Weeks writes “Document your ideas. Use a notebook, a sketchbook or a box to collect even the most simple sketches or ideas for future quilts. Photograph everything you make and keep those images together. Print them and put them in an album so you can see them all at once.”
She is correct. Stop surfing after you finish reading this post and go document. No excuses, just do it. Trust me you will be happy later.
I rip pages out of catalogs that might be inspiring. I keep colors and brochures. All of these go into a [overstuffed, very full] box. Periodically, I look through this box and toss things that don’t work, but once something gets through or groups of bits look cohesive I make a file. Looking through this box is a good source of inspiration.
I make a folder for each quilt I make. I also make a folder for each project about which I am thinking. I am selective about the projects that reach the point where I am actually collecting stuff to include or use in a project, but once I have even a few pieces of paper, I make a file.
I make a file, because I like everything to be together. I am a librarian after all. 😉 I like to open the file, see my drawings, measurements, color palettes, notes to self, etc. all in one place. When bits and bobs are all over, I get crazy.
I also use my sketchbook and journal to jot down quick ideas. If any of these come to something then I photocopy the page from my journal to put in my file.
I also label all of my quilts. My quilt labels are getting more and more elaborate in terms of the information I include. A couple of weeks ago, I dropped quilts off at the County Fair. I made a mistake in categorizing the quilts for the Fair, so they had to be re-measured. I am now including the size of the quilt on the label, because it is easier to look up than measuring the quilt again. I had a quilt stolen, so I am somewhat manic about labeling my quilts. I do have one quilt that is unlabeled. If I can figure out when I finished it, I will make a label.
I want to create a scrapbook that includes each of my quilts. I have a file for this project, but have never gotten to it beyond creating a gallery on this blog.
Obviously, you have to do the type of documenting that is right for you and fits into your life and schedule. What works for one won’t work for everyone. Just do something.
See my last installment of this homework, which was posted last week.
Images courtesy of the Modern Quilt Studio.