I haven't been quilting that long, but I found that I needed a better idea of how much money I had in a project. I made my own "expense report form" with lines for everything from the pattern or book, right down to the notions. I keep receipts in an envelope stapled to the back of the form, and keep all the forms in a folder. I may never get to the point of having a quilt appraised, but if/when that happens, my records should help.