diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 1470af5..a736bcf 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -238,6 +238,12 @@ func RawInitPB() *Forge {
 		log.Info("got forge url", f.forgeURL)
 	}
 
+	// where patches are stored
+	f.patchDir = f.goSrc
+	if os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR") != "" {
+		f.patchDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR")
+	}
+
 	// todo: play with these / determine good values based on user's machine
 	f.rillX = 10
 	f.rillY = 20
diff --git a/patchset.config.go b/patchset.config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d931299
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patchset.config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package forgepb
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
+)
+
+func (f *Forge) LoadPatchsets() error {
+	f.Patchsets = NewPatchsets()
+
+	filename := filepath.Join(f.patchDir, "all-patches.pb")
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err = f.Patchsets.Unmarshal(data)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Infof("LoadPatchsets() proto.Marshal() error %v\n", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	log.Infof("LoadPatchsets() worked ok %d\n", f.Patchsets.Len())
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *Forge) SavePatchsets() error {
+	filename := filepath.Join(f.patchDir, "all-patches.pb")
+	regfile, err := os.OpenFile(filename, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0666)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Info("SavePatchsets() filename open error:", filename, err)
+		// fmt.Fprintln(w, "filename open error:", filename, err)
+		return err
+	}
+	defer regfile.Close()
+
+	newpb := proto.Clone(f.Patchsets).(*Patchsets)
+	if newpb == nil {
+		for pset := range f.Patchsets.IterAll() {
+			pset.ShowPatchsets()
+		}
+		return log.Errorf("SavePatchsets() Clone failed!")
+	}
+
+	data, err := newpb.Marshal()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Infof("SavePatchset() proto.Marshal() error %v\n", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	log.Infof("SavePatchset() worked (%d) bytes\n", len(data))
+	regfile.Write(data)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func cleanSubject(line string) string {
+	// Regular expression to remove "Subject:" and "[PATCH...]" patterns
+	re := regexp.MustCompile(`(?i)^Subject:\s*(\[\s*PATCH[^\]]*\]\s*)?`)
+	cleaned := re.ReplaceAllString(line, "")
+	return strings.TrimSpace(cleaned)
+}
+
+func (pb *Patchset) ShowPatchsets() error {
+	author := "Author: " + pb.GitAuthorName
+	author += " <" + pb.GitAuthorEmail + ">"
+	log.Printf("%-16s %s %s %s\n", string(pb.Uuid)[0:8], pb.Name, pb.Comment, author)
+	for _, patch := range pb.Patches.Patches {
+		comment := cleanSubject(patch.Comment)
+		log.Printf("\t%-8s %-50s %-50s\n", string(patch.CommitHash)[0:8], patch.Namespace, comment)
+	}
+	/*
+		for patch := range pb.IterAll() {
+			comment := cleanSubject(patch.Comment)
+			log.Info("\tnew patch:", patch.NewHash, "commithash:", patch.CommitHash, patch.Namespace, comment)
+		}
+	*/
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index b924c69..30823c0 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ type Forge struct {
 	forgeURL    string        // URL to use to forge.wit.com
 	rillX       int           // used for Rill()
 	rillY       int           // used for Rill()
+	Patchsets   *Patchsets    // patches that are in progress
+	patchDir    string        // where patches are stored
 }
 
 func (f *Forge) GetGoSrc() string {