Same here. It started as an online journal of my quilting journey, complete with progress photos, the story behind the quilt, ideas, etc. I like that it's online because my friends and family who are not local can view and participate. I don't have to worry about a hard drive crashing and losing all my quilt photos, also.

I have a file on my computer with the quilts that I have made set up as a word file. I do stories, list the pattern name and pics of the fabric and any other info and pics of the piecing in progress. The problem I have is that one quilt will be 10 or 12 pages. I've got to learn to condense. Sooner or later, I will print the pages out and put them in a 3 ring binder, with a page of contents and an alphabetical listing of quilt names. Probably another alphabetical with who ended up with the quilt. Excel is great for lists that you want to sort and print out more than one way.

I also use a Word Document file but am trying to limit my comments to only one page per quilt. Once the quilt or quilted item is finished, I print the single page information for that quilt, add pictures and include "leftover scraps" and add this into my "completed works" binder. This helps me keep track of my UFOs and helps me remember each of my quilts.

I forgot to mention, I can also upload my blog pictures and pages to a printing service and have it printed into a hardbound book. Now THAT is COOL!! :thumbup:

not a journal per se, but I have a binder with plastic sleeves where I add fabric swatches, name of pattern, date, etc... I have taken photos of the few Mystery Trains I have done and added the instructions to my binder.

I don't keep a journal, but I do keep a timesheet, jotting down the start and stop times each time I work on a project. I do that because one of the first questions people ask when viewing a finished quilt is "How long did that take to complete?" Now I can say 36 hours or whatever rather than about 3 months give or take. I try to include that information on the label if the quilt is for someone. I do keep a notebook with a picture of the finished quilt along with a notation of where the pattern came from and scraps of fabric or a leftover block (Kind of like a quilt scrapbook.).

Haven't read all the posts, but someone on here made some small books using a service like Picabo. Each book had pictures and details about her quilts. That, to me, would be the most permanent record. I'm looking into the future of when I'm no longer here. My family would throw away a notebook type thing, but would probably keep hardbound books that are smallish. At least keep pictures somewhere of the quilts you finish. Mine are on the computer...currently.

I have a tendency to write things down on scraps of paper and different notebooks. So disorganized that is is really not much help! I do take pictures though. Of course they never leave the depths of the iPhone. Stuck in there forever!

I keep a running spreadsheet of the quilts I make, (mostly) It includes the pattern name, brief description, general size. start and finish date, who the quilt was for, colors, how it was quilted, new techniques used and any other little notes that seem pertinent at the time. I also try to photograph them, and post on my pinterest board, but I often forget to photograph them. It's hard to get good photos indoors, and I often forget to take them out on a nice day.

I keep track of my quilts with a picture of the finished quilt, who it went to, when I started, when I finished and then I always give my quilts as a gift or a request. Then I write a story about the quilt and give it to the person who I gave the quilt to. Very simple, very easy, provenance (which is important when it comes to quilts) and just one extra piece of caring for the quilt.

I look to the future, but after losing my husband and my mother in a matter of a few months, the past is very comforting and makes looking to the future so much easier and so much more meaningful. You have to have a past to be able to make a future. (I just made that up - it is profound and I gotta write that one down. Edie