Some crafters keep a journal of things they have made throughout their crafting years. My late mother-in-law took several pictures of her needlework, especially when grandchildren were wearing one of her knit sweaters or warmed by her special, one-of-a-kind afghans.
A journal can help you remember special instructions of your project. I’ve made several sweaters and occasionally find it necessary to make notations along the perimeter of the pattern. For example, I have an easy knit baby sweater pattern. Years ago, being a beginning knitter, I had some trouble with binding off stitches so tightly that it was difficult to get the sweater over the child’s head. My solution was adapted after I saw an idea on a store-purchased sweater. I changed the pattern and made an open neckband at the neckline of the sweater that had a tab to button the neckline together. In over 40 years since that sweater escapade, I learned other techniques to fix my too-tight neckband on pullover sweaters.
I also write all over my sewing patterns and sometimes log those notes on the outside of the pattern. Many of the items start with a basic form or shape, then I need to adapt my preferences onto the pattern. For example, my husband has a favorite sewn vest pattern. The original pattern used five buttons and had only two pockets at the bottom of the front of the vest. I adapted the pattern to include a six-button front, small lapels and four pockets on the front of the vest. I’ve used this pattern so much, I have taped the pieces onto drafting paper and use those as my pattern. I’ve made about 12-15 vests using that same pattern.
You can jot down notes about the colors and fiber content of the fabrics/yarn used for your project. You may want to include a piece of fabric or yarn strand with the journal. I’m making great progress on my baby afghan projects. I have a page in my craft journal for each grandchild. It’s hard to keep track of the color choices for each of the 16 grandchildren’s afghans. On each page I list the yarn, name and color number of the yarn, block placement of the squares and the saying that is embroidered on the middle of the afghan.
Some of today’s yarns are a no-dye-lot kind of yarn. That means the yarn is consistently the same dyed color from one batch of fiber to another. There are times where I’ve run out of one or two colors of the baby afghan and had to march to the store to purchase more. I get the exact color name and color number (different than the dye lot number) from my journal and take it to the store to purchase the needed skeins. Some of the yarns I’ve had for about 17 years (the oldest grandchild will soon be 19 years old). Yet, armed with the information in my craft journal, I am able to purchase the same color and, so far, have not had any problems with yarn color differences from one skein purchased in 2005 and the same color skein purchased today.
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