or how about this one: The Spotlight is On—Tu-Na; Turn Around and Take a Bow
or this one: (cue the music) Shine, Tu-Na, Shine
The title, it’s about all that a reader sees as they scroll down their blog list on a blog reader. It’s what captures the reader’s attention and makes them click to read more since they can’t possibly read every blog that they’ve subscribed. As a writer you only have 5–10 seconds to make an impression. Shakespeare wrote: A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. However, try sticking your nose in a window or a floopjabawink. Nope, not the same. And there you have your blogging tip; Titles are important.
Welcome to Tu-Na’s day to shine on the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop! Thank you to my hive leader Stephanie @Late Night Quilter as well as to the other two hive leaders Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl, and Cheryl @Meadowmist Designs. Be sure to visit their blogs to enter the big giveaways found there and also to find more new bloggers.
I discovered quilting blogs about two years ago and have been talking about starting my own for a while. Two months ago I closed both eyes, took a deep breath, and finally jumped right into blog land. I wanted my blog to document my journey of adventures and misadventures doing the things I enjoy: quilting, traveling, and eating (well, actually cooking and baking but that didn’t sound good in the title of my blog).
I love waterfalls but I have to travel to see them since North Dakota doesn’t have any. I took this pic on our 2010 trip to Niagara Falls.
I thought about a blog name for a long time and then it just hit me and it was perfect—a real light bulb moment. Read a shortened explanation on my sidebar or the full explanation here.
I also love visiting lighthouses, again, more travel. I’ve been to Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior near Duluth, Minnesota twice.
I’ve been surrounded by quilters all my life: my grandmother, my mom, and even my mother-in-law. I’ve taught my daughter to sew and now she makes quilts too.
Here’s a look at some of my quilting/sewing past, present, and future projects.
Visions of Quilting Past:
I learned to sew from my mom and through 4-H and made my first quilt at the age of 16 but, sadly, I have no pictures to share. Read about what happened to it here. I mostly sewed clothing and even made my husband a shirt as a gift for our third wedding anniversary. When our daughter was born, I began making her dresses and hats and even made a few matching mother-daughter dresses for us.
With 5 children, I wonder how I ever had time to sew! I remember starting a baby quilt for my second son before he was born and finally finishing and giving it to him when he was 21.
Throughout the years, I’ve made a number of quilts but I really became more interested in quilting about ten years ago. According to the 2014 study by Quilting in America, 9% of beginning quilters are age 64. Quilting is gaining in popularity as there are now more than 16 million active quilters in the United States; this equates to 1 in 20 U.S. citizens are now busy sewing quilts. Those are just a couple of facts I included in my winter writing project.
Pictured below is a quilt I made last fall for my best friend’s 7-year-old granddaughter in celebration of an answered prayer. Every night since this little girl began talking, she prayed for a daddy (her mom was single). This prayer was finally answered last fall when her mom married and there was a surprise adoption blessing as part of the wedding ceremony. She loves the Little House book series which made this quilt perfect for her.
The Little House quilt is a free pattern found on Amy Friend’s During Quiet Time blog. I emailed her a pic of my finished quilt and she featured it on her blog last October.
With my mom’s help, I was able to complete it in eight days. She hand embroidered the writing on the chalkboard and satin stitched the ABCs on the blocks as well as added several other embroidered elements.
My first experience with free-motion quilting using my Pfaff Creative 1475CD machine (I love that 20 year old machine!) was last summer when I made this pixilated giraffe quilt pattern from Bean Counter Quilts. I enjoyed sewing that pattern so I made another one. Both are backed with Minky and I wrapped the backing around to the front for the binding.
There’s 714 squares of pure cuteness here. This is the one I gave my granddaughter who now loves giraffes. I wonder why?
Visions of Quilting Present:
My mom and I are now working on a quilting project together. It’s been her dream to cut and sew into quilts those two or three boxes of leftover double-knit scraps, yardage, and clothes she sewed and saved. I hear you all gasping; really, they are beautiful and will wear like iron.
We’ve finished this snowball/nine-patch quilt and have a yellow/green/brown rail fence top ready to tie. There is something special and comforting about a tied-quilt made with love which contains fabric scrap memories and good poly loft batting.
Mom and I are very proud of our accomplishments and I’ve enjoyed spending time with her. However, she’s informed me that she wants us to sew several more quilts before the end of the year. I anticipate some upcoming posts about those projects as well as the quilt above which has some jaw-dropping history behind one of the fabrics we used.
I am presently quilting another Little House Quilt top for another Little House on the Prairie fan—my 5-year-old grandson. His parents took him to DeSmet, South Dakota last summer and they stayed overnight in a covered wagon. So, like every good grandmother or Tu-Na would do, I replaced one of the blocks from the original pattern with a covered wagon block that I designed. I also stitched my first paper piecing project of a kitten and mouse (pic below) to represent another of my grandson’s favorite stories from the series. I will post pics of the completed quilt in an upcoming post.
The free kitten and mouse patterns are designed by and found at Maartje Quilts in Amsterdam. After it’s all quilted, this kitten will have button eyes.
I started a postage stamp quilt last summer and recently posted about it here. It’s an ongoing project which will probably take several years to finish.
Visions of Quilting Future:
Here’s three bed-size quilt projects I’m planning for this fall/winter.
Applecore quilt with Repro 30s fabrics. Bonus–I probably have enough fabric for a Dresden Plate and a Grandmother’s Flower Garden too.
I want to try sewing some curves. When I bought this crazy curves template, I didn’t read the pattern well enough as it also requires a 3.5″ template; I just discovered that as I was laying out this fabric to photograph. Back to the store I go or I may decide to just use the one size. And there you have your quilting tip: Read requirements before purchase.
Since I’ve been collecting black and white fabrics for a couple of years, they’ve aged enough and are ready to be cut and sewn into a king-size quilt using this Candy Store quilt pattern from the May/June 2012 issue of Fons and Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine.
Just for fun here’s some Tu-Na Trivia:
I like the colors orange, yellow, gray, and purple. I am not much of a reader. I am not much of a singer and I don’t play any musical instruments. But I love art! On three separate trips, we unexpectedly found Chihuly blown glass art exhibits. It was incredible.
Here is Chichuly’s Summer Sun at the 2014 Chihuly In the Garden Exhibit in Phoenix, Arizona. I’ve also seen Chihuly exhibits in Las Vegas and Chicago.
I enjoy taking close-up pictures of flowers—Georgia O’Keeffe style. Some of them might find their way into my posts.
What I learned today:
- Go take a nap when having a difficult time coming up with something to write; It works wonders.
- Be passionate about what you do but don’t let it consume you or all of your time. There’s lots of other things to do too such as stopping to smell the roses (or the poppies taking over my flower bed).
Be sure to visit these new bloggers from my hive:
Thanks for taking the time to visit Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats. I hope you’ll return and join me as I learn quilting techniques and share the quilts I’ve made, find new highways and attractions to explore, and experiment with new and traditional recipes and share some mouth-watering pics (and may-be some burnt offerings too).
Question to comment on: In the reply section, leave a link to your best, most interesting, or most favorite titled blog post so I and others can go read it. If you don’t have a blog, share a book title that really grabbed you and said “read me.” Other comments are also appreciated.
Karen
Linking to:
http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2016/06/great-big-giveaway-day-3-and-lets-bee.html
Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats 
Hi Karen – what a great stop on the blog hop – you are so right about blog titles but I don’t give them much thought ….. need to remedy that. Love the Little House quilt. By the looks of it you will be very busy with your quilting future but I like your tip to not let it consume you = another thing I need to remedy …..
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Wow. What an interesting post. I feel like I know so much about you. Love your pics. I especially like your fabric pull with black, white and yellow. I am dealing with some stash envy right now. Enjoy your day bb
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You are certainly going to busy making more quilts. The little house on the prairie quilt already has a great start.
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Hi Karen, looks like the rest of your year is going to be very busy. How lucky you are to be able to quilt with your Mum.
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Hi Karen! I love your quilts and the fabrics you have picked out for the next ones. I especially like the blue white and black fabrics. It’s going to be fabulous!
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Karen, it was fun getting to know you better through your blog. The quilts pictured are all great ones, but I really love the giraffe one. Your tip was perfect. I didn’t use to add a title and it would just use my first words of my first sentence and then a had a duh moment. Wish I’d had your tip went I started my blog. Happy stitching!
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It was wonderful to get to know you and your quilting journey better, Karen! My most visited blog post is about Tips for Squaring a Quilt (http://quiltingjetgirl.com/2015/10/14/tips-for-squaring-a-quilt/), but I don’t know if it’s my best post. 🙂 I hope the blog hop is a good experience for you.
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Hi, Karen! It was great getting to learn more about you! It sounds like you’re going to have a busy year with all those quilts. I think that 30’s apple core quilt is going to be fantastic and I can’t wait to see your progress on it. I don’t know about my best blog post so I’ll mention two good books I read last year. One was The Book Thief and the other was The Casual Vacancy. 🙂
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I never read The Book Thief but I saw the movie! It was great. The title is what made me go see it. That 30s fabric just screamed “applecore” when I started collecting them.
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You did great on your blog hop post Karen very lovely to get to know more about your quilting journey and all the pictures are beautiful. I’ve also been stashing black and white fabrics and I’ve had to cut into some to make my husband an anniversary gift so they need to be replaced 😀. Thanks for all the tips, quilting is definitely consuming me right now! Here is a link to my favorite titled blog post certainly not my best yet https://alicesamuelsquiltco.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/creatively-disguised-procrastination/
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Thanks. The title of your post Creatively Disguised Procrastination was great. It fit the content well. I liked that post and the book is on my “to read” list. Can one ever have enough black and white fabrics?
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Awww thanks Karen and I still haven’t finished the book. Never! you can never have enough black and white fabrics.
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Karen, It has been wonderful getting to know this group during the blog hop…so many interesting ladies. Your giraffe is adorable and I too have discovered paper piecing- which I have been enjoying. Have a super week. Hugs, Heide
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Loved your blog! I feel honored to know you! You are a very talented lady!
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I love reading your posts. You have such passion in your voice. 🙂
I might mention that I am totally enamored by that photos of the poppies. It is Amazing!
I don’t have many blog posts to choose from but… “A Pattern you say?” is probably my best title so far. A question. http://adreamandastitch.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-pattern-you-say.html
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I love that photo of the poppies!!! All your photos are great. There was a Chihuly exhibit here in Denver 2 summers ago. It was so pretty. I love that you’re enjoying sewing with your mom. Those are cherished times!
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Hi Karen!! I love the fact that you are making such wonderful memories with your mom! Your quilts are beautiful. Those poppies!! 😍
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Hi Karen! It was wonderful to get to know you through this post. I loved it! It’s great that you are quilting with your mom. I wish I’d had that opportunity. Love your quilts–past, present, and future! They are wonderful and I can’t wait to see what you and your mom quilt up this year. I too love Chihuly! His glasswork is so beautiful. You’ll have to add Indianapolis to your travels…we have a Chihuly piece on exhibit here at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum–and it’s interactive! Have a great week with the hop!
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Oops! I forgot to leave a good post title. Hmmmm. Maybe “Start Your Engines, I’ve Got Another Quilt Finish” about a recent quilt finish (the quilt is called Brickyard) http://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2016/5/27/start-your-engines-ive-got-another-quilt-finish or “Singing My Happy Little Working Song,” about getting ready for this blog hop http://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2016/6/6/ne7g31x9pshgnxnkmjktgg9sru0vi3
All of your possible titles for today’s post are so clever! What an inspiration you are as a writer.
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Indianapolis? Hmmm. I might have to check it out. How long will the exhibit be running? I’ve checked out both posts and your titles are creative and clever!
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I love your poppies and the giraffe quilt is fabulous, just to name two things that I like most about your post. I’m also impressed that you have the next 3 quilts so carefully planned. Keep working on your stamp quilt, it looks wonderful.
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Hi Karen, love the travel pics you’ve shared today. I’ve been to Duluth a few times, but sadly have not seen that cool lighthouse. More trips needed, apparently. Also love the 30s fabrics you’ve pulled — that will be a pretty quilt. Blog’s looking great!
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Hi Karen. Great post and your quilts are all very cute. Loved those matching dresses!
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Hi, nice to meet you, love your pink dresses. I never could make clothes that I would wear once completed. I do love making quilts, 25 years now.
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Hello Karen, what a fun post. I thoroghly enjoyed reading along. The origin story of you blog name is extra sweet.
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Great post Karen, you take great pics too. I so enjoyed reading about you and your Mom. My favourite quilt of your has to be the pixilated giraffe, so cute.
My most popular post is I failed, http://smilesfromkate.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/i-failed.html
but the one that started a lot of interest recently is Apologieshttp://smilesfromkate.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/apologies.html
This was the post which started the Bluebell Woods story which was great fun.
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Karen,
It was fun meeting you. I also.learned to sew in 4h. My mom used to make matching clothes for my sister’s and me. Here is a blog post from me https://kathyskwiltsandmore.blogspot.com/2016/06/throw-back-thursday.html?m=0
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Karen,
It wasn’t baf. I loved hand made clothes. My aunt would sew for my cousin and I loved her clothes. Couldn’t wait until she wouldn’t wear them anymore.
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I enjoyed reading this post, it was your title that caught my eye today! It’s wonderful that you & your mum can sew together! Love your black & white collection too!
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Thanks, Linda!
I sweated over that title, but after a nap, it just came to me and I ended up rewriting my whole first paragraph too to go with the title. Writing sure takes time. I need to get past the perfectionism. Are you a perfectionist?
Mom and I were going to sew together today but I couldn’t get my “quilting mojo” on so we will get together tomorrow.
Thanks for stopping by,
Karen
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Karen, what a great post! What a pleasure to get to know you a little more! I love that you closed both eyes and hit the publish button when starting your blog! I will take your advice to heart and take a naps when needed! I only dream of taking photo like yours!
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Lovely post…enjoyed exploring your blog
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LOVE your poppies growing along your fence! I have orange daylilies growing along my split rail fence. I’m a Nana to 2 grandsons and I enjoy making them unique quilts just for them too. Great to get to know you better!
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I don’t have a blog to share but I share your love for Lighthouses and waterfalls. We have great ones here in NC.
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Being from the east coast of Canada I share your love of lighthouses.
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No blog to share and I dont read but i do love the missouri star block magazines….So many ideas…. happyness04431@yahoo.com
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I seem to have accidentally collected a lot of b+w fabrics but I don’t have a pattern for them yet. And I love the colours in the snowball/9patch quilt.
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What a fun introduction. So many things were nice to read about. You are really lucky to have family to sew with – precious memories in the making along with quilts and other projects. Thanks for sharing. My favorite blog title is from Made by Chrissy D’s blogspot. Her article “Even the Dogs Got Two” is about how her husband kept asking her for a quilt, and finally when he said even the dogs got two quilts made her realize it was time to make a quilt for him! She made a really pretty one from shirts she had been saving… The URL is: http://madebychrissied.blogspot.com/2014/05/finally-showcasing-my-even-dogs-got-two.html
She often has fun titles of blog posts with good information, examples and tips. Thanks for sharing, glad I came by…..
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What a fun title! Go check it out! A fun read.
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A great introduction post ! I love hearing more about your adventures. I think you’re right about the post titles, but my best advice is to write a draft with a possible title, give it some time (or take a nap, as you suggested) and try again later. It’s great that you stay in touch with your AZ quilting friends while you’re back home. I enjoy that, too!
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Karen, what a great introduction! So nice to meet you. You have a lot of quilting going on, how fun!
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Nice to meet you.So great you quilt with your mom,your projects are stunning.
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Hi Karen: It’s nice to get to know you on this blog hop. I like that you work on quilts with your mom. It’s wonderful to sew with others. I’ve made a couple of black and white quilts myself. My frined Wendy told me everyone has to make at least one.
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What a jam-packed post! I love the quilt you and your mom made, the snowball and 9-patch from her saved box of scraps. The pattern and colors are wonderful. And I love your little kitty and mouse. Too cute. Your 1930s fabric is gorgeous. And your little postage stamp block — great fabrics amongst those little squares, too. That will be a wonderful quilt.
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