Keeping a Crochet Journal
By Tameko Barnette – 18 CommentsI love to write. Writing has always been a fun thing for me to do ever since I was a child. It can also be quite cathartic as well. There are many different types of journals one can keep. The possibilities are endless – dream journal, cooking journal, self-help journal, and the list could go on and on.
However, I’d like to suggest that you start keeping a crochet journal.
Why should you keep a crochet journal??
You should keep a crochet journal for several reasons. The first reason is that you can keep a record of your favorite patterns. I understand with all the computers and technology we have at our fingertips, writing down a pattern is probably one of the last things you want to do. However, it is a wonderful way to keep track of your creations and tweak as you wish. You can always get very creative and work your crochet journal like a collage or scrapbook – cut and paste patterns into the journal.
Another reason to keep a crochet journal is that you can document any thoughts or feelings you have about the projects you’re working on. Especially, if you are working on projects for loved ones and friends. Some strong feelings may come up. It would be great to write those feelings down.
It’s like creating your very own crochet memoir. You can put the details of your crochet group meetings, if you wish. You can write down your frustrations with a project or a particular stitch that is a bit challenging for you. Writing all this down is a healthy way of working through your frustrations while celebrating your triumphs with your craft of choice.
So, you see, keeping a crochet journal is a wonderful tool and a fun way to keep track of your creations and feelings along your crochet journey.
Happy Crocheting!
If you are keeping a crochet journal or have any ideas for crochet journals, please a leave comment below. We’d love to hear from you.
I’ve started doing this (at least a little bit) through the use of Ravelry, though I like the idea of physically writing it down. It’s also helpful for the inevitable UFOs. When you come back to an object weeks, or even months after you’ve taken a break on it, it’s hard to remember exactly what hook you were using or, if it’s granny squares or the like, what the overall plan for the piece was. Being able to just pull out your journal (or look at Ravelry if that’s easier) means that piece has another chance at life, instead of just getting frogged. 🙂
As Julia has said Ravelry is great for this, I also have pegged information on to the project before putting it away.
I never put the info on the item ’cause I never -plan- on having a UFO. And by the time I finally give up and hibernate the thing somewhere I’ve already forgotten the info. :-/
What a great idea!! I have been wanting to start a generalized journal for a long time, but everytime I try to start, I get discouraged. Even though I’m the only person who would be reading a “personal” journal, I feel like I’m unable to convey my thoughts. I don’t have any trouble expressing myself orally. LOL I believe keeping a crochet journal would be beneficial in several ways. Keeping track of the projects would allow me to know how many times I’ve made each pattern. I think I will note , from which book or resource the project was taken…the ease or difficulty I faced while working it up…noting the amount of yarn used…the hook size, the amount of time I worked on it, and whether I’m making it for myself or for someone else. If it’s to be a gift, documenting who I’ll give it to and for what occasion, if there IS a specific occasion (like a shower gift). I’m sure as I go along, many more things I want or need to write down will come to mind.
Thanks for the journal suggestion!! 🙂
What a great idea! I will do it, definitely.
Taking time away from crocheting to write? I don’t think so. I make notes on the pattern that’s enough.
I have a photo journal, I take a picture of the item and next to it on an index card I write the pattern name, size hook and what brand hook I used ( not all hooks are the same, a “H” from one company is different from another), yarn info, any thing I did different as I was working on it and who I gave it to and why. I will also put a star sticker on the card, gold for favorite, red for ok, blue for gift that was a hit silver for want to make again ect… All my patterns are in 3 ring binders seperated by type, hat, scarf, dolls/ toys
I keep a crochet journal too. I write what I make for who and for what reason. I list the item, the colors used and the size of yarn I used. I also write when I started the project and when I finished it. I have a lot of family and I make almost all of the gifts I give them. It is helpsul to know what colors I used to make a gift so that I don’t make someone else the same color. It is also nice to know what I have made each person so that I don’t duplicate the gift if I don’t need to. I also write it down if I made something for myself. This helps me keep track of what I have made for the year. I am always surprised at how many things I have made in a years time.
I do what I call “live blogging crochet” on Ravelry. On some days I just keep crocheting and update a project with time stamps and progress photos. I love doing this. It feels more interactive. It also reminds me of how I felt about a project before it was finished. I often think it won’t come out looking nice, but then I end up loving it.
I kinda do that too.
Asprin
What a good idea! I am on Avelry too, but it’s not always convenient to ge on. Besides, I like the idea of writing down personal thoughts. Wish I’d done this before. I will definitely have to start one of these.
I am going to keep a crochet journal,what a good idea, thank you.
Kind of like the idea, a good way to keep up with whom you have made something for. Also keeping a record of the colors and type of yarn used for that project, or the colors the persons favorite colors.
Thanks for the idea. I print out the patterns from the net of the one I’ll be working on. Other wise I keep a folder in my doucments and burn them to disk. I keep that disk seperate from my other disk, as these disk have just Crochet on them. You can always use a flash drive to keep said info on. Some you can get up to 16gbs. You would never run out of space to keep them. This way you can take the flash drive with you on visits to friends and they can copy any of your patterns, like share them.
There are several crochet projects I have done and it would have been neat to have written down at the time what had inspired me to begin doing them. Over 10 years ago, I started making plarn and crocheting with it. I wish I could remember the moment I thought it was such a unique idea to start crocheting with plarn. I do remember how I started to make an oval rug out of plarn and forgot to increase stitches to make it lay flat. I ended up with an “oval bowl”. I had spent so much time to get it to that point I wanted to be able to use it for something. It just came to me to keep crocheting a few more rows then I could put handles on it and turn it into a purse. I wish I would have written down all my thought processes at the time. Thanks for suggesting a crochet journal. I might be able to fill in some of my past crochet experiences, and then keep it all current.
I keep a crochet journal. But mine is in regards to what I have made.
For each project I use a page on the notebook.
And I write down the yarn that I used,
the crochet hook size,
The number of chains I began with
how much yarn I needed of each to finish the project.
I write down the stitch I used, or the pattern.
Then I write down what it is that I made.
And I measure the finished size.
I even write who I gave it to.
Then when I want to make something again, I know what I need
Or I know what to do to make it larger or smaller.
OMG! I acyually have a sorta crochet journal… I only have patterns in there… like a portable binder 🙂 Well there are millions of amazing ideas in this web.. keeep up the good work!!!
I will keep a journal too.you do give superb ideas and make crochet seem ever so exciting!keep it up.
Thanks for the article. Wasn’t sure if you could do a crochet journal(of course you can you can journal just about anything. It just me a few minutes to think about it.) It will help with my filet crocheting and Irish crocheting, which I’m just starting to do. I can write down what I did wrong and what was successful. Thanks again