File Organization

If you are like me, you have a folder full of folders with all your embroidery designs in them. I use Windows, so this blog will be based off Windows, though I'm sure it can apply to other operating systems as well.

My embroidery design collection

Sure, if you have a photo of the embroidery design in the folder, you can get a preview of what it is. But that doesn't always work, as you can see in my screenshot. During my web design career, I've used the site Dynamic Drive for all my FavIcon needs. They have a great tool that creates FavIcons for websites - the little icon you see when you bookmark a site (this page should show a black square with a moon and stars in it). They also offer sizes that can be used for desktop icons. I started creating icons of every design I create or buy, and change the folder icon to the design icon instead. Now I know what I'm looking at!

Visit http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/favicon/ to create your icons. Simply upload the image of your design (gif, jpg, png, or bmp), select the Merge with 32x32 and 48x48 check boxes, then click Create Icon. It will give you a preview of your icon, and simply click Download FavIcon below.

To change your folder icons, right click on the folder, then choose Properties. Click the Customize tab, then Change Icon. Browse to the location where you downloaded your icon, select it, then click OK. Click Apply, then OK. Now your folder looks like your design!

Folder showing design icon

I save my icons with the same name and in the same folder as my designs, this way everything is organized.