Do you keep a scrapbook or notebook of the things you've sewn?
 

Since I'm new to this, I have lots of learning to do so I'm thinking of keeping a book of the things I've made and note what I like and don't like about them for future reference. I think I might print pictures of the quilts that show the goals I'm shooting for too so that I can compare and improve. I'll probably jot down some notes as well.

Have you any of you done something like this? Do you find it helpful or am I going to waste my time starting this? If you have any tips on how to put something like this together, I would love to read them.

Thanks!

I have hundreds of photos--three albums worth--of the quilts I've made. I had to stop because I ran out of storage space. Although now, years later, it is wonderful to look at them.

No. I do have a photo record of quilts and things I enter in the Fair, but most things are given away and no record kept.

I started taking a photo of the quilts I make for the Project Linus charity so that I would have a reference of the designs and how many I donate. I record the sizes on the photo.
I was really annoyed with myself recently as I had taken 4 quilts to my area coordinator then realised a few day later that I hadn’t photographed them.

I take photos of most of my quilt projects but don't usually take notes unless I think I might make it again. I keep the photos in an album on my coffee table. Friends like to look at it when visiting.

I take pictures of projects & post many on Facebook for my friends & family to see. I store them on my computer, as I figured out that scrapbooks take up waaay too much room.

I keep a running notebook of ideas, classes, Guild meeting notes, sewing notes and sometimes, a photo. I have notebooks from 5 years ago. It's a great reference tool. My notebooks have lines on the front, quad grid on the back. So sketching blocks is easy. I take photos but am bad about actually printing them. Maybe one day.

No documentation... I'm just not willing to spend the time. I do try to take a photo of everything finished, and it's here on my computer for future reference if I need it. That's as far as I go.

If notebooks and notes work for you... go for it!

I take numerous photographs of the quilts, while in progress, and when they are finished. Also I take a picture of the label, especially if they are given away. I have a list of them in the computer. I put what I named it, its size, the date it was finished, who I gave it to, and much other stuff. I also have a composition book that I write ideas for quilts I'd like to make.

My quilt record is on QB. I started out about 40 years ago taking pictures, that lasted about 1 year.:D

I admire quilters that are so organized they keep pictures and notes of all their quilts. I wish I was more like them. I make notes on all my quilts which can come in handy for a variety of reasons. I started with pics but then something happens and I'm off to the next project before I get it taken.

I have a notebook for calculations, sketches, future projects etc. Finished projects I photograph and store electronically.

I am very glad that I keep close track of my quilts. It does take a fair amount of time, but it's worth it. This is a small wall hanging that I made for a friend as her wedding present. When her dog died, she buried it with him. That made me sad. This is the only picture of this little quilt.

No I don't. It was one of those good ideas I heard about but never got around to doing!

No; I have enough trouble keeping track of what is still to be completed.

I don't. I have a friend who has been quilting a long time and has worked for a quilting magazine and she has a notebook with everything in it. Quilts, fabric, adjustments, comments, size, etc. She carries it with her and makes notes as she goes.

The last few years I have been donating most quilts so I no longer write them down or take pictures. I have some on this board. I have pictures of lots of quilts on this computer. I have several years of quilts written down.

Hi Stephanie - I've been quilting for close to two years now and have documented info about all the quilts I've made. I take pics along the way, keep track of patterns used, fabric used and yardage, batting, threads, needle type, techniques, final quilt size, type of binding and anything else I think is pertinent. Example: I've cut and pieced fabric differently (than the pattern called for) to save fabric waste or enlarged a pattern and made note of that for next time. I print and keep pics in a binder with all of the other typed notes stored on my computer. I've already referred to the info on several occasions when planning another quilt. And it sure is fun to flip through the binder to see what I've made since almost all of it has been given to family and friends.

I highly recommend keeping track of what you've done and organizing pictures at least - it's rewarding to re-visit the pics and very helpful (for me) to look back at my notes.

Good luck with whatever way you decide works for you!

I have a spreadsheet with all my quilts listed, date finished, who it was given to, approximate size, maybe a few other things. I also have computer folders containing pictures of each quilt.

I tried, but I'm not very good at journaling. But I have a photo record of most of the quilts I've made.

Yes - I do keep track of my projects with an on-line quilting journal. Besides the regular information like pattern name, size, date started/completed, photos, etc. I also include things like: what I learned, what I changed, what I would do differently, etc. I make only a few quilts a year and I like to keep a record of my progress with my hobby.

Since 2016, I've been taking pictures of all my crafts and posting them on my blog. I'm able to keep a record of who they were made for and any special notes I want to make. It's easy to share photos online this way, also.

Prior to 2016, I was posting pictures on Photbucket, but they changed their policy about being able to share photos. I didn't make any project notes on Photobucket either. I'm quite pleased with my blog for record keeping.

I’ve started to take pictures. Wished I’d done this years ago (like someone said I should do).

You brought up a lot of info I hadn't even thought to record and I'm glad you did because I want this to be a learning tool. Up til now, the few things I've made have been gifts so I don't have any way to look back and see what worked or what didn't. My memory is Swiss cheese so this might the only way to learn from my own failures and successes. It may be that I won't do it forever but it may work as training wheels until I feel more confident.

Thank you all for your replies. As always, you give me good food for thought. I'm taking notes because if I'm going to do this, I probably should get started soon while I only have a few things under my belt.

Photos...if I remember to take one before giving the quilt away.

I wish I had kept a record of them. Except for my very first quilt (a self-taught log cabin), my quilts were all given away for years. It never occurred to me to keep track. Drat!

I used to take pictures and keep track when I first started to quilt. Now, I give so much away that I don't have the time or energy to do that.

No. Since I have reviewing skills, I'd probably never look at it. On the other hand, my daughter wants a record and even set up a program for it. It she wants it bad enough, she'll have to do it.

I bought one of those quilt planners a few years ago but didn't use it. I didn't need the information it had boxes for, but I needed other information - sizes of parts of quilts, the finished size, when I started/finished, etc. So I just got a spiral notebook and have been very happily using that ever since. I take photos that live on my phone or computer - just uploaded the phone photos to the computer after 5 years! Do what works for you, not for the designers.

I do take photos of my quilts and store them in an album on the Cloud under “quilts.” I had started a binder a couple of years ago with fabric swatches from gift quilts along with the pattern information but I have not been diligent about keeping it updated. I don’t keep track of donation quilts or a few that I’ve sold...other than the photos I’ve taken.

I take a pix of each quilt, when it was made and what I did with it - who I gave it to, etc. sometimes have a pix of the recipient. It's all in a scrapbook with plastic sheets. It is to be put out at my funeral along with a few other pictures.����

I do have pictures and keep them in albums. I make notes about names, dates and where I donated or gifted them. I love looking at them.

When I started quilting, way back when, I had 3 ring notebooks where I kept: the pattern, scraps of the fabric, and photo(s) of the finished quilt. Eventually it just got to be too much. And I really didn’t go back and look at the books very often. Now I’m good if I get a photo before the quilt is gifted. Lately I’ve even missed some of those photos.

I'm still working on my 1st quilt, but I really like this idea! I already enjoy scrapbooking, so I think I might make a page for the quilts I make my kids and see where it goes from there. I think a whole scrapbook full of quilts would be so fun to look at. :)

I take pictures of the things I have made.

I take photographs and post them here and on my blog page. I keep the photos on a thumb drive in date order.

I keep a three ring binder. When I started about 3 years ago I had ideas for a number of quilts right away. I am lucky perhaps that I still like them and they are still all in the list. I record which sizes for each and which fabric to use for backing and binding. I keep track of the number of blocks I have finished which has been most helpful as I have sometimes stopped work on any item for as long as a year. Several of mine have been worked out from pictures without a pattern so all the information on sizes and pieces is on the first page. I have pages in the back for quilting patterns, ideas for future projects, etc. I really enjoy it and often add to it. It has been very helpful to have.

I started out making a record of my quilts. I found some questions somewhere that my daughter converted to a form that I filled out for the first 20-25 quilts I made. It listed things like the pattern name and source, colors, batting type, how it was quilted and with what threads. It had a space to write what the label said and who owns the quilt now. I have taken photos of all my quilts, but unfortunately they aren't all in one place. This reminds me of my failure to maintain my kids' baby books, especially by the 3rd one!

Leslie

I keep photos of all the quilts I have made over the years, and refer back to them often, I found that FaceBook is a great place to keep my quilt pics, that way I know where to find them, and they won't disappear and always available for my friends and family to view.

i just keep pics on my compter. each quilt has a separate folder to show progress