10 year blogiversary
I didn’t ever keep a journal or diary when I was growing up. I tried a couple of times, but was always so embarrassed when I re-read what I’d written that I quickly ripped it up into tiny pieces. So it often surprises me that I have kept on blogging – now for 10 whole years! I discovered craft blogs when I was searching for a pattern for a fabric headband. I found one by Heather Bailey, and that rapidly sent me down the rabbit hole. The blogroll led me to one blog, then another, then another. I bought chenille online from Jodie, and she encouraged me to start my own blog.
My first blog entries were about bags and clothes I’d sewn for Clare. I was quite pregnant with Stella when I started blogging. Back then I was sewing simple chenille and fabric square cot quilts for the babies that were entering my family and friends’ lives. I learned to crochet, and started off with scarves and hats.
I was sewing pillowcase dresses, yet more fabric bags, and various craft items. My sewing room was still being set up and organised. I took headless photos so that I wouldn’t be identified – that seems hilarious to me now! I took part in online quilting bees, posted vintage crochet photos, sewed for the girls and for myself. I did pattern testing, was part of “blog hops”, and improved my ICT skills.
The blog started in February, and Stella was born at the beginning of June. So I’ve been blogging for all of her life! Many of you have watched my kids grow up. Clare from a pre-schooler to a teenager, now in year 9. Stella from birth to almost ten years old! All those cliches about time flying – they’re true.
Right from the start, I began to meet people online. Fellow crafters and crocheters and talented quilters. I gradually began to meet online friends in person. Weekend sewing weekends away started. Other crafty gatherings. I found more blogs about garment sewing, and shifted back from general craft and quilting to what I had been doing all my life – sewing clothes for myself. And I met more and more people. Many of these people are now among my closest friends and I love them dearly.
I have learned a great deal about sewing while I’ve been blogging. The blog scene has changed over the years, with much less commenting and even much less posting on blogs as many have moved over to instagram. Some of my favourite sewing blogs have now been inactive for a long, long time, but others have sprung up in their place. I have gone through a number of hair colour and style changes and have clearly gained, lost, and regained a lot of weight!
As much as I love instagram, to me there is nothing that quite beats the detail you can find in a blog, and the friendships that you can form. It’s that community – the great parts and even the snark. Sure, we won’t like everyone who sews just because they sew. But it’s a great starting point. And it’s allowed my textile interests to blossom. No longer am I that kid sitting in my Nanna’s lounge room reading back copies of Golden Hands Monthly. I am sewing, crocheting, quilting, crafting, and sharing what I’m doing with people who are interested, encouraging and enthusiastic. My skills have definitely gone up a notch or two or three, and I feel part of something.
And that’s due to all of you. Thanks go to those of you who blog yourselves, and share so much. Thanks to everyone who reads my blog, whether you are able to take the opportunity to comment or not. My life has been enriched by the sewing blog community. Ten years ago I never would have dreamed that this would be such a wonderful part of my life. Thank you.
Thank you! I really enjoy following your adventures. I also have a young teen (gr 8) but she does not let me sew for her.
Congratulations on reaching this milestone Lara. I always enjoying seeing what you have sewn, and I enjoy reading about our travels as well.
I meant *your* — I am not travelling with you.
Happy anniversary – what a wonderful chronicle of your life and crafting.
What a lovely post! I have only been following you for a couple of years, it’s great to see your earlier photos :-). I am an avid sewer in a small town in West Virginia, a transplant from South Australia – so not only do I love the sewing connection but the Aussie connection and I love seeing all your posts. Congrats!
Beautifully put.
Congratulations on a marvellous milestone. You were the first sewing blog I discovered and it has led me to many more. I much prefer blogs to Instagram. I now use my twin needle thanks to you and have discovered lots of fabric shops to visit when in Melbourne!!! You are an amazing talent .
oh dear how the time has flown- I have been reading about your sewing adventures for many years now – not quite 10 but close enough! Well done- please keep it up, I enjoy it so!
Happy Anniversary! I don’t know how long exactly I have followed your blog but after finding it quite by accident it has been around half of that time at least! I began blogging in 2011 and it was around the same time and is certainly one of the first blogs that I read. As much as I love Instagram, you can’t read in depth details about projects on Insta and I have got so much inspiration from your projects amongst others. Life often gets in the way of blogging at times but it is nice to have that documented information and I often like to look back to find out how I did something. I haven’t met any fellow bloggers being a little isolated here in New Zealand but it is something that I do aspire to do, if I can get the nerve to do it. Keep up the good work! I look forward to seeing what gems you produce in 2017.
I think I found you shortly after you started blogging and have been following along all ten years! It’s been interesting to watch you sew, watch your girls grow and see how you put together that amazing sewing room! And I’m with you…there is nothing like a sewing blog where a sewist can share their passion. Happy Anniversary and I hope you’re still blogging in 10 years…it will be great to see Prom dresses and maybe wedding gowns too!
This is adorable! I can’t believe how little Clare looks! Way to go 🙂
Congratulations! Brava! Well done!
Love your blog and agree that blogs are superior to IG though I love that too. Your travels are amazing. Your family is beautiful. And your style and skillz are inspiring.
Congratulations on your decade in the blogging business.
I like blog posts because of the words. A picture tells a story, but not the whole story, so Instagram is not as satisfying to engage with to me.
I’m a relatively new reader and haven’t ever commented before. I found you sometime in the last year, so this was so fun to see pics from the past. Also your vacation looked amazing! I’ve been showing my husband photos and told him I basically want to do all of it.
Congratulations! To be continuously blogging for 10 years is fantastic. I am glad I found your blog!
Congratulations! I love your blog, and all that you show on it is so inspiring.
I agree, for me Instagram is fast and fun but nothing beats the detail and satisfaction from reading a detailed blog post. Happy anniversary! Long may you continue.
Happy anniversary! What a nice post to read was this.
Lara, I love your blog. Please keep it up.
I love reading your blog. I hope you keep at it.
What a lovely post! I agree, nothing beats a good blog post showing all construction details. I like Instagram as well as it often shows little aspects of daily life, giving the context of one’s sewing. Happy blogiversary!
Congratulations! I love reading your blog, though I rarely comment. Thank you for ten years of great sewing.
I’m charmed by your blog – love your travels, the girls, your hubby. Great stuff – congratulations!
Your blog is absolutely one of my favorites! I think I’ve been reading it at least six years. You make beautiful things and are generous enough to share more than a picture. I admire your commitment to blogging and love your sense of style and adventure. Thank you! Please don’t ever stop!
I love your blog and the info you share on sewing patterns, fabric choice and then the added bonus of your travel writing (which I think could be a 2nd career). Congrats on the blog milestone and I hope you continue for a long time. I prefer blogs to IG as well, it is so fascinating to read the story along with photos of any sewing project.
Congratulations on reaching 10 year blog which I love to read and the fantastic holiday you had in Thailand, the clothes you make for yourself, your family, I love the green dress you made for your mam, keep up the good work I always look forward to reading your blog
Amazing Lara – 10 years! It’s been such a pleasure to watch your girls growing up, to admire your prolific sewing and crafting, and to travel the world with your family. I know I don’t comment so much anymore but I’m always here, cheering you on from the sidelines xx
Happy blogiversary!
It is your followers that should be saying a huge thank-you to you Lara. Since discovering your blog, I have confidently gone ahead and bought, and sewn StyleArc patterns, I have loved seeing Clare and Stella grow up and I feel like I have been on all of your wonderful holidays. I hope one day to meet you in person and to thank-you face to face.
I really enjoy reading your blog and seeing what you have been making.
Congratulations. I love reading your blog and sorry I don’t comment more. I love that you are ‘local ‘ to me so I can check out your fabric purchases especially at Darn Cheap which is only 15 minutes from where my daughter lives. I love your colourful style and that you regularly have something new to show too . Cheers 🍻 to another 10 years but let it go slower this time !
Total admiration for your dedication and commitment. Many congratulations and thank you for your inspiration all these years.
Congratulations, I really do enjoy your posts, its like having a chat with a dear friend.
The night I stumbled across you blog was a defining moment. Here was a woman with a similar body shape to mine sewing her heart out in a colour palette that made my heart sing. We were destined to be friends. Thanks for all the time & effort you put into your blog. It enriches & inspires. Your productivity amazes us & you write with confidence, honesty & humour. We love you Lara… just keep doing what you’re doing. A x
And thank you too you too! I really enjoy your style of blogging – open, friendly and forthright with extra bits of information thrown in.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful projects (and your life!) with us readers. I’ve been reading for about 5 years, after coming across your crochet work on Ravelry when I was trying to re-learn how to crochet, and doing a block-a-month project. My eldest son was just a baby, then. Thanks to your blog and others like yours, my view on sewing has evolved a lot over time and I’ve made a few items for myself and my family – not nearly as much as you manage to make, but enough to help me develop my skills and try new things. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge. Happy 10 years!
Congratulations! I’ve followed your blog for years and am always impressed with the wealth of construction details and creativity I find here. Thanks for being so generous!
Great post…I feel the same about such a great crafting community. I can’t believe I’m in my eleventh year…I toyed with the idea of stopping at 10 but something propelled me on.
I first met online sewing friends via flickr (sewing oliver + s patterns for my daughter) – the scene has really changed there! I guess we were using the groups a bit like instagram works now.
What a lovely post. It is true . . . time flies. I started reading your blog several years ago and remember so enjoying the garments you sewed for Clare as she went through the tweens, your lovely StyleArc patterns, garments for Clare and posts of your travels. As a sewer, I love reading sewing blogs. It really feels like one wonderful sharing community. I enjoy Instagram also, but there is nothing like reading the wonderful, warm stories behind the garments. Many thanks for sharing with us all.
Cynthia
Happy Bloggiversary! I’ve enjoyed watching your girls grow up in the clothes you made for them.
Your post sent me down memory lane. Here’s the sweater I knit for her that my sister said I should post on her fiber arts blog. I asked, “What’s a blog?”
http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2009/03/cable-wise-but-not-cashmere.html
So I started posting there, until she told me to get my own blog. http://www.fibermusings.net/archives/author/grace
2003 seems like so long away, and only a blink away. It’s great that you found the persistence to blog your family’s journey.
And I mean journeys because we want to take your kind of vacations!
Congratulations. I love your sewing and writing! I remember seeing you at DCF and feeling just like I knew you already! Much love xx
Well Done You! It’s been great reading your blog for the few years I’ve been following you and i hope you have many more years of making, creating and blogging about it all. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
wonderful words Lara – and thanks for sharing so much of your sewing over a decade!
A great achievement to blog for a decade. I enjoyed this post, as I do with your other posts even if I don’t comment. Thanks for the inspiration I have drawn from you over the years.
“Golden hands monthly”! Congratulations and what a beautiful post. I read your blog every week – I love your attitude to creating and wonder how you find the time to sew so much. Thanks for taking the time to share your adventures with us xxx
Congratulations! I have really enjoyed reading your blog over the years -and finally meeting you in Bali!
Amazing skill!!!!!
Great post ❤ great makes!