It’s been so dang hot here in Massachusetts this week. I can barely stand to go outside for anything so I’ve been sneaking in bits and pieces of time on the Seaglass quilt. I just finished up the last of the 30 blocks! I’m so excited to have them pieced and now I can work on sewing those blocks into rows.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m always looking ahead to the next project and I have three lined up…two baby quilts that will be made with these adorable charm packs and a quilt from a kit that I bought in Kauaui last year. I can’t wait to get started on these!

 

 

 

 

 

I haven’t done much on the long arm this week. I’m still waiting for my ruler base and rulers to arrive. Hopefully next week!

That’s about it for my weekly progress. Last Friday I stepped completely out of my comfort zone and took the advice of a friend to get a piercing. I was in the middle of a three day-er when she suggested that I get a daith piercing which is thought to reduce migraines. Her daughter and friend had both gotten the piercings and had significant luck with it. I was skeptical to say the least…first, ouch! I mean really, OUCH! Secondly, about half of what I read supported it and half didn’t. I decided since it was kind of cute, I’d go for it. Lindsey wanted to get a piercing higher up in her ear so we went together. I came home with my daith pierced after almost chickening out. LOL! Just for the record, I held Lindsey’s hand while she went first and when it was my turn, she held my hand but looked away at the exact moment that needle was coming!!!! No fair!! I never broke eye contact with her. I chose a cute heart earring and I do like it and I’ve had 7 headache free days. I don’t expect it to cure the migraines but if it will reduce them, I’ll take it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the last few weeks there have been several articles regarding the quilting magazine industry and blogging. With the announcement that Quilter’s Newsletter magazine will join the ranks of many that are shutting down, it seems the whole industry is heading for a makeover. Publishers heavily rely on magazine subscriptions as well as advertisement dollars and both are plummeting. Check out this article from Abby Glassenberg about how some companies are finding innovative ways to survive and even thrive.

This article from Stitched In Color about quilt blogging hit home with a few of us who are finding it easier to post consistently on Instagram as opposed to our blogs. The reason being that on Instagram, we don’t have to write as much. We can just post lovely photos of our work and say a sentence or two. The audience is larger on Instagram than on our individual blogs. I like to blog because I like to write so mine won’t be going anywhere in the near future!

Personally, I think quilting is heading in the same direction that scrapbooking once went. The industry got too big, there were too many products, people were overwhelmed and realized they could accomplish the same things with tools and supplies they already owned. I got tired of scrapbooking magazines because every article was a repeat of the same twenty or so hot topics. How many times can you read about the rule of thirds when looking through your camera lens? How many times can you read the same facts about traditional v. modern quilting? It gets tiresome.

I think almost every scrap magazine closed down and many, many scrap stores shuttered their doors. Scrapbooking seemed to have gone away but now it’s back in a different form. It’s had a makeover. It’s back now in a simpler form. With the advent of Becky Higgin’s Project Life and the reinvention of Creative Memories with it’s Fast2Fab predesigned pages, it’s coming back! Scrappers wanted an easier, less time consuming way to preserve memories. Companies stepped up.

The quilt industry will shift and change and yes, some will have to close their doors. It’s sad but inevitable. I can’t wait to see what’s next in this industry. How will it change to survive and then thrive? What new social media platform will take our breath away? Change is good. It’s hard but it’s good. I’ll be right here waiting for the next big thing.

How about you?