Saturday 19 January 2013

"Grow Your Blog"

Hello

Today I am linking up with a very exciting concept - thanks Vicki (2 Bags Full) for initiating this.

My name is Lynne. I started my blog in January 2007 because my friend had one and it sounded like fun! Unfortunately my friend has been lured away from Blogland by little tweets but I'm still here - six years later.

When I started my blog, it was called "Too Hot to Knit? Never!" I was, and still am, an avid knitter. I knit almost every day, regardless of the weather. My mum, who taught me to knit, considers knitting to be a private, winter-only activity but I must be a bit rebellious -- I knit in public and I knit all year round (even if it is 46.5°C -- 115°F -- outside like it was on Friday 18th January.)
Myrtle Leaf Stole -- knitted for DD's wedding, January 2009


In March 2010, I went to a craft show with my DD and my then three-week-old Older Grandson. One of the sewing machine companies invited people to "make a block for Haiti" -- DD and I both did and we were hooked.

I used to sew my own clothes back in the seventies and eighties and have owned a sewing machine since I was seventeen. It was nice to use one one of these quiet, fast machines. DD has had a machine since she was nineteen but has hardly touched it.


We came home from that craft show so excited and a week later were at the chain store buying fabric for our first quilt -- a floor mat for Older Grandson to protect the carpet from his inevitable spills. We didn't know how much fabric to buy - so we bought one metre of seven colours: that's right -- seven metres of fabric for a one square metre of quilt! We had very little idea of what we were doing but we were enthusiastic -- and cut 2.5" strips with scissors! The top was finished that first weekend but we had no idea what to do next!


Fast forward a year, and another caft show, and we met a lovely quilting teacher called Elizabeth. She invited us to join her "sit and sew" classes -- they were right over the other side of the city, an hour and half's drive away, but did that deter us? Oh no! In the first class, which fortunately went from 10am to 4pm (consdering the time taken to get there and home again), we basted and began quilting that first top! In the next couple of weeks I had the quilting (in the ditch -- very slowly) finished and the binding on -- our first quilt was done!

During that first class we also worked on a layout of blocks we had made following instructions on Elizabeth Hartman's Oh Fransson website. The quilt was called "Modern Sampler", the link will take you to the updated pattern. This quilt was made from the same seven fabrics (with the addition of five more for added interest; you'll notice we left the two yellows out of the final quilt).

We even had enough fabric to piece the backing! I am still using scraps of that fabric in my scrappy quilts.

And so it came to pass, that my blog became "Never Too Hot to Stitch". I also dabble in embroidery, hand-stitching (paper piecing), counted cross-stitch and crochet. As my blog description says, I am an "Australian knitter who is learning to make quilts". I've also been known to talk about my family, in particular WM (Wonderful Man -- my husband to whom I have been married for 35 years), our only child (DD) and our two grandsons. 
happy to be a farm boy
Older Grandson will be three next month

2012 YG
Younger Grandson is now eighteen months

If you're new here, welcome -- feel free to look around. 
And if you're already a regular visitor -- welcome back. I'm really honoured that you would visit my blog.
To all of my followers, thank you. I really appreciate each and every one of you.

Pull up a chair, let's take some time to stitch and chat!

22 comments:

  1. What a great story about learning to quilt! And I love the shawl. Perhaps you could tell me where to find the pattern... my daughter is getting married next September...

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  2. What a lovely and concise summary of your blogging adventures! So nice to get to know you and to have you as a friend!

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  3. The weather is bonkers at the moment, hope today is much cooler there, my mum lives in Sydney, poor chook nearly fried !

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  4. I always wondered what WM stood for. Glad you stuck with the blogging.

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  5. I learned to quilt many years ago, but I have not had the time to create as much as I would like. I hope to get back into it. I do knit, crochet, garden, write, photograph...so all of that keeps me busy. You have a lovely blog...so nice to meet you through the Grow Your Blog party.

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  6. I loved reading about how you learnt to quilt and the shawl is beautiful. I tend to knit more in the winter but i do knit in public. I have been known to get my knitting out during boring meetings at work - people tend to get the message that they need to move the process along.

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  7. Good luck with "Growing Your Blog" Love to know the results over time

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  8. I love your story and how you have morphed over the years. And OMG those two divine little faces at the end. If that's no incentive enough for knitting and sewing, I don't know what is.

    XX

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  9. Hello again - thanks for commenting on Comptonia earlier - your introduction to sock-knitting made me chuckle. Sister!!! :)
    You intro to quilting is pretty amazing: one hands-on experience and you were off and running!

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  10. Very interested to read your blog. I am mainly a knitter, but do a little sewing and crochet as well.

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  11. I know what you mean about too hot to knit! Florida can get that way too! And kudos for learning to quilt as well. I have never ventured there.
    Hope to visit you again soon!

    Hugs,
    Terri

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  12. well, that was fun reading about how you started blogging. 115* now that is to hot to do anything but sit in some air conditioning!

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  13. Love your quilting Lynne. I have quilting on my list of things to learn now that I am retired. I am working on oil painting right now so it may be next,

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  14. Hi Lynne,

    I'm so glad you left me a comment so I could come and meet you. You have a lovely story and I am now following you. I am excited to gain inspiration from your knitting as I just started learning a few weeks ago. I'm a quilter first! Thank you for sharing your talents with all of us!

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  15. Hi Lynne,

    Your knitting and quilting are gorgeous! It is so nice to meet you. I'm still making my way through visiting everyone from Vicki's Grow Your Blog party. I hope you will stop by to say hello.

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  16. Aren't grandchildren great? I have only one granddaughter and she is just the greatest little thing ever!

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  17. I just love that shawl. I am also a novice quilter but enjoy seeing the fabric come together in different shapes and colors.

    Angela
    stitchinginthezoo.blogspot.com

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  18. I work at the local hospital and the ladies who come for appointments have always got their knitting out in the waiting rooms. I love that they are happy sitting and waiting, quite content with their project. You can knit anywhere, I use to knit at school back in 1983 (I was 13) it was nothing fab that I made but at least I was able to knit unlike others at the same age.

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  19. Sorry forgot to say that I ahve dropped by from GYB Party, sorry I am late been working a little bit this week and first spare moment I ahve had for a while.

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  20. I enjoyed giggling about your rebellious knitting -- and seeing those cute grandchildren of yours! Nice to meet you!

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  21. Hello Lynne

    How lovely to meet you via our dear friend Vicki's Grow Your Blog Party!
    Isn't she just the kindest person in blogland.

    Happy Australia Day tomorrow!!
    Love Australians – of course you are so very close to the hearts of all New Zealanders especially our ANZACS. As nations we have so much in common – a cousin kind of feeling!

    That's a lovely post and I do feel as though we've been sitting on your verandah enjoying a cuppa and a chat!


    I love all things creative too and this year I'm venturing into the world of quilting too!

    I’m your newest follower.

    I do hope you'll pop over the ditch and see me too and enter my GYB Giveaway!
    Enjoy the party.

    Hugs
    Shane ♥
    http://roseslaceandbrocante.blogspot.co.nz/


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Hi. Thanks for dropping in. I look forward to reading your comment.
I like to answer comments; if you are "no-reply blogger" I will try my best to get back to you on your blog! I'm not on FaceBook so I can't contact you there!