Why I blog (long)

I was recently asked to write an article for our state guild newsletter, with the theme “Quilters and Connections.” As bloggers, I believe my story is probably similar to yours. I post it here and wonder how the rest of you feel. Yes it’s kinda long. I was honored that it appeared on the front page. For those quilters who still wonder why we spend precious time "blogging," maybe this will explain. The last paragraph is the most important to me.
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As an enthusiastic quilter, I believe Quilt Guild meetings are absolutely the best day of each month. During Show and Tell, we proudly show our projects, speak for a few moments about the particulars of the quilted item, and then we sit down, and, and ... and that is the end! Hey, that isn’t long enough! Does anyone know the struggle we each experienced in the creation of our amazing project?

For years, I was a dedicated ‘fan’ of a certain web page/blog, featuring quilts, photos, blocks, machine quilting, tutorials, more quilts, more inspiration, more of everything quilty! How I loved each new creative post. The quilt photos inspired me, and her energy fed my own creativity. Could I create a similar page where my projects would remain visible for months?

My quilting friends complimented me on my projects, and I loved to give guidance, directions, or explain when they asked. Some days I would repeat the same information for several people. Would it be possible to explain it all in one place and have THEM come to ME? Would those friends experience similar enthusiasm as when I visited my favorite quilt blog? YES, I decided I would develop my own quilt blog. What’s the worst that could happen?

Off I drove to town, checkbook in hand, and returned with a new-to-me digital camera. My husband and I spent several evenings learning it’s intricacies. Next, I clicked into Blogger.com and began filling in the blanks, choosing options, and after several weeks of floundering about, choosing a template, asking seemingly stupid questions, studying the FAQs, I accidently clicked the correct button, and OMGosh, I had a BLOG! I felt so powerful! "I Am Woman!" But, would anyone visit?

I focus my posts primarily on quilt subjects, processes, tutorials, ideas, the latest concepts, designs, projects, and Nebraska life. Other subjects might include a vacation, historical visit, joyful experiences, or a quilt retreat. And yes, occasionally, I might gripe about an annoying or irritating subject. Almost always, photos are included.

Blogger.com offers every sort of option, bells and whistles, opportunities for page design, but the most amazing and totally unexpected aspect of blogging is that this method of communicating connected me to quilters all over our planet – from the U.S., Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, England, Kuala Lumpur, Russia, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Maori, and Japan. Who would have known? Never in all my dreams had I guessed that so many quilters would visit, comment, and read my humble posts, or write to me about their quilt projects as well as their personal lives. It has become my own journal, as open to the world as I choose. We have become "blogging friends" who support, commiserate, congratulate, and sympathize with each other. I have been uplifted following a message from a blogger who thanked me for something I said, or did, or explained, and I have wept, reading about another quilter struggling with health issues, or family disasters, yet continuing with her quilting, needing to feed her own creativity in order to stay strong. We ALL feed, connect, and inspire each other. Who knew?

It took courage to reach out to blogging quilters and perseverance to continue. These new connections give me satisfaction and pleasure and I, in return, give pleasure and assistance to others. I was cautioned that I might become physically drained by the time needed to connect with these quilters. On the contrary -- I am not drained, I am inspired, strengthened and nourished by my quilting and blogging friends.