This morning, Marilee posted about analog Knitting Journals. I used to have an analog knitting journal (a decade ago) but I only used it for one or two projects before I discarded it. I also don’t update my Ravelry projects regularly.
Recently, my therapist recommended a digital planner. I already had an iPad, so I purchased and downloaded the planner PDFs on Etsy. It was pretty affordable. Of course now I see they have planner templates as part of Good Notes, which is the app I use. Then I found out I needed an Apple pencil, so I ordered that as well. After all of that, I tried using my digital planner, but found I missed the tactile quality of analog planning for personal and work use. So, I went back to a paper planner.
But Marilee’s post got me thinking about how I would like to organize and document my knitting, or at least try. I was all set up for a digital method, so I downloaded a knitting project planner PDF on Etsy for a couple of bucks. I tried it out for my next cast on, shown above. I think this might work for me! We’ll see if I keep it up, but it’s nice to have the details. As you can see, I haven’t swatched for this yet.
If you aren’t already set up for digital planning, it’s a bit of an investment to get all the tools. But if you are, this is an easy transition.
What about you? Do you document your knitting projects? Do you use a paper journal? Digital planner? Spreadsheets? Ravelry? Let us know in the comments!
I don’t knit, but I do journal and record almost all the important things I want to remember or track. Loved this. Thanks for sharing!
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I am in the process of starting a lined journal one. I don’t need all specific deets I think because I do use my Ravelry notebook. I wanted to keep yarn labels and swatches in the knitting journal and to keep me motivated on a Make Nine like journey.
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I enjoyed reading Marilee’s post. I usually keep my notes in Ravelry, but many details are omitted because once I am done on Ravelry, I tend not to return for a spell. Whereas, a notebook can be carried with me always. I like the set up of the Space Cadet journal.
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I left my comments about this on Marilee’s post. But let me say here briefly: I’m an analog gal.
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Well I sometimes scribble in patterns and I do use Ravelry to track start and end date, needles, yarn used and usage but I would say I don’t keep very good notes about the actual knitting. That was evident when I did my 2nd turtle dove. I don’t track or count how many rows on the neck, body or arms I knit, I just wing it. If the pattern is complex like Chimney Fire was that had 3 different cable sections on each row with different cable patterns so there I have every row handwritten and what each cable should be, but as I get better st reading my stitches I find I’m making less notes. I used to scribble some things on the LoveKnitting app but it crashed and when it was fixed my notes were lost. I have in the past bought Notability app, so I could actually use that as you can import PDFs and scribble on them. Oh my…my comment is war and peace long!
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That’s a good idea to import the pdf and make notes. I also scribble on the patterns if I print them out.
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I love the look of this PDF planner, but I’d have to upgrade my iPad and get an Apple pencil to do it. That’s a little tempting, but I’ll have to ponder it. Let us know how it works out for you over time? I used to keep all my project notes in Rav and loved updating everything in there, but I stopped using Ravelry much last year, so I focus more on the analog journal I started a year or so ago. It also gives me a good reason to use all my lovely fountain pens! So far it’s not as convenient for searching or looking up notes on past projects, but it works well for current projects and making notes about what I want to work on next. And it’s just pleasing to use, too!
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I like that pdf planner template! I got Dave a Rocketbook for Christmas and was wondering if that might do what I want. Please do let us know how this planner template works out for you as you use it!
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I am pretty bad at consistency. I’ve started notebooks in the past, but never stick with it. I didn’t log any of my Projects into Ravelry from 2014-2018 (but I’m back to logging the basics).
I do my planning analog, I have a simple notebook that I list my project pipelines. Nothing fancy.
I like the idea of digital craft journaling!! And the layout you have is so lovely.
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I am pretty obsessed with planning, documenting and paper. Haha. I have kept a journal (thoughts and experiences) since I was about 7, I have kept a diary planner since I was about 10 (this year though I am trying out a filofax instead) I have been using Ravelry for a few years although I have kind of fallen out of love with it last year. I have been keeping a paper knitting journal for about 3 years and I love that a lot.
I hope that your journal endevours turn out well 🙂
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