You CAN teach an old dog...............

Although I started my blog back in 2009, things really took off this year - when I started it I don't think I really knew what I was doing - so what changed? Well I looked back at my posts and I reckon it all started when I found other blogs.
One of the first ones that made a big impression was Pink Penguin where I learned from the delightful Ayumi that making small stuff is FUN.

Another HUGE influence in blogland, especially here in the UK has been Lynne from Lily's Quilts - Lynne needs no introduction, you'll find her button on nearly every quilting blog. But because of her amazing energy and enthusiasm Brit Quilters were conceived and I learned about online friendship and swapping. I have met some great people scattered all around the world and consider myself privileged to count them as bloggy pals.
 I entered my first ever swap and made this -

 and received this beauty, from Alison, at Little Island Quilting.

 

In another swap, I received these beautiful items from Svetlana, at

S.O.T.A.K.Handmade - when I was looking at the mugrugs I was intrigued at the method Svetlana had used to stitch on the binding. I learned to apply  binding in the normal way but instead of handstitching it down on the back, you can machine stitch in the ditch on the right side, never come across this before.

Another thing I learned was from Kerry at verykerryberry 

Her advice was to use single fold binding on smaller items like mugrugs and what a difference this makes, so much less bulky.

Through my re-energised blogging, I discovered Flickr where you can while away many hours looking at quilts, joining groups, and chatting to like-minded folks.

I learned that red and aqua go together!

....and orange and aqua.........

Just recently, I learned from the afore-mentioned Alison, that you can actually free machine quilt with the feed dogs UP -- I tried it, and it worked. Who would have known?

I learned that hexagons were not in fact, the work of the devil and became rather obsessed by them.

A little behind my original schedule, I completed the final 5 hexies for my Hexalong project, yesterday!!

So even after quilting for a good few years, and teaching it to others, I also continue to learn from all you brilliant and generous bloggers. I try to pass on to my classes much of what I am learning.

I had fun this year running an online Mystery Quilt - still not too late to have a go altho' the mystery is no longer there - check out the page at the top of this blog.

Of course, blogland is a bit of escapism for us all - many of us post stuff that we all have in common and don't always include the realities of life that we come up against every day - sad times & happy times, we all have them.

My family said goodbye to a very dear friend in 2011 and in 2012 we look forward to welcoming our first grandchild. A bit of yin and a bit of yang.

I hope 2012 brings happiness and health to all of you.

Happy New Year.x