My heart on a string...the year in review

I began blogging a year ago because I wanted so badly to be a part of the global quilting community. My guild is amazing and my retreat buddies mean the world to me, but I had a sense that exciting things were going on amongst creative women the world over and I wanted IN! No longer content to be the last pick on the baseball team (my hand-eye coordination was, and still is, pathetic), I took a chance and jumped in with both feet.

This is one venture where I think I can speak for all my blogging friends: results do NOT vary. Everyone succeeds and finds their online community, their online voice, their virtual home of creativity, if you will. In addition to blogging, flickr is a wonderful place for community-building through sharing photos and swapping handmade items in groups.

Before long you feel inspired to share your work with appreciative recipients: all of those other amazingly creative people that you 'talk' to every day through comments on their flickr photos or on their blog posts. I have always loved giving handmade gifts and now the fun part is I am receiving them, too!! Admittedly, my large-sized quilt production has taken a nosedive in the last 12 months, but I'm having too much fun to worry about that. Plus, making smaller projects specifically for a person who has shared their likes and dislikes can be a wonderful challenge, like this quilt I made for DQS9.

Monthly swaps with changing themes have also stretched my skills, expanded my colour palette and inspired me to make this,

this,

and this.

I never thought I would make so many original projects, dreamed up right inside my very own head! I was stuck in a 'making it from a pattern' loop but this past 12 months has given me the freedom to create like never before and sometimes I feel full to bursting with ideas. So again, I say thanks to all of you for your encouragement and friendship! (don't forget to enter my blogiversary giveaway here if you haven't already).

Returning to the concept of receiving, and the string reference in this post title, I wanted to show you this happy doll quilt that Carol sent recently. Carol is so generous and supplies all of the angel quilts for the doll quilt swap on flickr....she knows I loved this string quilt, so we arranged a little private swap for one of my selvage coin quilts. Lucky me!!

Thank you Carol, this cheerful number will keep me happy in my sewing room!

So, what's up for the coming months? Despite trying to carve out more time for my own projects, swapping is just too much fun, so I've signed up for another one, arranged a couple more private ones with blog friends, and in January I'll begin my first ever online quilting bee organized by Tracey. I can't wait!

p.s. as an afterthought, I did think of one downside to all this online friendship.....unfortunately I have discovered WAY too many places to shop via keyboard and monitor. While my stash is thriving, I fear my savings account is on life support!!!