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magothyrivergirl

QofTD 02/22/12 Quilting Journal

magothyrivergirl
12 years ago

How many of you keep a Quilting Journal to document your journey? If so, what information do you document?

I seem to have pieces of paper and post it notes everywhere, and when it comes time to actually refer to my notes for the next step - I end up remeasuring and rethinking.

Professionally, I manage long term projects. I am efficient & document progress, take accurate notes, and maintain measurements, blueprints & files for many years......applying this same system, makes my quilting seem like 'work', but I think I need to keep better quilting records.

Please share how or if you document your progress or techniques.

Comments (16)

  • geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
    12 years ago

    Marsha,

    I tried keeping an actual journal at one point in time, but I didn't enjoy doing it.....so I stopped. However, I did want to keep track of the quilts I made and who they went to. I have pictures in an album of most of the quilts made before 2006 which is when I started using photobucket. Now, I have a spreadsheet of UFO's and sets of blocks and also list each quilt as I start it and date when the top is together, when it's completed and who it went to. Then at the end of the year, each quilt that was completed, is cut from that list and put into a list of Quilt's Completed By Year. Clear as mud? @:)

    SharonG/FL

  • day2day
    12 years ago

    I don't keep a quilting journal but I do keep a daily journal and I usually write about my quilting in that.
    I do try to save a pic of each quilt, but I have forgotten to do that on a few occasions.

    ~Geraldine

  • msmeow
    12 years ago

    I take a photo of all my projects when they are completed and file them on the computer by year. If I used a printed pattern I'll usually write on it who I made it for and when.

    Donna

  • toolgranny
    12 years ago

    I started a quilt log with a picture and details of each quilt. Although I have pictures of every one somewhere, I'm lucky to even get a label on them anymore.

    And, talk about books. Marsha, you need to bring your organizational skills to California. I have hundreds and can't find a thing when I want it!

  • nanajayne
    12 years ago

    Any effort to have a journal has gotten lost along the way. I do take pictures of the things I have made and post on Photo bucket many that I have done in the past few years but only my memory serves the rest.
    I do keep a good record of the books I have read since 2000 and a list of those that I would like to have. Until I got hooked on Facebook I spent many hr. reading.lol

  • lindaoh_gw
    12 years ago

    I keep a journal of all the quilts I quilt on my frame. I wanted to know how many I had quilted so they are numbered in this journal. The last quilt I finished was the "Hooterville" quilt number 140. Number 141 is on the frame now.
    My DDIL gave me another journal for Christmas and I have started writing about things I am sewing, what I buy and where I go in that one.
    Linda OH

  • loisflan
    12 years ago

    Since I started quilting so recently, I have the opportunity to document everything well. Will I, though? I do have photos of everything I have made, but so far I haven't thought of keeping a journal. I keep one on each of the 175 different varieties of hosta that I have in my garden. I suppose it would be interesting to document why you made what you did for whom. This could be a fun project in and of itself (not that I need another one).

  • jennifer_in_va
    12 years ago

    I don't like to journal...never have (journalled or liked it). I do photograph each quilt I finish. photos are stored on the computer, photobucket, and in an album. In hte album I write the name of the quilt (if it has one), the month/year I finished it, who it was for, and a price if it was sold/commissioned. If I have a price tag, I try to have a size as well.

    That's the best I'll ever do...but it's something at least. It would be interesting to go back and count the number of quilts I've done over the years..

  • mary_c_gw
    12 years ago

    I hate journalling, too. I sometimes have notes jotted down while making a quilt, but I have zero desire to keep them, sort them, file them, or even see them after I've finished the quilt.

    I do photograph most of my quilts. That's it, and it's more than enough for my purposes.

  • murphy_zone7
    12 years ago

    I don't journal either. I do make photos of every quilt I make and keep the photo on my computer or in an album, when I remember to get the photo printed out. I don't make a lot of quilts but I do this for everything I make. In the album, I write the name of the quilt, dates, and who got it. Same on the other things I make.

  • teresa_nc7
    12 years ago

    Someone gave me a quilt "brag" book that has 2 pages for each quilt I've made: one page to hold a photo of the quilt and the second page to write down the pattern/design, who the quilt was made for, date finished, and any notes I want to make about the project. I just wish I could remember to document each quilt in this book...sigh. I have put some of my quilts in the book, but not all.

    Teresa

  • luvtosharedivs
    12 years ago

    I keep a spiral notebook near my work area.
    I record the Title of the pattern, date started, who it's for, price of fabrics and batting. I also record measurements and fabric yardages if the design is of my own making.
    I jot down any changes of needle sizes, thread weights, thread colors, any special changes in thread tension or pressure foot pressure, and sometimes which pressure foot.

    At the end of my work session, I write down the time spent (averaged to the nearest 15 minutes,) so I can record the total time at the completion of the project.

    I also record any problems and solutions, and if the pattern was easy or difficult.

    I think the reason I record so many details is because I am still a beginner, and I am still learning. I feel if I write something down, my brain retains the information better than if I don't record my progress.

    When I finish projects, I photograph and print them, and store them in an album, writing something about them on the page next to the photos. (I have an album with lined spaces next to the photo sleeves for jotting comments.)

    I also tear out my notes from the spiral notebook, and move them to a file folder of "Finished Projects".

    Great thread, Marsha!

    Julie

  • karpet
    12 years ago

    Around 7 years ago I started a list of the full size quilt I have made and who/where they went to, and what year they were finished. I'm on to my second sheet of paper now. I do not keep track of anything smaller like baby quilts, wall hangings. I have tried to take a picture of the finished quilts over the last 10 yrs and over the last 7, most of those were digital and are on photobucket, but there are a lot of loose pictures scattered around from earlier. The one thing I've been really bad about is when I do a commission quilt, I don't think I've taken one picture. I have been in such an excitement when it is finished to get it to who ordered it, that I remember after I've delivered it that I never took a picture. I also have a stack of papers in my 'quilt drawer' that has all my chicken scratches for designs, the measurements and numbers for figuring out the different parts & pieces of each quilt, and any special templates made from paper. Maybe someday I'll put everything together in a cohesive format, but probably not!
    Karlene

  • magothyrivergirl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Teresa, the brag book sounds like a perfect gift for a quilter-except it would make me want to make it nice, so when I'm gone someone will say, "Oh look at her Quilt Diary~she was so thoughtful!". Maybe it would keep them from talking about the dust bunnies~LOL

    Somehow, I feel relieved I'm not alone in keeping a Quilt journal, but I am going to use some system to keep track of what I am doing to be a bit more organized. Sometimes I only have 15 mins to sew and it takes me that long to figure out what I'm doing because I can't find my notes.
    I'm a spiral notebook person - at least if I write it down in the notebook, I will have an easier time finding it.

  • K8Orlando
    12 years ago

    I've tried keeping a journal but could never keep it up. I have several notebooks and loose paper too. This is the main reason I decided to set up the blog - its really just so I have a record of my quilts.

    Kate

  • Robbi D.
    12 years ago

    I'm not a writer (hate it, actually!). So, no journal here. Besides, I'm lucky to have time to sew these days!

    Robbi

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