello. I have just found this forum recently, and am enjoying everyones messages.

I find a lot of project ideas and information online for my sewing. Keeping track of all of these pages/links became a nightmare to my "Favorites" and I had a really hard time finding exactly what I was looking for when I needed to find something. I would like to share the solution I use, here, in case anyone else would find it useful. I'm sorry if this gets too long. But to me, keeping track of projects, and being organized, in the long run makes my sewing easier.

Some of you may be familiar to MSN groups. (If not, and this interest you, you just type in MSN groups home in your search engine and it will come up.) I went into MSN groups and started my own group to keep track of my links for online projects. It was very simple to do, and it is MY group...private...no one can get in to see what is there. I chose this option when setting up the group. After setting up the group, I saved the group to my favorites, and with one click, I am there to find whatever I need.

MSN groups is different than most, as you can set up numerous message board headings. These message board headings are my listings for my projects...such as Aprons, Hats, Jackets, Quick Gifts, etc. When I post "messages" to these individual boards they are the link themselves, such as "Garden Apron", or "Cardigan Jacket".

The way it works: When I find a page or project I want to save, I save it into my favorites under a folder called "Add to Sewing Group". When I have time, I add them to my group by: go to the group. Hit your favorites and click on "Add to sewing group"...the items I saved come up. I then click on the first link and go to the link page. I then highlight that page's address with my cursor (it turns blue) I then hold down the control key on my keyboard and press the letter C on the keyboard. This "cuts" the address. I then hit my back key and go back to my group. I chose the correct heading..Aprons...and when the message board comes up...I click on "new discussion". A box will come up. I type in that box the new title..which is the name of the project (Garden Apron), I then move my curser into the message field box and hold down my control key, and then press the letter V, and the address is "pasted" into the space. I also add any comments about the project that comes to mind, or just leave the address there. Hit the send/submit button, and you are all done. Keep adding the items you saved into your favorites here, and when done, delete them off your favorites, and you are ready to save even more items. I have several HUNDRED links listed on my group.

After I have made a project, I go back in and under the heading "Apron" and the discussion "Garden Apron" , I "reply" and post any comments about the project, what worked, what didn't or any alterations I made.

Sometimes, if I am ambitious, I type a "reply" and add the fabric requirements and notions, etc. This way, if I have 1 yard of fabric and want to use it up in a project, I know how much each one calls for, and can see at a glance if I have materials to make it. You can also hit your "print button" if you saved this information, and the page will print out all the messages, and you can take that to the store with you.

I also keep a small notebook in my purse, and I have listed many of these projects by name and materials needed. That way, when I am shopping, and find a really good buy on material, I can check and see what a project calls for...and be able to buy all the notions, etc. required based on the fabric at one time.

I hope I have explained this so you can understand it. And, again, I am sorry this was so long. And, I hope that someone can use this information to make their sewing project organization easier.

Woodsy