How I Use a Sewing Journal to Keep Track of My Sewing Projects

I have a never-ending list of things I want to sew. (don't we all?)

The problem is, once I have actually made something, I'm not always very good at remembering all the details.

What size did I make? How much fabric did I use? Did I change anything? Did I like the fit? Would I make it again? And if I loved it, what exactly did I do so I can recreate it?

That's really why I started keeping a sewing journal.

I wanted somewhere to keep all those little details about my sewing projects instead of having them scattered between pattern envelopes, photos on my phone or random notes.

Because I'm sure I'm not the only one who has looked at something I made months or years ago and thought, "I have absolutely no idea what I did here."

A sewing journal is my answer to that problem.

Why I Started Keeping a Sewing Journal

There are so many little decisions you make during a sewing project that seem completely obvious at the time, but six months later you have no idea what you did. Maybe I changed the length, went down a size, used a particular fabric and need to remember where I got it from, or figured out a better way of doing something while I was sewing.

At the time, I always think, "I will remember that." but I deep down I know I won't.

So now I try to write those things down. Nothing too complicated...just the specifics. Most of the times, it's just a few notes that future me will be grateful for when I come back to that project.

And I really like the idea that, over time, my sewing journal becomes a record of my sewing. And that leaves me with a little history of what I have made, what I have learned and how my sewing has changed.

That is something I wouldn't have if I just took a photo of the finished garment and moved on to the next project.

What I Record in My Sewing Journal

There are a few things I like to keep track of for each sewing project, although I don't necessarily fill in every detail every single time.

The size and measurements I used

One of the first things I write down is the size I made along with my measurements at the time.

Because the size I make isn't always the same (I have changed quite a bit in the last few months!). It depends on the garment, the fabric, how much ease I want and just how I want it to fit.

I recently made a jumper. When I filled in my sewing journal, I wrote down my measurements and the size I made because I went down a size for the fit I wanted.

I'm sure that right now I could tell you exactly what I did but if you ask me six months from now, I will probably have no idea.

That is why I write it down. Next time I want to make it, I don't have to guess or try to remember what I did. It's all there.

Fabric and pattern details

I also like to write down what fabric I used and where I got it from and roughly how much I needed. I also add a swatch of the fabric.

Was it lovely to sew? Did it fray like crazy? Did it have the right amount of drape? Did I love wearing it?

These are the kind of things I know I will forget but can be really useful when  I am choosing fabric for my next project.

I will also make a note of the pattern I used (if used). When you have a growing collection of patterns, it's surprisingly easy to forget what you have already made, let alone what size you made or how you adapted it.

Having it all written down means I can just look back instead of trying to piece it together from old photos and half-remembered sewing projects.

Changes I made to the project

This is probably one of the most useful things for me to write down because I often need to make changes.

I might shorten something, make it longer, do a bust adjustment, alter the neckline, add pockets or do something completely differently from the instructions.

And at the time, I know exactly what I've done. But a year later? Not a chance.

Especially when I have made something that fits really well and I want to make it again. There is nothing more frustrating than pulling out the same pattern and thinking, "What did I change last time?"

So I write it down.

What worked and what I would change

I also like to make a few notes about how the project actually went.

Did I like working with the fabric? How did it fit? Was there anything that was particularly tricky? Did I learn something along the way? And, most importantly, would I make it again?

Sometimes it's just a couple of sentences, but I find these notes really useful when I look back.

Because I'm not just recording what I made. I'm recording what I learned from making it.

And that's when a sewing journal becomes much more useful than just a place to keep a list of finished projects. It becomes something I can actually refer back to when I'm planning the next one.

How a Sewing Journal Helps With Future Projects

This is probably one of the biggest reasons I like having all of this information in one place. When I am planning a new project, I can look back at things I have already made instead of starting from scratch.

Maybe I have used the same pattern before. Maybe I have worked with a similar fabric. Maybe I have already figured out which size works for me or made an adjustment that I know I will want to repeat.

All of that is useful when I am planning what to sew next. And the thing is, the more you sew, the more information you collect. The problem is, you can't possibly remember all of it.

My Sewing Journal then becomes my own little reference book that I can go back to whenever I need it.

There isn't really a right or wrong way to use a sewing journal. It's just about creating a record that works for you and the way you sew.

What I Wish I Recorded About My Older Makes

Looking back at some of the things I made over the years, there are so many details I wish I had written down at the time.

That is probably one of the biggest reasons I started recording my sewing projects properly. What seems obvious when you are making something isn't always obvious a year or two later.

I'm not writing these things down for me today. I'm writing them down for future me.

Do You Need a Sewing Journal?

Of course you don't.

You can keep your sewing notes in your phone, a spreadsheet, a notebook or whatever works for you. (I actually used a notebook for the first few years, but I would often forget to write things down, mostly because I didn't have any prompts reminding me what was worth recording.)

For me, having one place specifically for my sewing projects just makes sense. And the longer I sew, the more I appreciate having that record to look back on.

Because a sewing journal isn't about making sewing more complicated. It's about making future sewing easier.

I don't have to remember what size I made, which fabric I used or what I changed last time. I can just look it up.

And over time, it becomes more than a record of what I've made. It is a record of what I have learned too.

That's probably what I love most about it.

You can take a look at My Sewing Journal here →

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!
Bye for now, B! xx