Thursday, March 17, 2011

Favorite Things Friday

My favorite thing this week is the internet, especially quilting blogs.

I started my blog in November, 2005, but deleted all my entries because they were too depressing. I restarted on March 9, 2007. I posted a whopping 8 times in 2007. There were only a few people who knew about my blog and even fewer who read it.  I read my niece's blog regularly that year and she inspired me to blog more (66 posts in 2008 -- I know not impressive, but certainly an improvement). I read other blogs, but didn't follow any regularly.

Then three years ago, I started quilting.  My first grandson was on the way and I wanted to make him a quilt. I thoroughly enjoyed making his quilt. So I bought a couple of quilting books, borrowed some books from the library, worked with some friends, bought some fabric, and made a few more quilts.

In January last year, I decided to look online for patterns and other quilting tips and somehow I discovered quilting blogs. I think I Googled "quilting blogs." (brilliant, I know). I found several blogs and started following them.  One that I found was starting a quilt-along -- p.s. i quilt's pinwheel sampler quilt-along. I joined it and loved it -- I made two quilts, the pinwheel sampler and the other pinwheel sampler (such creative names).

I found that the bloggers I followed, followed other blogs, and they followed other blogs, and they followed other blogs... and so my new obsession began.

Now every night, before I go to sleep, I check Google Reader for new posts.  And then I check first thing in the morning.  And then at lunch.  And then again when I get home from work.  And then again after dinner.  And then again before bed.  Everyone is so wonderful, they post all the time so there is always something new to read about (it helps that some of them/you are on the other side of the world).

So that's my favorite this week.  To read about some other favorites/favourites this week, check out QIMP's Favourite Things Friday.

10 comments:

Shay said...

I love blogs and the community bloggers have created here. I count many of my blog friends as real friends. Your favourite is one of mine too!

I have no idea what I did before with the 30+ hours a week I now spend checking, reading, commenting and responding to blog related email but I do know it wasnt half as fun as what Im doing now.

Love this FTF!

Sarcastic Quilter said...

I love your FTF and I happened into quilting blogs about the same way. :) And if it makes you feel better, I check regularly for new posts, also but since reader was an extra step I didn't want, I let my blog do the work.

I can access it on my iPhone and with the side bar scrolling new posts to the top of my blog list, I can always see when one I follow has posted. It's made me far less productive in life but more productive in stalking the internet bloggers!

PS - I loved that pinwheel quilt along and I'm going to make a double sized sampler (next year, I think) for home. My blog has my quilt in the top bar.

Paulette said...

Oh, I'm right with you on this one, Thea! I can't even keep up in Google Reader anymore, I've found too many wonderful quilting blogs. But I still skim through as many as I can in a day. Happy FTF!

Kirsten said...

Great favourite - I posted about blogging and the internet awhile ago. Such a great invention. Thanks for sharing!

Sara said...

It's a vicious cycle, isn't it, but I think it's possibly the only vicious cycle we can actually benefit from.

I was a reader of quilt blogs long before I got myself a quilt blog, which for that matter was meant to be about posting pattens for soft toys. Oh well, I like being a quilt blogger.

Unknown said...

I too read quilting blogs...from all over the world, in different languages, with different styles. I go to "next blog" and away I go, if it's not quilting, clik...on to the next.
a great FTF.

Katie said...

I love quilting blogs too! I also love my friends and families blogs and blogs about general crafting and art oh and soup - although most of the time I don't read all of them I just read my favorites and/or posts that strike my fancy.

Marg said...

I love blogs. I find out so much information and I love reading what people are doing. I think I'm a little bit addicted as I feel lost if I can't see what's happening in the universe. I even take my iPad or laptop away with me now so that I can keep in touch.
Flickr is addictive too!

Mrs A said...

Its a great way to "meet" other like minded people, i am still a bit inconsistent with my posts, life is busy sometimes! Thanks for your kind comment, i will have a lot to say when i return!
Hugs,

Kate said...

Great FTF. I love following everyone's blogs. I have had to learn to shut off the computer so I can sew, otherwise it would be so easy to just hang out with everyone in blog land.

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