Today I want to talk to you about something that, in my opinion, can truly change the life of anyone who loves crocheting just like you and me. You know that moment when you have a thousand creative ideas swirling in your head, and you just wish you could put them all in order without going crazy? Or when you start a beautiful project, but then get lost among scattered notes, loose patterns, and yarns you don’t even remember where they came from? Yeah, I totally get you — I’ve been there too!

That’s exactly why I want to tell you about my secret, something simple but super powerful: the handmade planner. Don’t worry, it’s nothing complicated or boring, quite the opposite! It’s your very own way to keep all your projects under control, without losing that magic and that urge to create that sparks every time we pick up our crochet hook.

What exactly is a handmade planner?

So, let’s start from the beginning. Maybe you’ve already heard about planners, agendas, bullet journals — all those organizational notebooks that are so popular these days. Well, a handmade planner is exactly that, but made by you, in the way you love most, with your style, your colors, and maybe even some little decorations made with scraps of your leftover yarn.

Imagine a notebook all your own, where you can jot down not only what you have to do but also your ideas, your progress, the difficulties you faced, and the solutions you found. A special place where every page talks about you and your passion for crochet.

Why is it really worth creating a crochet planner?

You might be wondering: “Do I really need it? Can’t I just start crocheting and that’s it?” Sure, you can! But I promise having a planner simplifies your life in ways you might not have imagined.

• Organization and clarity: When you have multiple projects going on, it’s easy to get confused. The planner helps you keep everything under control without forgetting anything.
• Time saver: No more hunting for lost patterns or messy notes. You have everything at your fingertips.
• Creativity at your fingertips: Writing down ideas, making sketches, or pasting yarn samples can give you fresh inspiration and make you love your hobby even more.
• Motivation: Seeing your progress recorded gives you great satisfaction and pushes you to keep going with enthusiasm.
• A personal archive: Over time, you’ll have a collection of memories and tips you can reread and use to improve more and more.

How to get started? Here are my step-by-step tips

1. Choose the perfect notebook or support for you

You don’t need a super expensive or complicated planner. For example, I love notebooks with blank or lightly dotted pages because they give me freedom to write and draw. Some prefer agendas already divided into days and weeks, but if you want more flexibility, a simple notebook works perfectly.

If you’re more tech-savvy, you can create a digital planner on a tablet or PC, using note-taking or drawing apps. The important thing is that you like it and feel comfortable with it.

2. Personalize the cover: make it yours!

The cover is the business card of your planner. You can paint it, decorate it with stickers, glue pieces of yarn, or write your name and an inspiring phrase like “My Crochet Dreams” or “Creativity at Your Fingertips.”

Make sure every time you pick up the planner, you want to open it and start writing.

3. Divide the planner into practical sections

No need to overdo it, but a few useful sections will help you a lot. I suggest these:

• Ongoing projects: where you note what you’re working on, with start date and goals.
• Ideas and inspirations: to jot down patterns seen online, colors to try, yarns to buy.
• Materials and yarns: a detailed list of the materials you have or need, maybe with the store you bought them from or tips for future purchases.
• Notes and tricks: for various notes, pattern modifications, or tips you discover along the way.
• Photos and samples: a space to paste photos of your works or little yarn samples, so you remember colors and textures.

4. Create dedicated pages for each project

When you start a new project, immediately dedicate a page or two to organize yourself:

• Write the pattern name and author (so if you want to repeat it, you know where to look).
• Note the materials used (type of yarn, color, brand, hook).
• Mark the start date and, if you want, the finish date or intermediate goals (for example, “finish the body by mid-month”).
• Leave space to note any changes or difficulties.
• If you like, draw some small sketches or paste a photo of the work in progress.

5. Have fun with colors, symbols, and stickers!

Don’t underestimate the power of color: highlighters, markers, washi tape, stickers… they’re all great allies to make the planner cheerful and easy to use.

For example, you can use one color to mark urgent projects, another for long-term ones, a symbol for ideas to explore, and so on. Having a “code” helps you find important info quickly.

How to keep your planner alive and updated?

Once created, the secret is to use it regularly. I recommend dedicating a few minutes each week to:

• Update the status of projects.
• Write down new ideas or discoveries.
• Paste photos or yarn samples collected during the week.
• Organize any scattered notes.

Don’t worry if you sometimes forget or skip an update: the planner is a tool to help you, not to stress you out!

One last thought…

The handmade planner is more than just a notebook: it’s a way to give value and love to what you create, a little diary of your passion that will accompany you in every project, big or small.

If you don’t have one yet, I recommend trying it right away. Grab a notebook, some markers, and start writing. You’ll see that, page after page, your planner will become a precious space, all your own, where every creative thought can find a home.