Wednesday, July 08, 2015

WIP Wednesday - Happy Blogiversary to me (and a Giveaway!)

Three years ago today, I started a little WIP. Guess what? You're reading it! I've come a long way from that first post. I've learned about custom headers, sidebars, HTML code, link-ups... I do love learning! I've loved (and continue to love) sharing my projects through photos and writing.

I never dreamed how much joy this little blog would bring me. I can't imagine working on a project and not blogging about it. I write posts in my head as I sew. Who would have thought that would happen? Here's what I'm blogging about in my head this week... don't worry. I'll share more in a future post!


I've made connections with some truly kind and generous people all over the globe. Some weeks, I talk more to them than I do to my "real" friends. Here are just a few...maybe you'll pop over and say hello! Tell them a thankful bloggy friend sent you!

Carla @ Granny Maud's Girl
Kitty @ Night Quilter
Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Lynn @ Buttons Quilts
Yvonne @ Quilting JetGirl 


And then there's the kind words. Oh, so many kind words! When I'm having a rough day (and those do happen), there's often a wonderful comment waiting in my e-mail to cheer me up. The supportiveness of the blogosphere can be astounding!

In celebration and in appreciation, I'm offering up a little giveaway.
A zipper pouch and goodies... there might even be a few more in there by the time it heads off to it's new home. It's made from the trimmed of bits of my Technicolor Galaxy Piano Keys blocks. I couldn't bear to throw them away!
To win, leave me a comment telling me what your first quilt project was. Here's mine... a queen-sized Double Irish Chain. It's quilted every two inches horizontally and vertically. Yikes! Please remember that if you are a no-reply blogger, I have no way of contacting you (unless you leave an e-mail in your comment). If you don't get a reply to from me, you're likely a no-reply blogger. Check out the link near the comment form for how to remedy that situation (if you wish!)
 
Followers of my blog get a second crack at the goodies - just leave a comment telling me how you follow A Quarter Inch from the Edge. The giveaway is open until Sunday, July 12th at 11:59pm (Atlantic Time). The winner will be chosen by Mr. Random Number Generator. He's so helpful.

I know it's a stretch, but I'm linking up today with Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts!

Thanks for being a part of my little WIP!

J

56 comments:

  1. I just found your blog through "Lets' Bee Social" and had a good look around. Your custom header looks great! My blog is similar in age, and I also keep learning more about blogging (and making) all the time. Isn't it a great way to link up with people around the world?! My first quilt was a small sampler, a lot older than my blog though...

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  2. I started following you through Bloglovin, too.

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  3. Congratulations Jenn on your Blogiversary! I follow you on bloglovin'

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  4. My first quilt was a red and white lap quilt - the red were maple leaf blocks, and it was for Canada Day (2011).

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  5. Happy blogiversary!
    My first quilt was a double bed EPP hexagon one. I started at about 15 and finished it (sort of) in my thirties, by which time I hated it, but don't count me as an entry as I already have cool bee blocks coming my way. Hurrah!
    You know I follow you. Heck, I almost qualify as a stalker!

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  6. My first quilt was a queen sized quilt in jewel tones with flying and swimming ducks appliqued all over it. I gave it to my boyfriend at the time and told him if we broke up that I was getting the quilt back! We're married now and it's the main quilt on our bed.

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  7. I am so glad to count you as a quilting friend, too, Jenn! The online community is pretty awesome and sometimes is the reason I keep going on a project. :) My first quilt was a "Quilt in a Day" by Eleanor Burns that took me much longer than a day to piece together. It was a card trick quilt block with sashing, was twin size, and I made it to take to college my freshman year. My paternal grandmother hand quilted it for me (and was the last quilt she quilted before she passed away), so while I did use it in college, it is now tucked away for special use only. You were so adventurous to jump right in with a queen sized quilt (I waited until my 4th to make one that big! ha!). :)

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  8. Congratulations!!!! My first quilt was a flannel rail fence tied quilt for my nephew. Oh how times have changed.

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  9. I follow on Bloglovin...and in person!!

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  10. Happy, happy, happy Blogiversary, Jenn! A queen size quilt for your first project? We sure are crazy when we don't know what we're getting ourselves into... My first quilt was a queen sized Krazy Katz quilt for my daughter, with piecing and applique.

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  11. I am so glad we have 'met' online and am a happy follower of your blog through email. One of these days I will make it out to see you in person!

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  12. I TOTALLY agree. Blogging is such fun! My first quilt was a rail fence. By templates!!! eek! And I bought enough fabric for 2 twin beds, a couple of baby quilts, a queen for my sister, pillows, oh, lots of things. In blue, not my favourite colour. I finally pitched the left overs. Ah, and now the colour choices and a rotary cutter!!!

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  13. and, I follow in my blog reader!

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  14. My first quilt project was a little flannelette baby quilt for my nephew from a kit I bought. Wow did I learn a lot! Congrats on your blog-a-versery. And for the shout out! Blogging friends are awesome!

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  15. And of course I follow you. On my Blogger dashboard!

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  16. Happy anniversary! My first quilt in 2003 was a "puff" quilt for the first niece. I forgot to allow seam allowances when I cut out my squares, so it took me a lot longer (and more fabric!) than I had planned. It took me four years to start another quilt but I haven't stopped since then.

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  17. And I follow you through feedly. I love the colours in the pouch you made.

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  18. I can't remember my 1st quilt's name; it was a pattern from a friend's book, & never finished! Can you say ugly! I threw it out a few years ago. Fortunately my second project was a mini Irish Chain - I loved it and it hooked me on quilting! annesimonot@sasktel.net

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  19. Congrats Jen! My first quilt was a Trip, made with scraps leftover from baby clothes I had made while expecting!

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  20. Love following you, bloglovin and email:)

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  21. I actually mentioned my first quilty project this week, it was a little mini that was a disaster! Lol. It sat on my bookcase for years, but at some point, it migrated under my sewing machine to keep it from sliding and bouncing. Not the prettiest, but darn useful! :)

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  22. Well, looks like you jumped into quilting head first! wow. My first quilt was one of those flannel rag quilts with the raw edges that you have to spend hours cutting. My mother actually did most of the work on it for some reason, but it got me totally hooked on quilting, let me tell you. I like the fabrics you used for your zipper pouch - fun. Congrats on your blogiversary, and here's to many more!

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  23. My 1st quilt was a rail fence. I didn't know much about quilting the layers together so I tied them. It was for my Mother. Was done in pink and a light brown with little white flowers.

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  24. I follow you via bloglovin.

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  25. And I follow you by email newsletter.
    Have you found a match for that salmon Kona yet? ;)

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  26. My first quilt comment seems to have been eaten by the Internet Gobbler - it was a flannel rail fence with very bad mitres in the border. I am shocked that the batting hasn't disintegrated and clumped into the corners of the giant diagonal grid quilting.

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  27. Congratulations on three years!! My first quilt was a sampler, the woman teaching the class had copied the templates on multiple copiers and all the blocks ended up in varying sizes. I not knowing any better didn't square them up to the same size and just kept adding borders, it was the most odd shaped quilt top but I got it together. I also didn't realize that the space in the quilt stencils was supposed to be quilted as well and for two years I stopped at every space and jumped to the next spot and quilted that small area and then jumped to the next one. Finally someone asked me why I was doing this and then explained the correct way of using a quilt stencil. Every time I look at the quilts I made the first two years I laugh at the quilting but we all have to start at the beginning right?

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  28. Many many years ago I did one of thos Quilt In A Day log cabins quilts - and boy I was hooked! .... the joy of not knowing that the opposite sides were supposed to the be the same length, that the squares should be the same size (who knew about squaring off!) oh my ------- but my son love it and wore it out totally and then our dog slept on it when the sone left him to go to University. That was a well-loved quilt!

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  29. I follow you via bloglovin - you and my early morning cup of tea before the chaos starts!
    Congratulations

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  30. HELLO, I think it was a small doll quilt of just squares sewed together - LOL- hooked on quilting for life !!! Thanks for your sweet giveaway!
    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  31. Happy to follow you via gmail+Blog lovin' !
    Love your blog!!! msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  32. Congratulations! Happy Blogversary. I follow you by Bloglovin.

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  34. My first quilt was a sampler , it is on my bed right now and I still love it . I love the push you have made and think it is wonderful you made it from the leftover scraps . Thanks for the chance and congrats on your blogaversary .

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  35. I follow you via email :-)

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  36. Wow! 3 years! Happy Blogversary! My first finish quilt was the Indigo Weave quilt. It's also the first quilt that helped me start my stash. The pattern called for one Layer Cake. I decided to buy 1/2 m of a bunch of blues and golds. Then cut out 10" squares. And then I was finally ready to start making the quilt :) I still love that quilt and will keep it forever!

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  37. Happy Blogiversary! My first attempt at a quilting project was an EPP one with templates that went nowhere! My first finished quilt was a bunch of charm squares sewn together and then I made a sampler!

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  38. Happy WIP-versary! Not sure how to categorize my first quilt - taking my first big stitches as I sat around the quilt frame with my mom's church ladies, or seeing strip piecing for the first time and trying it out with some awful cheap fabric from the local every-kind-of-fabric shop. Either way, I've come a long long way from those humble beginnings, just like you have with this blog. Hope you keep going for a long long time more!

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  39. And yes, I follow you through Feedly.

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  40. Happy blogiversary! One of my first was a bargello quilt, very fun to make!

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  41. I follow you in my blog roll at my blog!

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  42. Happy blogiversary! My first quilt was a hand pieced sampler quilt. I'm ashamed to say that fifteen years later, it isn't finished. The central blocks are sewn together, but I haven't finished the borders.

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  43. Congrats on 3 years of blogging! I love your blog, your lightheartedness, humor and of course...love your style!! Meeting others who have a passion in common has been the biggest and best reward of blogging! Keep doing what you are doing!
    My first quilt was a queen size. Basic squares with a little wonky red corner. Not much lined up. It was the one that hooked me for sure! Yes, I do still have it too!

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  44. Congratulations on your blog. My first quilt was a queen size quilted that I tied. I purchased a kit for the top, added my own borders and backing. We still have it today.

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  45. My first quilt was a beginner sampler lap quilt from a class, which i cut using templates and scissors then hand quilted. The colours are dated but we still use it on the sofa.

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  46. Happy Blogiversary!! I just love the name of your blog too!! My first quilt project was an Irish Chain kit that I ordered from Chatelaine magazine. Hah! I used scissors and cut all the pieces by hand and sewed all the pieces together by hand because I didn't own a sewing machine! Looking at it now, I am proud to say that all the points match perfectly!!

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  47. Still collecting stories of first quilts? Mine was a rail fence quilt in blue,yellow and white made for a friend. I didn't have any idea how to do a quilt but I think it was close to a twin size and I tied it. That was about 1978 and she still has it,painstaking mending it by hand because she doesn't sew. She lives in Maine now and I live in Oregon, but we are still close friends. I visited her a few months ago and took another little quilt to add to her collection.

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  48. I made my first quilt years ago when I was 16. I sandwiched a rolled up nylon stocking between 4 inch blue and white squares and secured I with a yarn bow. The front of the squares were machine sewn together but the back had to be hand sewn. In order to get enough nylons I put a request in the local REC magazine and received tons of nylon stockings, jewelry, and even a proposal of marriage which I did not accept. The quilt was heavy and needed constant mending and after 15 years of repairs I was tired of it and put it in our first yard sale. It was the first thing sold and went for a whopping $1.00. I remember watching my quilt walk away and feeling my heart fall as I realized what I had done. I sure hope the person who bought it enjoyed it as I sure wish I had it back.

    A nifty thrifty pouch you have here. Karen kthurn@bektel.com

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  49. I am a new email subscriber. I think you are able to reply but here's my email just in case. kthurn@bektel.com

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  50. Well, Happy Blogiversary to you! Hard to pinpoint my first project... depends what counts as first quilt: I made a tied blanket with a panel, all bound by hand before I had a sewing machine. I started my firstborn's quilt well before he was in the realm of possibilities (before I met my husband) so I do consider it my first quilt (flannel, crazy work) but I actually finished other quilts before that...

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  51. I follow you via feedly. .BTW, have you seen the selvage along starting next week at Quilty Habit.?

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  52. My first quilt was done when I was in Grade 12. Think the old World Flag, appliques and all. Guess what, it did not get finished.

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  53. I flow you on Bloglovin, and on foot at times, lol.

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  54. Happy Blogversary Jenn! I remember that first quilt well :)

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Your comments make my day! I read them all and do my best to reply. If you're a no-reply blogger, I can't reply no matter how nice your comment is. Don't know what a no-reply blogger is? Check out this post - http://anyonecandecorate.blogspot.ca/2012/09/are-you-no-reply-blogger-how-to-fix.html