Presentation: Internet + Quilting

The following is the information provided as part of the Thursday Evening Meeting on April 3.

Embracing the internet to fuel your quilting passion.

Presenters:

Michelle Law:

B: Buttontree Lane

IG: @buttontreelane

Angie Wilson

W: GnomeAngel

IG: @gnomeangel

Overview

Think of the internet like a tool of your craft.

It’s something you can use to help you grow, share, inspire and fall deeper in love with your craft.

Like every tool it has its positives and its negatives.

Tonight we’re going to share with you some of the ways we use the internet to compliment and enhance the relationships, retailers, friends and experiences we have IRL (that’s internet lingo for “in real life”).

Like everything in life, you get out of the internet what you put into it.

Websites

Websites are great places to find out information about your favourite manufacturers, teachers, authors, stores, Guilds, magazines and much more.

Websites often provide a leaping off point into other uses for the internet such as blogs, online applications and Candy Crush.

Canberra Quilters has it’s own website that contains information about the organisation.

Our website is: https://canberraquilters.org.au

Some of out favourites:

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Pinterest

Pinterest is a pinboard-style photo-sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, and hobbies. – Wikipedia

Pinterest is a great way to collate ideas, see what other people are enjoying and fuel your imagination and inspiration.

As well as curating your own Pin Boards you can follow other people’s boards as well.

It’s a free service.

Tip: When using Pinterest it’s good manners to put as much information about the item you’re pinning in the comment section as possible so the artist who made the item gets the credit and the traffic.

Blogs

Blogs provide great sources of inspiration, tutorials, reviews, photographs, encouragement and much more.

They can be a great way to connect with people who inspire you, motivate you, encourage you and humour you.

Canberra Quilters has it’s own blog where you can find out more about what’s happening, what courses are on offer, what books we’ve got, exhibition news, contact information, and much more. You can find it via our website.

Some of our favourites:

Start Your Own Blog

There are a number of free services that you can use to start your own blog.

Another alternative for the more adventurous is to self-host your blog site.

There’s a wealth of information on the web about blogging and how to do it. It’s a great way to meet new people, share your experiences and record your life.

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Online Learning

There are numerous places where you can take advantage of the online environment to learn new skills and update existing skill sets.

Online learning provides you with the ability to learn from teachers you may not have access to in your local area, self pace your learning experience and take the classes on your own timetable.

Online learning is a great supplement to the classes and lectures available in your local area. Don’t forget to talk to your Guild or Local Quilt Shops about getting in some of your favourite teachers – nothing beats seeing them in the flesh!

Remember, the internet is not a replacement for real life  but a complimentary tool.

A lot of the blogs and websites will also feature tutorials and videos sharing their tips, tricks, techniques and how-tos.

Tip: Having problems with a pattern you’re working on, try asking Google if someone has posted their experience working with the pattern, if the pattern writer has a how-to or if there’s any updates to the pattern. Chances are you’re not alone and someone has written about it.

Social Media

Social media refers to interaction among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. – Wikipedia.

There’s a number of social media sites out there but the main ones are:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

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Facebook

Facebook allows you to set up a profile and share information with people via your wall. You can like different pages and then see information that is published on those pages in your news feed. You can access Facebook via a computer or mobile device.

Canberra Quilters is on Facebook

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Twitter

Twitter allows people to share information. Status updates are limited to 140 characters. You follow people and see their updates in your twitter feed. You can access Twitter via a computer or mobile device.

Twitter is a great way to interact with people all over the world, including your quilting idols.

Canberra Quilters has a twitter account: @CbrQuiltersInc

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Instagram

Instagram is a mobile application that allows users to take photos and videos, apply a filter to them, and then share them via social networking. You can view images via Instagram on your computer, but you can only upload to Instagram via a mobile device.

Canberra Quilters has an Instagram account:

@canberraquilters

Tip: People are now using Instagram to organise Quilt-A-Longs and InstaBees. These are a great way to try something new, meet fabulous people and expand your quilting skills.

Happy Surfing!

This is only a very small selection of the multitude of amazing people out there in the world using the internet to share their passion for quilting.

We hope it’s given you an incentive to get connected and start using the internet to your advantage.

If you would like any further information, please come and see us or drop as an email.

 

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