MJMode JournalSmall details. Thoughtful design.

Design notebooks

Start a Useful Swatch Library

Give every sample enough context to be found again.

Independent accessories journal · October 7, 2026

Berry, sage and cream fabric samples beside a blank design notebook; a fictional editorial illustration.

Look a little closer

A pile of attractive fabric pieces becomes more useful when each has a stable identifier and a short record. The record can hold the source, date, declared composition and the design question it supports. A blank field is preferable to an invented origin.

A note for your design book

Label an envelope or storage page rather than damaging the sample. Keep an overall photograph linked to the identifier and note what you are allowed to do with the material. Cooper Hewitt’s textile sample discussions offer examples of how a sample can connect to design and production history. Your library can stay small while its records remain consistent.

Sources and further reading