I remember one of my painting instructors in college asked if I 'blogged.' At the time, I didn't. The word seemed foreign, the concept was strange. I couldn't buy into it and I couldn't see how my teacher (of my parents generation) would be into this online community! I guess that is what I failed to understand from the get go: Community. My understanding was that it was a journal of sorts, a place for you to record your thoughts and experiences, not unlike a diary. I have since learned that the blog is much more about community.
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| A block I designed for a contest that I heard about in the blog world. |
I am able to record those thoughts and experiences, but they are along a much more specific topic than I first imagined. I am also able to partake in the postings of so many others who share similar interests with me. I am learning that there is discussion in the comments, there are familiar names and faces, and there are friends who challenge you and help you grow. Each picture in this post is something that would not have been created if it had not been for blogs!
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| A block made by Carole Gold at Fresh Off the Frame using a technique that I wrote about on my blog. |
In the spirit of learning, growing and community, I excited to join the Small Blog Meet at Lily's Quilts. I know that here I will find more inspiration, stories, challenges and conversation.
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| My design wall featuring WERQ Bee sample blocks. |
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Jan-Michael
Jan-Michael
Wow, your bee blocks are gorgeous!! I couldnt see your first two pics (google chrome) just FYI. So psyched to see you joined the blog hop from Lily's Quilts. Quilters are such generous folk, and I really think her tutelage is a fine example of that.
ReplyDeleteLori, thanks for the heads up about the pictures. I tried a different method of putting photos in the blog that seemed to be faster, but proved to just not work. Note to self, do not use copy and paste!
DeleteYour "contest" block has me intrigued, I'm looking forward to seeing it in fabric. I love your colour choices for the WERQ blocks, they're striking. Like you, the blogging community took me completely by surprise. If it weren't for blogging I wouldn't be starting two civil war, reproduction quilts, Dear Jane and Benjamin Briggs.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have created my first quilt lol It was looking through blogs 2 1/2 years ago that motivated me to try my first quilt along, and I haven't looked back since! It has proved to be rather an expensive habit right enough ;o)
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head, Jan-Michael. It is the sense of community that provides context for our blogs. I enjoy hearing from my bloggy friends, and visiting back and forth. It is so interesting to see what other people are working on, and to have a peek into their lives when they let us. Reading blogs has made me brave enough to dive in and try various surface design techniques. I love the process pledge, and have made it myself. Transparency is how we share, teach, learn. Tutorials rock! :-)
ReplyDeleteI honestly would not have made ONE quilt if it were not inspiration from blogs! I got the confidence to do FMQ from my very first quilt from Leah Day, freemotionquiltingproject.blogspot.com, I discovered my love of modern and broadened my FMQ horizons from there - all thanks to blogs. I agree about community. I was reading blogs for almost a year before I started mine. I had no idea how much fun and how many people I would 'meet!' It has been such a wonderful experience!!
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