There's Gold in Them There Hills

Quilting by it's very nature is an isolated sport. We sit in our sewing spaces and we make quilts. Sometimes we might be sewing in a space that's being used by a few people at once, but even then we're in our heads thinking about what we're crafting. We listen to our internal dialogue and we have a conversation between our hands, the fabric and the sewing machine and that doesn't leave much space for a conversation with anyone else at the time.

Sure there's times when we all get together and work in big groups, but even then our heads are often down looking at our hands and the work that they're undertaking.

Before the world's population pushed forward and stretched out across the lands our communities were small and central, now they're diverse and span the globe. Where we were once able to talk to those in our own towns about our quilting a lot of us find ourselves isolated and relying on the internet to make those quilting connections.

While the internet cannot replace actual human contact it can provide us with the next best thing and for quilters I think we can never underestimate the power of that connection.

There's something really beautiful and strong in a friendship that's formed on a shared passion for creating. To find someone else who understands the pull to make, that understand our need to do things with our hands and our need to own every piece of fabric we fall in love with.

Instagram Meet Up at Craft Alive Bendigo

These friendships can provide the support, freedom and encouragement for us to take those first tentative steps when we're listening to our muse. The can build us up when we feel like the world is tearing us down. They can provide perspective when we're lost in the wilderness of self-doubt.

Social Media can help you meet those people that become part of your creative community. It can be a wonderful place to share your work, learn new things and connect over a shared passion. Whether you like to use Facebook, Twitter or Instagram Social Media is our new town square. It's where we can go to share our work, laugh over a shared understanding of the frustrations of a sewing machine eating your fabric and be a part of each others lives regardless of geography.

For me, Social Media has given me so much goodness in my life that I find it hard to even comprehend a world where it doesn't exist. It allows me to connect with people in a way that I would never do if left to my own devices.

Yesterday I had the most amazing privilege of meeting some of the people who I have a relationship with via Social Media. It was such an uplifting experience and I never could have imagined that by just putting myself out there on Social Media that I would ever have been blessed with being able to share in the lives of these wonderful people.

My reason for sharing this with you today; "Use Social Media to reach out and connect".

It can be daunting to put yourself out there, I get that and I share those same fears. It's not always going to be peaches and cream, there's going to be one or two times when you meet someone online who you just don't vibe with. That's fine, that's the beauty of the world we live in - it's the differences that make the world special. How boring would it be if we were all the same!

Try not to take those moments to heart, learn from them and continue to look for those whom you do connect with. Finding quilty friends is a little like mining for gold - you're going to have to put a lot of effort in to get them, but when you do you'll be richer than you could have ever imagined.

Post by Angie Wilson - Week #25: 
Angie is a passionate Australian quilter who loves fabric the way that Carrie Bradshaw loved shoes. She's got a weakness for trashy television, processed sugar and hugs from her boys. Follow her on Instagram @gnomeangel) or visit her website  to find out more.