Why didn’t I think of documenting who and where my quilts went 30+ years ago when I started quilting?  My answer is that I didn’t think of it back in the days of my early quilts.

After a few years, I did start to take photos of the quilts and afghans I made.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get name the photos so I could remember just who the gift went to.  So I have a stack of photos as a reminder, but I am not sure I could tell anyone who the items were given to.

After I was diagnosed with MS and we realized the extent of the loss of my short- and long-term memory problems, I started asking the recipients of my quilts to take a digital photo and send it to me, so I could refer back to it and know who my quilts went to.  Unfortunately, my request hasn’t always been honored.

There’s also a reason to document your quilts if you ever need to show your work to someone who is interested in purchasing or commissioning a quilt from you.  The stack of photos I have has been passed along to others many times and many quilts have been made based on quilts I had made in the past via those photos.

But, here are a few suggestions for documenting quilts (or any type of handmade gift) that you make and give or gift away:

1. Photo album:  A photo of the finished quilt before it is sent to its new home, plus a photo of the recipient (if possible) with their new quilt.  But take this one step further and write or type a little note, adding the information on where the quilt went and who it went to.  A date would be great, too.  If nothing else, take a photo of the tag on the quilt, then you could eliminate any further need to write anything.
2. Write out information about your quilts.  This is a pretty thorough list items to help you:  https://www.reddawn.net/quilt/documnt.htm.  This is even a more thorough form you can print and use:  https://oregonquiltproject.blogspot.com/
3. “Personal Quilt Registry“, a book written by Lynne Fritz, offers a seemingly excellent opportunity to keep a record of your quilts – not just what you’ve gifted away but also those you have kept.
4. Make a quilt journal:  https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/05/how-to-make-a-quilt-journal/.
5. There’s also software you can purchase and use on your computer to document your quilts:  https://softexpressions.com/software/organ/index.html#Quilters.

There are many options for you to choose from to help you keep a record of your quilts.  What’s your favorite way?