This is a huge problem for me too. It is why my quilting goes so slowly. Take two blocks and sew them. Put them back on the quilt in progress to make sure they are right. Take two more blocks, etc. No chain piecing for me - I always end up turning them the wrong way. I have a scrappy carpenter star. I laid it all out. Took a picture. And, when I thought it was together, well, it wasn't. Had to take most of it apart. I confuse myself with pins, etc. I guess I am a work in progress!

Yep, use the camera on your phone or other mobile device. In fact, I use the camera on my phone to help me to decide on potential layouts. Another hint: Using your mobile device, take a picture of fabrics you plan to use in a block. If your device has the option to view the photo through fliters (I have a Nokia 1020 phone; camera has multiple filter options), use the black and white one...and voila! you will immediately see how the values of the fabrics "play" together. It's an alternative "geeky" method to the one whereby you lay the fabrics on a copier and make a black and white copy. Same result.

I'm of two camps here. I use post it notes with arrows for up and numbers where necessary. I also, though, sew the blocks together for a complete row before stopping my sewing session whenever possible. I don't have a design wall but do the same on my cutting table laying out everything as I have room for. Minimally I will have a complete block or row laid out. Next stage before stopping a session is to pin; next sew; etc. It's the only way I have a prayer's chance of having things in the correct order.

I use a spiral notebook to keep my blocks in order. I sort of use the pages as file folders. I number the blocks (or fabric) using stick on garage sale labels and then store them in the spiral notebook. I don't have blocks stored that way right now, but I have the strips cut out for my next Bargello stored that way....in case pictures help anyone....and in case this method might work for anyone else...

This way, if I need to, I can pick up a "whole quilt" and move it. This spiral notebook contains all my strips for a Bargello for a twin sized bed.

Dina

I lay out my blocks in rows on the floor. I put one pin in the top of the first block, two pins in the first block of the next row and so on. I stack one row of blocks with the pinned block on top. I then know that this is the top. I still make some errors but I find this method helps me to know what goes where.

I take a photo of the design wall on my tablet or phone and use it as a guide. I can also move the entire design wall and hang it on my window infront of my machine by using skirt hangers.

I have several WIPs cut and love the flannel backed tablecloths because of the grids. I like that I can fold the layout up and move it. One thing also. I can roll one row down or up as I go along. If I have to stop, I just roll/fold it up and put it away. I always keep the hangers attached. They fold up nicely in a project box.

I took some felt and markers for the alphabet and numbers. Seems to be working so far for me.

Ditto ksdot417, keeps me sane.

I saw these and thought they were very expensive so I made my own using a Sharpie marker on flathead flower pins. I have used them three separate times and they are holding up so far, but I used really cheap pins to see if it would work!