Get YOUR Quilt Life Organized!

18 responses to “Get YOUR Quilt Life Organized!”

1. My first project of 2017 wasn’t finishing a UFO, it was creating a Quilt Notebook using your guidelines! I committed quite a bit of time to working through all the steps, and now that I’m back to actual sewing, I find that my QN both inspires me as well as keeps me on track. I love that my QN is more than just a list of patterns, supplies and to-do lists. You’ve influenced me to reflect more deeply about my skills and about the meaning of each of my quilts. Very satisfying! Thank you Lori!

2. I kept track of my quilts right from the beginning, taking photos and posting to facebook, and jotting down some details in the description. When your quilt notebook posts came out, I filled in a lot of details and put them all in one place, electronically. So glad I did. What a feeling of accomplishment, and I am reminded of all the quilts I might otherwise forget about. It’s easily done, once they are out the door.

3. I have two sort-of quilt notebooks. For years, I’ve taken pictures of finished projects (since most of them were gifts), putting them in one pretty notebook with notes on to whom they were gifted, pattern names, completion dates and the like.

   Several years ago, I started keeping a notebook in the sewing desk, mostly to keep me sane. I’d purchased a new machine that also did embroidery, and since I switch between projects often, I needed to keep track of what was what. Each project has its own page, with notes on machine settings and progress. A big “Done” with the date goes across the top of the page when it is complete.

   Maybe it’s time to incorporate some of your ideas. I’ve been quilting for thirty-five years, and know I’ve made lots of progress, but quantifying it is difficult with no records.

4. A friend and I started quilt journals last year, to help motivate us both during times of poor health.

   Mine started as a photo album of all of the quilts I have made. I have added a calendar with goals for each month and each quarter. I have a tab for shopping as well as one for projects in progress and another for projects on my wish list.
   Overall, it worked quite well last year, even though I had to adapt my goals.

   This year, I have scaled back my monthly goals but was able to add one bonus project to each of January and February. The journal is definitely a project worth doing.

5. I am also someone who wants to be organized, but not so much. I will read thru your posts and see what works for me, then do my best to start a better quilting habit. I have several projects started and many more ” in my head”

   As they say, Just do it, and repeat!

6. I have a lot of note books, with a lot of notes. After 35 years, they are as disorganized as I am. I always have hope. I have lost two quilts over the years and have no idea who I gave them to of if they were lost in one of our nine moves.

7. My comment is directed especially to you newer and/or younger quilters. Listen to Lori and start right now, either using the journal idea or something else, to document your quilting life. I didn’t do it and certainly regret not having a record of all my quilts and of my progress through the years. I’ve gifted many kid’s quilts (and a few to grown-ups), and some I even took pictures of, which unfortunately reside on useless old computers discs. In many ways, today’s quilters have much easier ways to document on social media. As a technology dinosaur, I’ve missed that boat too. So start today. You’ll be happy you did.

8. I like doing all that on line, except the doodling, of course. I have a UFO page in a file called “quilts” giving the name of the quilt, date started, what needs to be done and a “done!” column. I review and revise it at least annually, and post a copy in the sewing room. I also post photos of completed quilts in an online photo album and note particulars about that quilt there. I like less paper, less stuff to keep track of and no more photo albums to dust.

9. My ‘quilt notebook’ is probably a bit more like Joy’s — a journal of inspirations, individual projects, and notes and reminders from classes, etc. Kind of free form. Usually, when I start a new project, I start a new set of pages. I have sketches, printouts from EQ7 stapled in, notes about design, snips of fabric I used, tracings of planned quilting (stapled in), copies of my blog (printed and stapled in) if I blogged about it. I use a largish Moleskine notebook with paper that is very nice to draw and write on, and an elastic to keep is closed — the last is important because with all the things pasted and stapled in, it is bulging. I don’t have every quilt so fully notated, but for those that I do, it is wonderful to go back and review.

   I don’t really use the notebook to prioritize, but I frequently have more than one thing in the works, and I DO use the notebook to remind me about thread choices, etc.

10. One of the best things I learned in my second-ever quilting class many years ago was to take photos and make notes. To all the new quilters out there – DO THIS. You won’t believe how many times you need to look back for dimensions, pattern names, dates when projects were inspired, started, completed, donated/gifted, etc. (I use paper between inspiration and completion and then transfer things to electronic form by scanning those notes/papers for long term storage/physical space saving/and easy reference). I also use my digital photo albums (organized by quilting project). START NOW — you will not be sorry.

11. Last year I started keeping track of what I finished, so keeping a quilt notebook will be fun. Thanks for all your inspiration!

12. Until I moved from one state to another after 24 years, I had no clue how many UFO’s I actually had. Nor did I really understand how many quilts/projects had been completed and brought from the home before that. Although I have pictures and some things are labeled, notes are scattered, memory is pretty good-Lori’s post and all the comments make me realize I should organize my older information better. Since arriving here, I am diligent about keeping a QN with specifics about each project. I am amazed to see what I have done in six months. I used to hate lists. Now, a list of UFO’s is a great motivator to “get them done” and in use or gifted to someone who can use them. I see some things in Lori’s list I can add to my QN. Thanks! Glad to see I’m in good company.

13. Each quilt is a story. Stories about the fabric, the pattern and the making of it. I have a “form” that I fill out for each quilt. If you’re not very organized and detailed you would probably think I’m crazy. The form has details such as the day I started making the quilt, the day I finished, where and what fabric and pattern I used, why did I want to make it. Then I have notes about how I cut the fabric, how I sewed it and what changes I made. I always think I might make another one but I’ve never made the same quilt twice. For me the fun is figuring out what fabric I want and how I want to change the pattern. Once I’ve done that…I’m on to the next. Happy Quilting and yes, get organized. It’s fun… :-)))

    1. Sounds like a great system.

14. I would like to add, “What I learned from this project,” because it seems that every time I tackle something new I learn a new technique or skill that becomes invaluable down the line.

    1. I really like your suggestion of adding “what I learned from this project”. What a great idea.

15. KJ’s friend here to check in!! … KJ was much more diligent with her journal last year. Mine was started and then sat. I have taken mine more seriously this year. A month-at-a-glance calendar has quilting dates such as the arrival dates for BOMs, deadlines for projects, or my mini-goals for stages of a project. At the right, I have my monthly Quilty To Do’s listed. Some are listed months in advance, while some get listed during a month. Then I check them off once completed. I really should find some fun stickers as rewards!! 🙂

    Next is more like a journal with tabs …. 2017 Goals, Flimsies Awaiting, 2017 Completions, UFOs/PHDs, Dream List (projects I want to do sometime in my lifetime!), Shopping, and 2018 Goals! Another part of my journal is a monthly tabbed file book, where I put patterns or just pictures for project(s) I want to do that month or sometime during the year. That way when I am thinking I need to start another UFO …. I have an easy reference file of the ones that I already have flagged as important to me.

    I had a rough start in January, but it has given me a good nudge this month … and have done more than I anticipated. Now to keep it up for March and the end of the first 1/4. Now for the fun … KJ and I trade goodie packages every quarter as a reward for what we got done and if we are feeling blue, they are a good pick-me-up to know that someone cares! It’s fun to look forward to receiving ….. and even more fun to come up with some goodies to send to the other person.

    My journal either sits on the corner of my kitchen counter or next to the computer in the office. Both are good locations for me to see regular and remind me to “get at it”, even if I never open the journal! 🙂

16. I’m not a huge fan of journaling, but I do keep a notebook (one for quilting, one for machine embroidery) for when I take a class or work on a complicated project. I jot down things like tension, stitch changes, presser foot pressure, etc. The big thing I do, however (and have since I started quilting) is take pictures of my finished projects (there are, I’ll admit, a few that got away before their photo session). About 12 years ago, I started completing a formal “quilt documentation form” for each quilt. The form has my information, the recipient’s information, information about the quilt, including why it was made, washing a care information, and pictures (at a minimum – the whole quilt, the back, the label, and close-up of the quilting). I keep the electronic copy and I print out a hard copy for the recipient.