You could make a basic document using Word or Excel or another program and add to it as you go

I don't keep a formal record of all the details, but I post pictures on my blog with a brief description and who the recipient was. What I often wish I had kept is a better record of the fabrics, including information off of the selvage edge and the sku number from the receipt. I so often want more of the fabric for one reason or another.

I keep a journal, but not all the details, I have alot of pictures saved to print out and add to it.

I used to keep a record but then just lost interest. Sent too many away failing to take a picture first. Tried to ask people to send me pictures with the baby or who ever it was, but it rarely happened. I have started keeping track of quilts I make without a pattern. Since I have written it out, decided I might as well keep the notes. That way I don't need to recreate the wheel if I want to make it again in a different color.

After choosing all the fabric for a pattern, cut a 2" square of each fabric.

Get one or two sheets of copy/ looseleaf paper.

Lay the first swatch on the top left side of the paper and sew it to the paper with a basting stitch.

Place the next one below the first and continue sewing each swatch in a column down the left side of the paper.

Write any information you want next to each swatch. The fabric info from the selvage, how much you need, where it goes in the pattern like background or star points or part A, B, C, etc., and how many pieces to cut.

Great suggestion!

Agreed, great suggestion to sew them onto a paper. Beats the dreaded staples, pins and losing the sample.

Interesting reading the commentary. What you do about record keeping is such a personal matter! I think you could just make up an information sheet of things about the quilt that you feel you might want to know in the future, copy it and keep one for each quilt in a notebook or your computer.

I give most of my quilts away, and have a poor memory, so I decided to keep a scrapbook of my quilts, so I could remember them or share with an interested other quilter. I include pics and notes about the process, unusual problems or interesting discoveries-whatever sticks out in my mind about the quilt, such as what I named it, a pic of the label, samples of the fabrics, names and pics (if possible) of recipients, thanks yous, etc. I am not too technical, so I don't feel the need to give that kind of detail, unless something unusual is involved. I do enjoy reviewing my pics once in a while, when I am ready to remember and re-enjoy my work.

I take a pic, post it in word and then write all the info under it (including date and who got it - whether it was gift or sold). I have it on the cloud but also copied onto a flash drive that I can take with me for reference.

I did enough office work keeping track of records too - haven't done any quilt record keeping.