My Embroidery Kits

Have I mentioned how much I'm loving my BOMs? That is one of the most fabulous surprises when I started to follow quilt blogs - BOM groups and free patterns! Luckily I decided early on that I can't participate in everything (even though I really, really want to join that Farmer's Wife Flickr group - control, girlfriend!)
I have been saving patterns for one day... And have joined in a few. I really do feel they've enriched my life and made me re-think my methods. I've learned SO much and they've really motivated me to finish some projects for myself!
A friend asked me how I keep track of all the different embroidery BOMs (I have several embroidery samplers in progress and I'm LOVING my Tis the Season and Birdie Stitches!) and I told her I have a kit for each project.

For each project, I have a Ziploc bag with floss, needles (note those wonderful Bohin #7 embroidery needles I bought from Raspberry Rabbit), scissors, tea tin (for thread snips) and index card. That index card is most important:

Each card contains the project name, start and end date (on back), motif, number of strands, stitch type, and floss number. It will also note floss source, sashing measurement, embellishments ("fill apples with French knots"), make/color of background fabrics, etc. For my Tis the Season, one card will last the entire project. For Birdie Stitches, where motifs/colors change monthly, I'll make a new one each month.
This way, I can pick up and work on any kit at any time without worrying about accidentally deviating from my original game plan. At the end of the project, I'll file away the card; if I decide later to make a stand-alone project, I can pull out my card for later reference.
If you get a chance, visit Tis and Birdie and see all the fabulous work these ladies have already completed! I'm hoping to post my June blocks this weekend.
Happy Stitching!
Elisa