Thursday Tip # 14

{Thursday Tip: A regular weekly feature sharing my quilting tips. There are no rules in quilting, these are just the things that work for me and might help you. There are no quilt police, so use them as a guide; no ones watching :) There is no wrong way to do anything......just relax, experiment, learn, create and have fun. }

Do you keep a journal or a record of the quilts or projects that you make? Everything I do is recorded on my blog, but I like to keep a physical record of my quilts, from the design process to the finished quilt. Journals are lots of fun to work on and they are beneficial for me because I have to take so many notes while I'm designing.
So here are some of my tips for recording the journey of our quilts:

• I have a few quilt journals, some store brought and handmade journals and some small photo albums or scrap booking albums and I fill these with all my information and photos of the quilts and projects I create.
• Before I start a new quilt, I cut a rectangle of each fabric I'm using and I sew them to pieces of scrap booking paper. I record the fabric range, designer and any product numbers I might have (this makes it easy if I have to purchase extra fabric to finish a project). Its also a quick glance reference of the fabrics I'm using and how well they work together.
• If my quilt includes stitchery blocks, I record all the thread colours, sizes etc. in the same manner.
• Progress photos are a great record of a quilts journey and it also gives a close up of all the blocks included in the quilt. Because our phones and Ipads are always close at hand, its quick and easy to take photos.You can never have too many progress shots, so take heaps.
• I like to include personal information, such as what inspired the quilt design, who I made it for, how I quilted it, how long it took to complete. I also include any other fun information I feel is relevant, such as where I brought the fabric and how much it cost.
• Don't forget to include the vital statistics, such as the size of blocks and the finished size of the quilt etc.
• Give me a box of craft supplies and I go crazy :) I decorate my pages with washi tape, ribbons, scrap booking supplies etc. and I like to draw some of the quilt elements i.e. part of the stitchery or applique or the quilt block design, to use as decoration.
• Be creative with the photo's you take of the finished quilt. Take a nice, clear full on shot, showing all your lovely work but include some fun ones as well, "In use" photos are the best, so snap your quilt, snuggled around its new owner or draped over your favorite chair or the end of the bed. Don't forget to take some outside shots as well; quilts look lovely in the park or on the beach and it usually strikes up a conversation with onlookers, which is nice :)
• If you are making the quilt as a gift, consider compiling and giving the recipient a completed journal so they can see their quilts journey and fully appreciate the time and love you have injected into every square inch :)

I imagine, many years from now, future generations will find and read my little quilt journals and they will be treasured. Regardless, I love journaling my quilts in this way and I hope my tips inspire you to keep a history of your projects as well :)