If you didn't hear about the QAL before, please visit the Growing up QAL page!
Visit the QAL page to find all information about the quilt layout, all the future blocks and the rules to participate.
I recommend you to subscribe to the QAL announcements via email, so you don't miss out on future posts! You find the subscription Google form on the same QAL page (at the end of the page).
Now let's get down to some details.
This month technique is Famous Jane-style blocks
Remember that the pattern for the board is shared for free via email to the people that shared a picture of last month finished block in the linky party.
If you did that, you should already have the pattern!
If you didn't (and you think you should have) just send me an email at tweloq(at)gmail(dot)com and I will get the pattern out to you.
If you did that, you should already have the pattern!
If you didn't (and you think you should have) just send me an email at tweloq(at)gmail(dot)com and I will get the pattern out to you.
For the full list of rules and explanation on how/where to share your projects, please refer to the post listing all the QAL rules!
And if you need an extra incentive, we are going to have THREE winners for this month.
The prizes for this month are listed in a previous post!
You have until July 2nd (11.59 pm EST) to enter your block(s).
I will draw the random winners between all the people entering a picture of one block from this month. Multiple blocks will give you multiple entries, as long as they are in separate picture in a separate link in the linky :). I will announce the winners when I share the next month pattern.
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AND NOW SOME REFLECTIONS...
I want to address some comments I received from the SURVEY I published last week.
First of all, if you haven't submitted your comments, please follow this link and share your suggestions! I really take all your opinions to heart and do my best to include them in the way I shape future QAL events!!! Click HERE to fill the survey!
And now for my comments on your comments :)
...
The vast majority of your comments are really kind and supportive, so I am happy about that!! I am happy to hear that you like the challenge of trying different techniques every month, and about having multiple blocks to choose from!
I am happy to hear that you think my instructions are clear and helpful, and that you like the blocks I designed!
I also received some very insightful suggestions on things I didn't think about and I may find a way to include.
However...
....
I received some comments that are a little harsh too... I understand where they come from, and I want to address (again) the issue here, hoping to get my motivations through. I am aware that I cannot please everyone and I don't plan to :) but I want to clarify my own motivations hoping that at least we can agree to disagree :)
The main criticism is on the line of: "the patterns are not free, we are forced to turn in a proof of our work, we don't want to follow deadlines".
Ok...
... I respect everyone opinion on how to use their own time
... I understand that life is complicated
... I understand that people get sick, families have emergencies and bad things happen
... I understand that people may not have the means to pay a pattern, even if the price is less than a coffee (and way less than a yard of fabric or a quilting tool)
... I understand all that...
but...
... what I do NOT understand, is why many times the people that are criticizing the "non-free" options from me, are instead absolutely happy to pay much more for designer fabric, or patterns and tools from Bonnie Hunter, or other famous quilters.
... what I do NOT understand is why people tell me that they cannot follow the deadline because of a family emergency, but they didn't take the step to contact me and let me know that. I NEVER turned down a person saying "hey, I cut the pieces as you can see in the picture attached, but I cannot complete the block because I had such and such emergency. Would you please consider sending me the next pattern anyway?". Of course if I don't know, I cannot act on that.
... what I do NOT understand is why people say that they would make the block if they were free, but when I offer a FREE block that allows everyone to come back in the QAL for FREE anytime, they don't take that opportunity (the fabric weaving block is still free and will remain free forever. If you make any of those two or any fabric weaved block and you share a picture of it with me, I would put you back in the free QAL list)
I understand where all these comments come from, and I tried the "free forever" approach few years ago with one of my QAL: I had so many downloads, but many people didn't share anything with me... not even a thank you.
Then several times, by randomly browsing the web, I found people sharing on their blogs projects done with the patterns I designed and they didn't even mentioned my name (nor a link back to my blog or anything like that). I am not designing patterns for the money, so I don't really look at traffic, but I am a human being and I spend so much time, effort and creativity in these projects! I would just like other people to reach out to me as human beings and thank me every once in a while! :)
That is why I "force" people to share... however I don't penalize people that skip blocks: as mentioned, these patterns take a lot of time to design, create, etc and a very low price to jump back in doesn't really look too much to ask! Considering what we all are spending for fabric, famous quilters' patterns and tools, I think it is fair to ask a little something to cover some of my costs: the price of a pattern doesn't even cover the cost of the linky I host every month, but as mentioned I don't do it for the money, but for the community and the inspiration, that's why I ask you to share the blocks with me and with the entire community!! :)
And did you notice that I actually have many FREE patterns as part of this QAL?
They are the sashing patterns of the "Smashing Quilt Sashing series"!
Many of you in the survey didn't even noticed those patterns!!
Many of you downloaded them and never opened them (kept them for rainy days).
That's the point... It takes MANY hours to create those patterns too... I have them for free and I don't even know if people use them or like them! I am ok with it, because that's how I decided to share those patterns, but that is a clear sign that, for a designer, accountability is the only way to know what people think about their work (unless it is a business, and then money can give them an idea on how people interact with their work).
I just want to remind all of us again that human beings created all those wonderful patterns we find out there, they put them together, shared them on the web and that human beings may appreciate at least a "thank you" even if the resource was offered for free.
If we can get something with 0 money, that doesn't mean that has 0 value and that we should just take it and leave...
Let me conclude with an excited announcement:
I already have in mind the design for the 2018 QAL!
It will include even more new techniques, so stay tuned for this!!
I will start drafting it on paper soon and will contact many sponsors for giveaways for all of you (another thing that people wanting everything for free may not have noticed: I contacted countless sponsors to offer you more than 100$ a month of prizes, many of which I mail to you at my own expenses... I am not getting anything out of that, except spending a lot of time at the post office, or interacting via email with companies to pitch the QAL and have something that YOU can win and enjoy... just saying... :) )
Please feel free to share any thought or comment about this topic, I love to interact with all of you!
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So, let's link up our fun block, friends!
(I am including the linky in every post so it's easy for everyone to find!)
Next week I will share the next pattern, so get your blocks in the linky if you want the next pattern for FREE!!
So are you excited about this QAL?
I surely am!! Grab my button and share the love (button on the side bar)!
The more people join in, the more fun it will be!!
The more people join in, the more fun it will be!!
Until next week,
Happy Stitching!!
Remember: all the details about the series are collected in the QAL web page.
