Grow Your Blog

Thank you to Vicki from 2 Bags Full for this wonderful idea to meet new friends.  

Why blog?  I had never even heard of blogging until I started my online fabric store. My little brother was a computer nerd/techie and he suggested I start a blog to promote my business. That was in 2008 and I am still going strong.  He is not with me anymore but he would always say how proud he was of my business and blogging. He would tease "for a soccer Mom, you sure know a lot about computers!"

It was true. I started to blog about fabric., hence my blog name Jane's Fabrics but I love to use those fabrics so Jane's Fabrics and Quilts was born.

It was a slow start. I would blog hop, leave comments and find others with common interests. I am a little OCD about organization so I decided to host several swaps. They were very successful and I saw my blog grow. I would host giveaways and I saw my blog grow. I got involved in quilt alongs and saw my blog grow. I did blog hops and saw my blog grow.

I joined flickr groups and saw my blog grow. 

Many of the original bloggers I first connected with are still in my life. Many wonderful friendships have come from blogging. Some bloggers have come in and out of my life. But all have helped to make my blog what it is today. What started out as a business opportunity turned into a joy.

I have learned more about my craft in these years of blogging that all the 30+ years of quilting before.

I even print my blog yearly.  It is a chronicle on my life.  I share me.  I share graduations, College choices, Weddings, showers, new grand-babies and of course my quilting.

The business side is still there but now my blog has become my diary of sorts. Things I would tell my next door neighbor while we talked by our backyard fence  

(google image)

And that is what I do, I get up, pour a cup of jo' and check out my blogs!

About me, Let's see, my name is Jane. I have been married for 36 years. I have three daughters. My oldest, married, high school teacher, husband principal at the same school. They have my two grand-babies and a third due in June.

My middle, married, finishing her PHD this year and on her way to being a Professor.

Our third, senior in High School and on her way to Grinnell College in the fall.

I learned to sew from my Mother. I could make blouses with covered buttons, lined jackets and "hot pants" but once my first baby was due I tried my hand at making a baby quilt. That was 30+ years ago.  Love bloomed and has never left.  I probably could not make a blouse even if I wanted to!

I love to hand piece. The machine and I get bored.  Last year I hand pieced and had quilted my favorite quilt of all time...

My Katie...King Size

I also hand pieced and hand quilted this Christmas Quilt.  I did quilt her in circles but I afraid you cannot tell with the print. 

I afraid I only hand quilt (no idea how to machine quilt) and I did this Zig Zag one with Presencia Thread.  My youngest daughter grabbed that one right up!

I just finished My Quilty Barn all hand Pieced and getting ready to be quilted.

I also joined "The friendship Swap" posted on my side-bar where I have met some of the kindest ladies. This is the block we are working on with a color scheme my partner and I choose.  Each month we make the same block in different colors from our color choices.

This is what I am working on at the moment. Again, hand piecing.

I also love to embroider and just finished a "For The Love of Hand Embroidery Series." Every Monday I would have a guest blogger share their love of embroidery. It was amazing, the talent these ladies shared. Take a peek at some of those posts, listed on my side-bar, you will be glad you did!

I may not get as much done as I would like but I enjoy every minute of what I do.

My point is whether you have 12 or 1000 followers if you enjoy what you do and share "you" that is what really counts.

I thank you for reading my story and I hope you come back and look around and visit! I have so much I would like to share!

Speaking of sharing! How about some Fabric, hexies, and thread! I will send one winner a surprise pack!  You do not need to follow, just leave me a comment. International bloggers welcome. Sorry no-reply comments will be deleted. I know some of you like being a no-reply if that is you, just leave an email.

Thank you and enjoy all the new blogs today!

Click HERE to see the list of 500+ blogs that are participating!!