2026 Stitching Journal

 There are Amazon affiliate links in this post. This means if someone were to click on the links and order that item, I would receive a small commission. 

Through the years I have struggled with the perfect (for me) stitching journal. I started stitching at the end of 2020 so it was probably sometime in early 2021 that I saw the "Book of Days". I love journaling and I loved adding stickers but there was more that I wanted to "journal" than I could get into the Book of Days as it was published.

Then maybe in 2024, Sheri at Colorado Cross Stitcher started having pages added and using a spiral binding. That was a great idea but I still wanted more space and pages so I bought the Book of Days, took it to a local printer, had them cut it apart, add pages and add the spiral binding. As the year went along, I thought of more pages I would like to add and I could have taken it back, had the spiral binding removed, pages added and the binding replaced but I didn't.

In 2025, I used a Happy Planner. For several years, I had used a Big Happy Planner for my personal journal. I have the page punch for the disc bound journals and I add lots of pages throughout the year. Both the personal journal and the stitching journal got big and bulk.

For 2026, I had a grand idea (I hope). From Amazon, I ordered a packet that has front and back covers for 8 journals, as well as 8 sets of small (less than one inch) disks. You can order larger disks if you want a thicker journal. I have extra sets of larger disks and I thought about using those but the thinner journals are much easier to handle. I decided to go with two or three if necessary instead of having one big bulky journal.

I also ordered these dividers with tabs and labels.

I ended up with two journals but that could change as the year goes on. One has The Cross Stitch Planner packet from The Naptime Stitcher. I think most everything I need to track my cross stitching can be tracked on those journal pages. I'm not going to show the pages because you can see them on her Etsy shop. By the way, I've ordered hr planner packet for the last few years.

The first page for each month is entitled "Hello "month". It has a spot for "Goals, To do, New Starts, Finishes and Notes." Each month also has a chart where you enter each chart you work on and there are 31 squares. I think it's to check off which days you worked on them but I will try to squeeze in the number of stitches I make on each one. Then there's a two page calendar for the month. Finally, each month has several pages for notes. My "notes" usually consist of interesting finishes I saw on flosstubers so I can go back and find them if I want to, or charts I thought about getting and didn't. Sometimes when I almost buy a chart and then don't, I end up thinking about it and deciding I want to get it and have to search to find it.

Those pages really fill up the first book. I may end going with a bit larger disks next year because it will be a bit not so crowded.

In the second book, I have a "Stitch Every Day" page. At the end of the year, I can look back and see how many days I did or didn't stitch.

Next I

I found these "Perpetual Calendar" pages at Printable Paper. I printed two sets of these. On one, I will add Starts and Finishes. On another, I will add Linen and Charts I buy. Next, is WIPS 2026. These are WIPS I would like to work on in 2026. I don't have EVERY WIP on there.

Next I have Charts I Might Want to Start. There are 26 on the list but I can update it for another week. It will be interesting this time next year to see how many projects I started from the list and how many others I started.

Next is Fabric Added. These little "cards" are also from The Naptime Stitcher. They're meant to attach to the linen but I just keep them on the page and I can go back and see when I bought a certain linen

Last is the Vintage Stitching Plans also from The Naptime Stitcher. So many times, I see a chart I think would be great for Spring or Winter or Thanksgiving so I will write those on this list, put a check mark by them if I have the chart already. When I do stitch something from the list, I will write the date finished by it and if I get a whole lot of them finished (haven't yet), then I'll just re-write the list. I save these lists from one year to the next.

OK . . let's see how 2026 goes with my new journal.