Creating a Project Journal

Flashback Summer: Creating a Project Journal - Sewing DIY

After seeing a post on a sewing journal from 1947, I thought about how incredible it would be to run across a notebook like it, full of notes on patterns a 1940s lady made up for herself, complete with pictures, fabric swatches, and sketches.  It would be a gold mine of information!

Then I thought, "Wait a second... If I wish someone had done that 70 years ago... will some girl 70 years from now wish I did that?"

So I decided, I will give to future generations the project notebook I wish I had!  Of course, they may be thrown off by all the patterns being from the 30s-50s and the journal from 2014... but they can enjoy it nonetheless. 

"But Emileigh," you say, "You can just keep track of that on your computer.  You can keep project notes in places like Ravelry, for knitting, and stuff like that.  Why a paper notebook?"  Because someday there will be a zombie apocalypse and there will be no computers, and I still want to have my sewing notes at that time... So I can look fabulous while running through the forest for my life...?

Anyway, in the meantime, a project notebook will do wonders in helping me remember which alterations I make, where I got fabrics, etc.  I like the idea of keeping track of everything.  While I moved around a lot to different countries as a teenager, so many things were lost into the "black hole" of moving, never to be seen again.  If I move around again and lose more things, at least there will be SOME record of them!


Flashback Summer: Creating a Project Journal - Sewing DIY

I really like the handwritten, scrappy type of journal, so that's how mine looks.  I have some more examples of sewing journals at the bottom for you to look at, however, if you'd like to try something a bit more you-ish!

So in this post are pages from my journal, for inspiration.  It's still a work in progress, but here are some of the elements I'd like to include for each project (or as many as I can come up with!):
- Pattern description: envelope picture, which version, size, and year
- Fabric/yarn description: what kind of fabric, a swatch, where I got the fabric, what it's called, how much it was
- Alterations: If I made any alterations, what they were and how well they worked out
- Pattern changes: If I changed the pattern at all, listing the changes or the changes I'd like for next time
- Occasion: why I made this project
- Finished look: pictures of me wearing the finished garment, preferably in a real-life setting
- Stories: anything interesting, frustrating, funny that happened along the way!


Flashback Summer: Creating a Project Journal - Sewing DIY

Flashback Summer: Creating a Project Journal - Sewing DIY

I used a smaller scrapbooking album, but I took all the page protectors out and replaced them with normal paper.  Because I like it better.
I picked the expandable kind of album because I have a guess that this book is going to get fat from the scraps and papers glued in.  This kind of album doesn't have a spine binding to worry about!


Flashback Summer: Creating a Project Journal - Sewing DIY

And here are examples of other sewing notebooks, for more inspiration!

Tiny Angry Crafter (Sponsor this month!)

16 comments

  1. Emileigh, are you referring to Joanna's post: http://dividingmoments.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-did-she-wear-to-firemens-ball-1947.html ? I think it's a neat idea.

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    1. Yes, yes I am!!! Thanks so much! I'm adding the link to the post now!

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  2. This is so inspiring! I so badly want to learn to sew, but when I tried to learn this summer it was so frustrating, I love thee pictures from your journal!

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    1. Yeah, sewing can be frustrating, but it's totally worth it if you kept at it! It really does get easier in a lot of ways as you build up your skills!

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  3. Yay! So fun! I am still working on my self love art journal and its been heaps of fun. I think I will continue doing so by creating another themed journal for myself like you are doing. Although I don't sew but still its so nice to look into a book and see what inspires you and what keeps you creative. Bravo to you! xox

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    1. Thank you, Daffny! I saw your self love journal somewhere, and it's awesome! I do just like having inspiration books, definitely. They're kind of like a "paper Pinterest," but they're more meaningful down the road if you take the time to really create them using your own hands!

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  4. Great idea Emileigh, I love seeing your interpretation and fabric swatches. I'm sure you'll look back on this when you get older with a great deal of remembrance. It also helps to write your thoughts out as you have just completed a project. I wish the lady had included images of herself in her journal.

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    1. Writing my thoughts as I just complete a project is a good idea! I'm trying to do a bit of catch up right now, but I'm definitely going to have to include that in my future ones I'm working on!

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  5. This is soooo awesome! I'm like you, I know you can save on the computer but I like hard copies too :)

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  6. I saw the title and said to myself 'Hey I do that!' And I continued to look, and ohh and ahh at how lovely yours is, and I see you mentioned mine! Thanks!

    But my goodness, yours is super awesome! I love how you added the extra elements to the pages including which event you originally made the garment for! Whenever I decide to make a new sewing journal, I think I'll include that in it as well.

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    1. Hahaha, yeah! And I liked how you included the pattern picture in yours. I haven't printed mine out yet, but I'll definitely be adding that element to the pages soon!

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  7. What an incredibly lovely, meaningful journal. The scrapbooker - and documentarian/historian in me - is so massively smitten and impressed by your awesome project journal. Really, really great work, sweet Em!

    ♥ Jessica

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  8. I loved the journal that Joanna shared too, and yours looks amazing. I think that handwritten is the way to go for any kind of journal. Sticking things in and being able to do quick little notes and sketches and similar actions are too valuable to lose by going digital!

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    1. I totally agree! Not to mention, hand written things are always so much more meaningful in general.

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  9. I liked the 1940's journal when I saw it, I would love to find something like that. I think it is a wonderful idea to make your own. I do something similar for my vintage knits.

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  10. This is an awesome idea! I also can't doodle on a computer and I love to doodle ideas. I'm not exactly sure if the zombies would get anything from it but I think it would be a great help assisting any future handicrafters in my family.

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