The Year I Became a Quilter

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.

I think 2017 was the year I became a quilter. I’ve been quilting since 2008ish, but in the last twelve months, I’ve learned a lot. Maybe the biggest blessing of maintaining this blog is the accountability to keep learning and growing and finishing projects. (If I don’t ever try anything, I can’t ever write tutorials.)

I finished a lot of quilts this year. Some of them didn’t go so well. By the end of the year, though, some were going well. I bought a quarter of an inch presser foot. (a HUGE help for making accurate seam allowances.) I grew a fabric stash. (I don’t want it any bigger, but this was also a growing process.) I tried my first bit of hand quilting. (Branching out is always enlightening.) And much more!

I’ll write more about these in the coming months.

This was all a result, though, of failing miserably at a quilt in the fall of 2016. I love patchwork. I love fabric. Fabric designers are amazing people with incredible talent, and I love supporting them and their beautiful work. My quilts never worked, though. Something always went wrong…like majorly wrong.

The turning point was learning to perfect my half square triangle. I had to go back to the basics and find out what I was missing. I have a long ways to go, but I’m a bit further than I was in 2016.

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.

I think I’m ready to move forward with some goals for my little business here. I hesitate to use the word goal because this blog and my Etsy Shop are quite far down on the list of priorities, but I think goals still encompass my intentions best. Even though my life in the online world isn’t big, I can still use it to continue to grow and learn, right?

I went back and looked at last January to see if I had written a post about what I was hoping to accomplish for my little business and blog.

I hadn’t written anything of the sort.

I was, though, reminded that I was very pregnant at the time with our third little boy. He was born in February. My mind was likely not focused on growing a blog or business. I probably looked at the year ahead and wondered if I’d be able to make any time to sew at all.

Truth is, I had plenty of time to sew and found much enjoyment in the process.

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.

The last couple evenings, my husband and I have talked here and there about goals for our family and anything we want to change in 2018. In the process, I’ve been mulling over a few for my blog and business.

I can’t hold myself to many high expectations, but I still enjoy being purposeful and intentional with moving forward.

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.

In completely random order, here are a few of my thoughts:

1. I want to keep Instagram a priority.

I enjoy Instagram. I have ‘met’ so many online friends, and I truly enjoy them and seeing their lives. Instagram has been a great way to discover other quilters. I’ve learned so much from them and enjoy the freedom to ask for their help and advice.

2. I want to quit using Facebook.

I’ve kind of lost the thrill of Facebook. Am I the only one? I’ve never been able to grow a following on Facebook, and I can find myself mindlessly scrolling forgetting why I opened it up in the first place.

3. I want to continue utilizing Pinterest.

I continue to find a plethora of inspiration on Pinterest. It’s so easy to use too! Plus, the majority of my blog hits come through Pinterest.

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.

4. I want to make one product each month for my Etsy Shop.

I think this is realistic. My original goal in 2016 was one sale a week, but I can’t devote that much time to products. Twelve products this year! I want to keep my shop open and active, and I think this small goal is realistic.

5. I want to try branching out a bit of being just a niche blog.

My blog is definitely a niche blog. I focus almost exclusively on sewing and quilting. I’d enjoy branching out a bit, but I’m not sure how to do that.

6. I want to write a monthly newsletter.

Crystal at Your Blogging Mentor changed my mentality one time when she mentioned writing a newsletter like you’re writing to a good friend. I all the sudden had things to write about again.

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.
7. I want to work on finishing many of my quilts in process:

Dresden Plate Quilt
Economy Block Quilt
Nine Patch + Denim Quilt
Checkered Garden Quilt
Cotton + Steel Quilt
Bow Tie Baby Quilt
Charlie Harper Bird Economy Block Pillow (Fruit label, AMH fabric, black and white)

8. I might try sewing a leather pillow cover.

I love leather. I love the way it wears and looks great all scratched up and worn. I think it would look nice sitting on my little denim chesterfield couch. Once I learned that I can sew leather without an industrial sewing machine, I grew very tempted to give it a try.

9. I want to try to post here once a week.

I like maintaining this blog. I like connecting with readers. I enjoy the small doses of income that come from affiliate links and Etsy sales. One post a week is usually realistic.

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.

I find it quite a privilege to have a place here that allows me so much community with fellow quilters! I get to snap a few pictures as I grow and learn a handicraft. I talk with you and respond back and forth as we try solving problems together.

Is there anything you have in mind that you’d like to see here in 2018?

Sewing Blog. Quilting blog. Quilt inspiration. Small blogging goals.

2 thoughts on “The Year I Became a Quilter

  1. I am a grandma and my goal is to learn a new skill. I decide to start quilting. Read a lot about the subject.

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