quilting

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop

April 15, 2018

Today is the kick off of the 2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop. I am delighted to tell you a little about me and invite you to get to know  the other bloggers as well.

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop - piecefulthoughts.com

I want to thank the four co-hosts this year, Beth (Cooking Up Quilts), Jen (Dizzy Quilter), Tish (Tish n’ Wonderland), and Sandra (mmm! Quilts), for generously giving of their time to coordinate and moderate our discussions and to help us learn how to improve our blogs. Links to their blogs are at the end of this post. Be sure to visit each of them today, they are delightful and fun to get to know! Each of their blogs are worth following. You also need to visit their sites to sign up for the giveaway. 

So let’s get to it! Let me show you our hive button, share a bit about the Hop, and show you some of my quilts.

So What Happens in the Hop?

Bloggers in the blog hop are grouped into hives. Each hive chooses a name and designs a button. Our hive is the Sunshine Quilters, and this is our button, designed by Cindy at Gray Barn Designs.

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop - Sunshine Quilters Hive Button - piecefulthoughts.com

Before I give you the blog hop schedule for today and the information on the giveaway, let me tell you a little about me and why I decided to join the Hop.

This is my second year with the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop. Designed for those who have been blogging for 3 years or less, it is an opportunity to come together with other new bloggers, be mentored by veteran bloggers, and be able to ask blog-related questions of each other. I joined because I often wondered how other bloggers did things on their blogs and wanted a place to ask them. By asking questions of each other, we learn new things about our blogging platforms, media libraries, how to make buttons or badges, and more.

My Quilting Style

I began my quilting journey when my kids (now 22 and 25) were toddlers. It was something I could do while keeping an eye on them as they played together. I have a good friend who quilted along with me during those years, and she now has a business as a long arm quilter. She works her magic on my larger quilts. When she began her long arm business, she would often call me and say she had a woman who wanted a quilt finished. The first of those was a Double Wedding Ring quilt. It was one of the first large quilts I made as a (then) new quilter. Clearly I like a challenge when I quilt. Another one was a Frank Lloyd Wright quilt and you can see that quilt here and read all about it.

Oh Look – a Squirrel (aka quilty distractions)!

My quilting style shifts and changes depending on my mood or the number of squirrels I allow in my quilt room.

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop - Squirrels aka quilty distractions in my quilt room - piecefulthoughts.com

I’m a curious quilter – I like to try new things. If something catches my attention, I want to make it. Immediately. That may give you a better understanding of the squirrels in my quilt room! My current curiosity has led me to experiment with improv as well as designing and making my own mini quilts.

Some of my improv favorites include this little mini that I made to remind my husband and I of our trip to Maine to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. Each of the blocks represents something we did on that trip – watching the sailboats in the bay by our cabin, a little hiking, eating lobster, and all the lobster buoys bobbing in the bay.

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop - my Maine quilt improv mini - piecefulthoughts.com

Recently I’ve been having fun drawing up quilt designs and making them into mini quilts. Here is my Droplets quilt.

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop - my Droplets quilt, a mini designed by me - piecefulthoughts.com

I do change it up now and then. This elephant quilt was made because I wanted to learn appliqué. I figured making 24 appliqué elephants would do the trick. It did; I’m no longer reluctant to do appliqué and this is one of my favorite quilts.

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop - the elephant quilt - piecefulthoughts.com

When I’m not quilting, I enjoy reading, particularly murder mysteries. To stay with that theme, my husband and I enjoy watching mystery shows. Mystery quilts? I’ve only done a few, but they do intrigue me a bit! If I’m not reading or watching a show, you’ll find me in the kitchen, playing with food.

Let’s Get Hoppin’

Well, enough about me. Let’s get back to the Blog Hop and the giveaway. Here is the list of the other bloggers posting today. Please visit their blogs and leave a comment. You will enjoy seeing their quilts, getting to know them, and reading about their quilting stories.

Each of the co-hosts are posting today as well, and in order to be eligible for the giveaway, you need to visit their blogs and follow the instructions for signing up for the giveaway. You’re in for a treat, because each of these creative ladies writes a delightful and informative blog. I’ve learned so much from each of them.

Try Something New

My quilting tip for you today? Try something new, enjoy the process, don’t worry if it isn’t perfect, and have fun.

What new technique or style of quilting do you want to try but are hesitant? I’d love to know!

I hope you visit my blog again. Next time I hope to give an update on another quilt design I’m making into a mini. Stop in and see my progress!

Wendy

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