Friday, July 26, 2013

Happy to Meet You

Well here I am, RobinSue, formally introducing myself to you courtesy of Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop.  It's been a very exciting summer for me learning about the blog world and immersing myself in it.  This couldn't have come at a better time for me.  For ten months a year I am a 1st grade teacher, which coincidentally ended the same week the blog hop started.  I no longer had the excuse of "I don't have the time." Even better is that my post is at the end of the hop after I have had the summer to read and learn from all of you.

My Start:
I started out with a simple plan.  Do something uncomfortable.  This technology world makes me a bit uncomfortable - using, viewing and putting myself in it.  I started reading blogs about 6 months ago in a generalized search for quilts.  I was just curious what others were doing.  Curiosity got the best of me and before I knew it I had a google account to make comments, a bloglovin' account to follow, and a crazy idea that I should join this community.  I must say, I am happy that I followed that crazy idea.  The most difficult part was thinking of a name, and after reading so many blogs, I was stumped for a clever one.  So, I just went with my name and then realized that ' quilts" is both a noun and a verb and the name RobinSueQuilts was formed.  



Top Left:  Ocean Wave & FMQ practice quilt.
Top Center:  Pretty in Pink
Top Right: Carter's Choice
Bottom Left: Daughter's College Quilt - Full Size
Center:  The quilt on my daughter's bed now - Queen Size
Bottom Right: Charity Quilt - Queen Size 


Benefits:
What I had hoped to get from joining this community I have.  I have connected with other quilters - I don't personally know anyone else who quilts.  I'm not a joiner (another uncomfortable activity for me) so I haven't yet joined a guild, taken a class (not even online), gone to any retreats or been part of a bee.  This community has helped me find my local guilds (not joined yet but seriously considering), register for an online class (although I haven't yet viewed it), sign up for 1 bee and learned some computer skills including how to make a photo montage.

I have started documenting my work with photos. I try to post the best of the bunch as I take many, never sure of the lighting, the quality, or if the photo actually shows what I see.  I've become more consistent at taking photos while I work to document the process as well.  Now if I could only learn to pay attention to fabric lines!  




Likes and Dislikes:
When it comes to quilting, my favorite part is the designing; putting fabrics together, deciding on an idea, and even cutting.  Of course, I like the sewing - it's so soothing and a big stress reliever for me.  The part I dislike - pressing seams!  After pressing seams on 1300 HSTs, I thought there has to be a better way.  Alas, unless I can train my loyal companions to hold an iron, I will have to continue to this tedious job.  
Cola and Mini keeping me company
Current  and Future Events:
I have so many ideas in my head and on the never-ending list that I am always doing something.  I am currently piecing two quilts, working out the designs for at least three, cutting scraps into two sizes for future scrap quilts and prepping two tops for sandwiching and quilting.  Also on the list are aprons, mug rugs for back to school gifts, paper piecing, write a tutorial, and finally, use some of the quilting books I own.  



Thank you for spending the time getting to know me.  

Check out the rest of this week's line-up from the Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop!


RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts  Hope you enjoyed!
Elisa Lea @ Lovelea Designs
Elizabeth @ In The Boon Docks
Emily @ Sew E.T.
Em @ Sewing by Moonlight

36 comments:

  1. Hi RobinSue! It's great to "meet" you! I love your photo mosaics you have posted :-)

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  2. I really enjoyed reading your post RobinSue! It's funny that you and I have very similar journeys into the world of quilt blogging. Your quilts are lovely. My favorites are Pretty in Pink, and REALLY love Carter's Choice!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  3. Nice to meet you! Your work is fabulous :) Love the picture of your dogs, too- adorable :) I'm glad you decided to join this crazy, community, too!

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  4. Hello! Great to meet you. I am a grade 1 (and K) teacher too. I love your pretty in pink HST quilt. I am a big fan of the HST - despit trimming and pressing - I sill love them. I do think those loyal companions of yours could lend a hand once in awhile hee hee!!!

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  5. So great to meet you. My son starts first grade this year, I admire teachers and what they do. I am going to miss the blog hop, so sad it is the final week.... I suppose all good things have to come to an end.

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  6. Cola and Mini remind me of our dogs. Welcome to the quilting/bloggy world - we are so happy to have you!

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  7. Hi RobinSue! Love your quilts. Did you say the Ocean waves was for practice!!! That's a lot of HST's maybe the ones you didn't love pressing. You look like you are doing fabulous from here:)

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  8. It has been a great summer hopping around to everyone's blogs and I am sew glad you have been a part of the hop, RobinSue! I especially like your Pretty in Pink HST quilt. It's sweet! As a matter of fact, most of your quilts seem to have HST's! Ha, ha! You better get those two loafers trained quick! Love how your patriotic quilt is coming along. And thanks for sharing a little more about you. Happy to have made a friend with you through the hop, RobinSue!

    Lorna:)
    http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com

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  9. What a delicious stack of books! There should be tons of inspiration waiting for you in those. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

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  10. Thank you for your post, it's nice to put a face to a blog too! I like that there are other teachers out here in quilt blog land. I'm also such a newbie. I really only began my blog so it was easy to comment on other people's lovely work, but it's been fun to learn a few new technical skills. I'm also teaching myself to quilt, from books and YouTube mostly!

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  11. Love the quilts you have made! They are gorgeous! Your readin pile looks like great fun too!

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  12. Love "Pretty In Pink" !! Those HST's would look good in any color don't you think? And the dogs are cute--German Shorthairs? We have one too. And yes, she's a nut bag! Turning 3 so she's finally slowing down :)
    It was nice to get to know you!

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  13. I agree that designing and fabric selection are the best parts of the process. But get yourself out there and join an online bee to start with. That's what I did and it introduced me to some great people and taught me lots of new skills!

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  14. Hi Robin Sue! Your start in blogging sounds very much like mine...fun to observe but much more fun to participate in the quilting chatter! Like joining this blog hop! Nice to meet you!

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  15. Happy to meet you on this hop. Looks like you will be cranking out lots of kwilting fun!

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  16. Love the Pretty in Pink quilt!

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  17. Nice to meet you! You have an amazing pile of books, can't wait to see what you do with them :). And super impressed by your orange peels!

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  18. Great to meet you through the Hop - and now the Bee too!! That looks like a great pile of quilt and block inspiration - can't wait to see your projects from here on!

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  19. I just love your "Pretty in Pink" quilt. It turned out beautiful!

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  20. Nice to meet you! I love your Pretty in Pink quilt. So cute!! And I don't blame you - ironing that many HST's would be killer! Your doggies are so cute!

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  21. So nice to meet you through this hop. The car quilt is just darling.

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  22. Great to meet you:) I love your sewing tip for how to keep a ruler steady, I will definitely be trying it out. Thanks for sharing!!

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  23. It was great getting to know you better RobinSue! I love your dog pic :)
    your projects are great!

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  24. Wow, you have done so well being largely a self-taught quilter! Good on you, and keep going!

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  25. It's so nice to meet you, Robin! I'm glad you put yourself out there and joined the online community (and I guarantee you'll enjoy being part of a guild/bee/retreat if you decide to--sharing with other quilters is soooo satisfying and encouraging). You have an ambitious list of projects on the horizon--best of luck with them and have fun!!

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  26. Nice to meet you Robin Sue! Let you know if you have any luck training your loyal companions to use an iron ;-) Hope you manage to keep some quilting time once school starts back up again!

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  27. Robin Sue, I'm so glad you joined in on the bee fun with us! and I bet you we will have you itching to join your local guilds within the next few months. I spend a lot of time online chit-chatting, but really, the people I met at my local guild are the best, and offer a kind of support that online people can't. Plus when you see people's quilts in real life they often let you touch them. :)

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  28. Great blog hop post! I love Pretty in Pink, such a great pattern. Good for you for hopping right out of your comfort zone!

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  29. So great to read about you. Let us see your thousands of quilt ideas ;-)

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  30. Hello RobinSue and welcome to the blogging world! We had a GSP too, but we had to return him to the breeder. He was such a smart, sweet guy, but we were not able to give the care and attention he needed. He now lives happily with his half brother on a 30 acre farm!! You can see our little guy here. I sure do miss him! http://owensolivia.blogspot.com/2012/06/reveal-of-owens-room-yay.html
    It's so hard to not have a thousand things to work on when we are creative, right?! Thanks for sharing!

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  31. Great Post! Sorry I am late to comment. Your black and red blocks are beautiful and I adore that quilt with the rectangles surrounded in bright green! Also I can't ignore your adorable dogs, they look like fun!

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  32. Love your pink half square triangle quilt! So beautiful. Thanks for sharing, and nice to meet you on the hop!

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  33. Loved learning more about you! I'm with you on pressing seams... ah! If only there were a better way that involved less ironing and more sewing ;) Minions, perhaps? :)

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  34. Hi! Sorry it's taken me so long to stop by, I haven't been at my computer for what seems like weeks!! Very pretty quilts and I really like the red, white and blue one...totally agree with you on the pressing of seams...yuck!!

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  35. So great to meet you RobinSue! And above anything else I want to say Great Job! on pushing past your comfort zone. Such a hard thing to do but oh so rewarding :)

    Your gumdrops quilt is my favorite of all :) Looking forward to getting to know you more during our Bee!!

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Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comments make me smile!