Reflecting on Year 2 (And lots of PRIZES to give-away too)
Break out the wine glasses, grab a slice of chocolate cake, and help the Quilting Gallery celebrate it’s second birthday/blogiversary!!! Two fabulous sponsors are helping me celebrate with 11 prizes up for grabs.
It has been an amazing and exciting year for the Quilting Gallery. Starting with the Charms for Charity contest last winter which raised 1,500 charms and ending with the release of the Quilter’s Cookbook yesterday with 119 fabulous recipes submitted by quilters from around the world.
February saw Guest Blogger Month featuring 58 quilters. In April, the Spring Blooms Mini Quilt Swap was the first of five swaps organized this year with almost 1,000 swap packages being exchanged worldwide. Also in April was the release of the then newly designed web site.
In May, I travelled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for my first International Quilt Market and the official launch of the Quilt Shop Locator. In June was the start of the Friday Give-Aways featuring a new prize each week. June, August and November we’ve had fabulous quilt contests with amazing prizes up for grabs. There’s still time to vote for your favourite quilts in the Holiday Traditions Quilt Contest.
More than 1,700 new blogs have been added to the Quilting Bloggers directory this year. It’s currently at 3,583 bloggers from 67 countries. There have been numerous free quilting projects, tutorials and videos featured too.
On a more personal note, I’ve connected with amazing quilting friends from all over the world and many in person too. My quilting abilities have expanded more in the past year than in the previous 10. I can’t believe I’m actually free-motioning, and loving it! I’ve had published my first article, and am already thinking of a couple more I’d like to research and write.
What an amazing journey! And, I owe you, yes you reading this post, a huge thank you for being a part of this magical ride.
What’s next? Pat Sloan will be helping me kick off a new weekly contest starting right after New Years and there will be a new weekly quilt block challenge starting around the same time too. I am so excited about these two events … they are going to be SO (sew?) MUCH FUN!
I’ll be taking time over the next several weeks to plan, schedule and decide. This is where you can help. I want to hear what you’d like to see, or do on the Quilting Gallery site. What’s missing in the quilting community? How can this site help you connect with quilting friends, improve your quilting experience, share ideas, etc. I’m open to all ideas and suggestions. If you would rather send me comments privately, please go ahead, but be sure to leave a comment below too, saying that’s what you did, so that I can keep track of all the entries for the give-aways in one place.
Helping me celebrate this special birthday/anniversary give-away is Kona Bay Fabrics and RG Quilt Designs. Up for grabs are 2 sets of 5-yard cuts of gorgeous Kona Bay Asian fabrics and 9 super cute charm pack tins… aren’t they adorable?
I’ll be randomly choosing 11 winners from the comments that answer the questions above. I’m really looking forward to your suggestions, so thank you in advance. You have until December 18th to enter the contest, but you can send me suggestions at any time.
Raising a class of wine (ok, it would really be a bottle of beer, but wine sounds so much more sophisticated) to all of my quilting friends from around the world. Let’s bring on Year 3!!
Reminders:
- The Quilters Cookbook is now available; send the link to your Santa!
- Last week’s Friday give-away has been extended until Saturday. Enter on the blog post for that day for your chance to win one of two sets of Terri Thayer’s quilting mysteries.
- Cast your vote in the Holiday Traditions Quilt Contest.
UPDATE: This contest is now closed; however, comments have been left open for those that wish to have their say. Congrats to the winners:
- #114 Cynthia Lynn (you must share with Betsy!)
- #38 Michele Bilyeu
- #22 Deborah
- #106 Barbara G.
- #56 Janet
- #49 Sara
- #60 Linda Oberholzer
- #80 Jane
- #103 SewLindaAnn
- #98 Kristi Van Os
- #89 Vanessa
Great job Michelle! I really appreciate that your site, I’ve met some wonderful quilting friends around the world and I would never have met them if it wasn’t for this site. I would also like to see free patterns, tutorials and a forum if possible.
.-= Deborah’s latest post: Christmas Memories Wall Hanging =-.
Congratulations! I would like to see some quilting tips and new tutorials. Thanks for the site.
There is so much information to digest on your site, places to go and visit and people to meet it’s just amazing. In the New Year I would love a BOM that pertains to history. I don’t recall seeing anything like that before. Also, I would love it to be smaller than 12″, maybe a 6, 8 or 9″ block to be challenged with a smaller size. We could learn about the history of the block and maybe the women(men) who used it. Or maybe we could work from one historical book and you could choose squares to be made from it while we learn about someone in particular.
For meeting new people online I’d love a few swaps a year with different themes and styles. Like one being a particular square size of fabric, another being a applique or embroidery block, and another in colors of the swap partners choice. We could connect with an individual and have some fun with it.
Thanks for an amazing Blog and you obviously have done a lot of work to make this all so comprehensive. Congratulations on your blogiversary and many more!!
Congratulation on two years!! I would like to see highlights of quilt happenings in different parts of the country.
Hi! I’m new to this site so will have to have a look around. Not sure if I can make any useful suggestions right now. I do know that there is just so much info out there – and so many wonderful blogs. I find it hard to keep up with what everyone is doing and I am finding that time limitations preclude commenting on every post I take a quick look at… anything that helps to ‘organise’ blogging is very useful…
Will now go and look around the site while I have a moment before work…
Cheers!
I love seeing what international quilters like to make and maybe see some patterns and blocks representing those countries. I am interested in their history as well, it makes it more personal to them and for me.
I also am a advocate for scrapping for charity. I like seeing organization in those patterns because I feel its important for them to have something beautiful as well as for warnmth. Its a avenue for me to practice making new blocks as well.
Thanks for the contest. This site has been a good resource for me.
Congratulations on year 3!!
I love to see tutorials. Whether it is a new pattern/design or an easier or more efficient way of doing an old technique.
.-= robin(rsislandcrafts)’s latest post: B I N G O =-.
Congrats and to many, many more. thank you for all your hard work. I like swaps, no I love them, and you can never have to many. It is hard work to hold a swap, maybe you could ask people to help, say one ever few months. Also love the giveaways!
Congratulations! I look forward to year three!
As for what I’d like to see in the future… Personally, I’m totally addicted to online quilt-a-longs. I have so much fun making a quilt, and seeing how everyone else’s version of the same quilt turns out.
I’d also love to see forums, to make it easier for members of this community to share ideas and advice.
.-= Jeanne ’s latest post: Summertime Quilt Swap =-.
Mysteries, tutorials, hints and tips are all feature I love to see. Also, how about testing new products and listing pros and cons along with cost. Looking forward with anything to do with Pat Sloan!
Di
I don’t know what to do to improve. I love all the contests and swaps. I have learned a lot from this site. Keep up the swaps and anything else. Thank you!
.-= Lynn Reyes’s latest post: Giveaway From FMF =-.
I just found your web site in time to enter your Holiday Traditions Quilt Contest with my Christmas Fireplace quilt. Have not been around long enough to make any suggestions but will be around long enough to make one for your next anniversary.
Congratulations! Here’s to many more! As one of the new bloggers for this year, I’ve really enjoyed connecting with other bloggers both here in the UK and all over the world. What a small world the quilting world is! I’ve enjoyed taking part in my first swap, and would love to see these continue, and am intrigued with the new weekly block. Guest bloggers would be good, or your pick of some favourite or interesting blogs to go check out that we may not have come across. And I love a good sew along too! Happy Anniversary!
.-= Trudi’s latest post: Free Gift! =-.
Michele, congratulations on a fabulous two years! I’m a relative newcomer – but you’ve helped me expand my quilting skills and my self-confidence as I’ve sent my work around the world.
I’ve really enjoyed the swaps and the introduction of new techniques. I learn so much from the tutorials and the comments and photos from my fellow quilters.
Perhaps an “Ask the Master Quilter” Corner – A place where we can post a question or ask for input on a quilting issue.
Thanks so much for all your hard work!
I have really enjoyed finding your site.
It is great to be able to find bloggers from a specific area. I am just getting to know your site but I love articles about any forms of quilting. How to, Tips, about other quiltiers.
Your site is very enjoyable
There is so much goodness here already – how to improve on that is a challenge. I do like the forum idea – being able to have it all in one place without having to go offsite into Yahoo or Facebook would be nice.
.-= Regina’s latest post: Post-Christmas project =-.
I too love this site and would like to see a discussion forumn.
.-= Tonya May’s latest post: I love these blocks.. =-.
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Congrats! Keep up the good work!