oldswimmer

I use a small 3 ring binder (about 7" X 9", I think) and you can get plastic sleeves that size at Hobby Lobby or scrapbook places. I keep a photo copy of the pattern and yardage requirements in there, and take it with me when I shop. If I buy one fabric for a quilt at one place, I cut a small swatch to put in the sleeve...until I get all the pieces I need.
I started this because our state shop hop handed out these small binders one year....I ended up putting the info I needed in it when I went "hopping"...and the idea worked so I just kept up with it.

I also keep a larger binder with quilt ideas out of magazines too. But the ones that I am planning on working on soon, go in the small one so I can take it with me.

Gabrielle's Mimi

I use a spreadsheet (Excel) to list projects, patterns, etc.

MAMMY6

I'll think I have a system and then all of a sudden I don't have a system. I'll see something online (I'm pretty much homebound to start with, and there are no quilt shops withing 60 miles of here) so I'll order it and can't wait for it to come in. Then before it gets here, I'll see something else and I'm on the can't wait list again. So needless to say, I do have a list of unfinished projects.

IBQLTN

Do I have a system .... hummmm .. well????

I did have a very good system. I put post-it notes on all the quilts in magazines I wanted to make. That took up too much space so I started tearing out the pages I wanted and taking the remainder of the magazine(s) to my 2nd Saturday group.

I put those pages in clear plastic page protectors and put them in notebooks. I did the same thing with embroidery projects and then added to that the handbags/wallets/acccessories I want to make. I just counted and I have 32 notebooks full of classes I've taught, potential classes and/or just 'someday' stuff!!!!

This doesn't count the hundreds of things I've saved on my laptop.

I'm really SORRY you asked this question!!!

Peggy in Fla

IBQLTN

Oh, and I forgot the WIPs and UFO's ... I can't bear to look! Oh, and what about all the books I've purchased. I'll never live long enough!!!! I wonder if I can quilt in heaven???

Peggy

PKITTY1

I had a three ring binder that I kept for years until I moved to Nashville (I think it is in storage right now). This is what I included in the book. A completed block list--each new block I tried, I wrote it down. List of quilts in progress...quilt pattern name, fabric bought, etc(no swatches which I now find was stupid). BOMs--when I received kits, when finished, when top finished, etc...Not a great system but it kept some of my projects organized.

katigirl

love the groovin cat. :)

plainpat

I know how to put a disc in the puter, but don't think I ever saved to one....good idea. need to try that


Do you know how to save to a disc? You can make folders and EVEn save the http: and then when you click on it, you will return to the page with the information.

plainpat

I do bookmark, but how do you add projects from other sites?

Does no one but me put there future projects in the bookmark section here?

chrisqlt

I have quilted for many years and find what I do to try to be organized evolves over time. What I am currently doing that helps me is: I keep a large notebook with quilt ideas stored in clear sleeves. I can thumb through when I'm looking for ideas or a specific pattern, then take it out while I use it. I also learned the hard way to store directions for a project with the project, in case it ends up inactive for a longer time, I'll still know what I was planning when I get it out again. My current pet peeve is how many times I would measure and remeasure a top or backing in the UFO pile so...I just started measuring them and staple the size on so it's there when I need to know. The staple keeps me from getting unexpectedly stuck by a straight pin in the pile. I have "favorite sites" on the computer but the directions or pictures on the computer do need better folder systems. It may sound over the top but making a speadsheet type page by hand helped the most with my UFO list. Across the top I penned in: top finished, borders, quilting, binding, label. Down the side I have the name of the project. I can check off what is done for that quilt. Then at a glance I may see that three projects would be finished if I just made a batch of labels or maybe a number of projects are all ready to get their bindings. The books, notions, and fabrics have there own storage areas but when the fabrics fly and the sewing machine is humming it all gets messy until the next big effort becomes finding the top of the cutting table! Mostly I just try to have fun and enjoy the process.