Do you have crochet project overwhelm? Flip-flopping between projects can make it hard to keep track of all the important details. A crochet project planner will help you get organized once and for all. I go through all the types of crochet planners, digital, and paper, to help you find the planner best for you.
Do you have project overwhelm? Flip-flopping back and forth between craft projects, without finishing them? By the time I come back to my abandoned crochet projects I forget what hook I was using and all the little notes I was supposed to remember.
I’m guilty of too many works in progress and needed to come up with a plan. I needed a crochet project planner.
It’s time to get organized, get those projects finished and not feel overwhelmed with the very thing that’s supposed to be relaxing.
I’ve tried quite a few systems to get my projects organized. Today I’m sharing the system that works best for me and how you can create the best craft and crochet project planner for you.
Different Types Of Craft Planners
A Crochet Notebook
This was my first attempt at keeping all the notes I needed for my projects. There isn’t much setup to a crochet notebook. I simply wrote down the pattern name, materials used, start date, and any notes I needed to remember. You could also include a section that keeps track of your yarn inventory.
Pros:
- All of my pattern notes were in one place.
- I could fit this in my purse or project bag for travel.
- A notebook with pockets was handy to keep the printed patterns I was currently working with organized.
Cons:
- I was always looking up the same reference material. What size hook is a J? What size hat to make for a 6-month-old?
- There’s no room for extra tools like scissors, stitch markers, or chocolate 😉
Who will find a crochet notebook useful?
Someone who likes to keep notes about their projects and yarn inventory and doesn’t need reference materials.
A Crochet Project Binder
My next try was with a printable crochet planner that I put in a binder. I really liked this system and would have kept it if we didn’t travel as much.
Pros:
- I had a place for all the reference material I could dream of. Maybe too much 😉 Printable size charts were so easy to add to the binder.
- I added a 3 ring pencil pouch for extra tools like a tape measure, stitch markers, and hooks.
- I could add more pages wherever I needed.
Cons:
- Too big for my project bag and didn’t fit on my lap when we were traveling. Car crocheting anyone?
Who is a crochet project binder for?
Someone who likes open-ended organization and doesn’t take projects with when they travel (or has a large project bag). You can get this printable crochet planner system that has all the reference material you’ll need in one place. Looking back, I could have purchased a smaller binder and resized the reference materials.
Organization Apps For A Craft Planner
Evernote, ToDoist, Trello, Google Keep…I’ve tried them all. Evernote is the one I found most useful for a craft planner.
I setup digital notebooks: crochet notes, reference materials, patterns to try, and yarn inventory. I then put all these notebooks into one stack called Crochet.
I loved using this when I was at home on my laptop. It was easy to search for the note I was looking for.
Pros:
- I always have my phone handy.
- Easy to clip reference material and organize by folders or notebooks.
- No paper waste.
Cons:
- No place for the extra tools.
- Typing out a lot of information on my phone took longer than writing.
- In the summers we camp a lot and don’t have great internet connections.
Who might like to use an organization app?
Someone who is tech-savvy and always has an internet connection.
The Crochet Project Planner That Worked For Me
A Crochet Project Journal
This idea came about because I love the leather travelers notebooks. Let’s go through the pros and cons of a crochet project journal then I’ll let you take a peek at how I set mine up.
Pros:
- Perfect size for traveling and the leather cover is beautiful.
- You can have multiple notebooks in one leather case. I have 1 for reference materials and yarn inventory and 1 for current projects.
- A zipper pouch for all the extra tools.
Cons:
- Takes more time to set up the reference notebook instead of simply printing like in the craft binder.
Let’s talk about the cover. This leather is soft, durable, and oh so pretty. You can get the same one here. The A5 size is perfect for travel and fits in my project bag.
I chose 2 different kinds of notebooks. A dot grid notebook for the reference guide and lined notebooks for my pattern notes and project planner. The dot grid notebook I used came with the leather journal.
The reference guide is my favorite thing about this craft planner. Being able to find all the size charts and measurements in one place is so handy. There’s plenty of room to add more charts and notes as I go.
Below is a list of pages I added to the crochet reference guide journal and links to find the handy charts if you want to make your own. You can use these charts with whatever craft planner system you choose. Print them off and add them to a crochet binder, save them to Evernote, or write them in your crochet project journal.
Crochet Project Planner Pages
Bonnet Size Guide from Pattern Paradise and Hat Size Guide from BHooked Crochet
Body Measurements for babies, children, women, and men from the Craft Yarn Council.
Body Measuring Standards from Craft Yarn Council
Make sure and leave a space to add your measurements and people you crochet for often. I can’t count the number of times I’ve remeasured my daughter because I lost the paper that had her numbers. I usually crochet at night when she’s sleeping. Having her measurements in my reference guide saves time and lets me keep going with my projects.
The hook size chart is so helpful when you’re trying to find the right size hook for a pattern. I can’t believe how many differnent sizes there are and how the letters can be used for multiple sizes, especially with the larger hook sizes. If you follow US and UK patterns put both charts side by side for easy comparison.
Tips For Crocheting A Flat Circle
I have looked up “How many stitches do I need to start with when I crochet a circle?” more times than I care to admit. Now I don’t have to keep googling it. I just flip to the reference section in my crochet journal and get to work.
Yarn Organization
One of my goals for this year was to use up my yarn stash BEFORE I bought new yarn. It’s been tough and I haven’t stuck with it for the whole year. I can’t pass up a good yarn sale 😉 If you need more organization in your life crochet baskets are great for storing yarn. This tutorial will help you crochet a basket with sturdy sides.
Having a section in my reference guide that has my yarn inventory has helped me stay on track. I divided it into sections based on yarn weight. There’s a column for the yarn amount, name and color, project I bought the yarn for, and a space to check it off when it’s done.
The project section is key to making sure you use the yarn. So many times I’ve bought yarn with a project in mind and by the time I get to use it I forget my plan. I also change my mind a lot. I use these erasable pens. They write nice and erase clearly.
The Crochet Project Planner
The 2nd notebook in my crochet project journal is for all my notes when designing patterns. Everything from the yarn and hook size, to all the notes about special stitches.
If you don’t design patterns you can use this second notebook as your crochet project planner. To tie into the yarn stash busting you could set up a new project page each time you buy new yarn. That way you are committing that yarn to a project and it has a purpose.
How To Set Up A Crochet Project Planner.
If you look up bullet journal layouts you’ll find SO much inspiration. You can set up the layout however you like. Here are the things I’d include for each craft project.
- Project or Pattern Name
- Yarn and Hook Used
- Size Your Making
- Your Gauge
- Start and End Date
- Notes
I love having the dates for each project. It’s fun to look back and see how many things you’ve accomplished or if you need to take more time for yourself. If you’re making a binder this free printable project planner from Malloo Knits will be perfect.
1 Place For All Your Little Tools
I added a clear zipper pouch to my crochet project journal. I was always looking for a pair of scissors, stitch markers, or a tapestry needle. This pouch is one handy place for all those gadgets. If you’re traveling the country or snuggled into your spot watching Netflix they’ll always be by your side.
What’s In The Pouch
You can keep up to three notebooks in your traveler’s journal, or 2 notebooks and the pouch for extra tools. This traveler’s journal came with 2 elastics. If you want to add a third notebook you’ll need this set of extra elastic bands.
The Bottom Line
There are a lot of different ways to get your crochet and craft projects organized. Pick the one that suits you and start using it today, or in 2 days when your Amazon order comes 🙂
Sounds like a great idea…I LOVE ideas for organizing everything! BTW, Michaels Crafts sells Artist’s Loft brand Journals. They’re 249 pages long (6″ x 8″, and they’re only $5. I have spent a lifetime finding the “perfect” book for keeping track of various things, and I’m very happy with the quality, size and PRICE of these books! I think I’ll set one up not just for crochet, but as a craft journal listing info for my different crafts. For example, I could use the measurement pages for sewing, knitting, crochet. You wouldn’t have a place in these books to hold supplies, but I would keep my supplies in my carry bag and just keep my notebook there.
Thanks for the ideas! I’m going to give this idea a try!
Hey Sarah,
Thanks for the notebook suggestion at a great price! I love how you are putting all your crafts together. When it’s finished it will be so handy to have everything in one place.
Stay cozy,
Sierra
Thank you for all of this information! I have been dragging my feet with organizing the patterns that I have printed out. This post was so inspiring, and now I feel confident enough to get started! I’ll tag you on Instagram when I get everything set up! ?
I’m so glad this motivated you, Rachel! It’s always hard to get started, but so rewarding when everything is organized! I can’t wait to see how you set everything up.
Thank you for this info. I have a lot of printables for helpful hints and measurements and projects/wips in a 3 ring binder. And it works ok for wips. I also use Ravelry to place patterns and designers in favorites or my queue then projects as I complete wips. And you can use Ravelry to put your yarn inventory as well. I also use a wip printable for a project to use on yarn in my stash I will put it and yarn in a large baggie or project bag. But haven’t found a way I liked to workout patterns in my head yet. Thank you for pointing me in a direction I think I will use.
Hi Angie,
Ravelry is such a great resource. Thanks for mentioning all the ways you stay organized. I love how you set aside yarn with the wip printable- genius!
Thank you for all the tips and espacially the links to the guides and charts !
In my case, I use Trello for my work in progress and to come projects. I really love it and I can access to it any time since I have the app on my phone. So, I can write quick notes for a new design or new project I have in mind. Next, when I finish something, I note everything clearly about it in spiral notebooks with a summary at the beginning. I am happy with this organization way ! ?
I need to look into Trello. It sounds perfect for project organizing! Thanks for the tips Ghexia 🙂
Wow! What a great article! So many information! Thank you for sharing your methods with us. I LOVED the pros and cons of each method and the “who is it for” part. Also, thank you so much for sharing my free printable. I hope more people will find it useful. 😉
Thanks, Lou for making such a great free printable and sharing it with us!
Stay Cozy,
Sierra
This was a great article! There is a lot of info. and your links to the charts and project planner pages is so helpful. I’d forgotten there was so much info. for the crocheter and the knitter on the Craft Yarn Council site. I use my MacBook Pro to catalog patterns by first listing the category, i.e. hats, scarves, sweaters, etc. Then the name of the pattern used by the designer, following that with (crochet) or (knit). I have a documents folder on the computer to keep track of the recipes, beading info., sewing topics/shortcuts, and crochet/knit items and each of those different topics has their own colored tag. Recipes: red tag; Beading: blue; Sewing: yellow; and crochet/knit: purple. I could probably tweak the system more, but it works fine as is for me. I backup my hard drive about every three months or sooner, if I have gathered a large amount of items that I don’t want to lose from the files.
Hey Rebecca!
Your system sounds perfect! I need to go through all my files and reorganize. I think I have 1 folder that’s labeled “crafts”. I love the color tagging tip too! Genius.
Stay Cozy,
Sierra
Thank you SO much for this post! I, too, have been struggling with how to organize my ideas, patterns, notes, and the like. I’ve tried the 3-ring binder (easy to add pockets, but too large), the small purse-size notebook (no pockets), the medium-sized notebook with pen holder (the best option thus far). You’ve taken my organizing to the next level with your helpful, informative post.
Hi Judy,
I’m so happy you found this helpful. Getting organized takes some trial and error but once you find what works it makes life easier. Sounds like the journal with the zipper pouch will work great for you!
Stay Cozy,
Sierra