Can you believe 2018 is almost over? It’s a little disconcerting, right? Sometimes it helps to look back on the year and see that despite the rapid passing of time, plenty of things were made. I spent a bit of time reviewing my quilting projects and blog posts for the year – there were definitely some quilts I’d forgotten about.
I also had some fun delving into the statistics behind my blog to see which posts were favourites with you, my readers, this year. My rating criteria for choosing the top5 posts included the number of visitors a post received and how much engagement (comments and shares) it provoked, weighted with how early in the year it was posted. It’s a nuanced blend that rivals the Colonel’s 11 secret herbs and spices.
Ready to go for a wander back through the archives and see Bonjour Quilts’ top 5 posts for 2018? Here we go!
Top Quilting Post Number 5.
My 5th most popular post this year was for a scrappy fish block. This tutorial shows you how to make the fish block with three simple component blocks. It also shows you how to cut your fabric to make sure directional print fabrics all go the same direction across the block.
Top Quilting Post Number 4.
Top Post Number 4 was this one, which announced a new addition to the Colour Explosion family.
I have an older post which is a tutorial for a crib sized baby quilt called Colour Explosion. I had numerous requests to create a pattern for larger sizes, so I complied and created a pattern that has twin and queen sizes (as well as the original crib size).
Now when baby upgrades to their big boy or big girl bed, they can upgrade their quilt to a twin size as well.
Top Quilting Post Number 3.
Another tutorial post. This time, I lay out all I know about sewing the Quarter Square Triangle block. I love the design opportunities this block provides – the standard QST as well as the the Split QST and Hourglass block. This post shows how to sew the blocks and also has a couple of handy Quarter Square Triangle charts for ready reference.
Top Quilting Post Number 2.
Getting close to the end now… and the runner up is this post, which was all about the business side of Bonjour Quilts.
In this post I detail what it costs me to run Bonjour Quilts and to create patterns. The post also goes into some of the considerations when distributing patterns through a wholesale distributor. Judging from the many comments on the post, both online business owners and those who had no idea about the behind-the-scenes of a quilting blog found the post interesting.
I really enjoyed the discussion this post generated, both in the comments and via private emails that many of you sent me. Thank you for all your input and encouragement.
Top Quilting Post Number 1.
*Drumroll*….the Top post on Bonjour Quilts for 2018 was this one here, called Gleaned Log Cabin Quilt.
The post outlines the problems I had when turning a charm pack and jelly roll into a cohesive quilt top. There’s a second part to the post too, which shows the final design I came up with.
I was surprised this was number 1 ! But it was the clear winner with the number of visitors. I think it was popular because we’ve all struggled with colour and layout at some stage when creating a quilt. Hopefully my hints were helpful for someone out there!
Other posts that almost made it into the top 5 which you might enjoy include my Adori quilt block tutorial:
And this tutorial for a scrappy cross quilt block.
So there you have it, a walk back through the year that was 2018.
It’s interesting to research what got done over the year (always more than I remember) and reflect on the wins, losses and luke warms.
I’ll be linking this post up with Meadow Mist Designs Best of 2018 link up – if you have a blog why not join the party?
This link up is also a great place to find new (and active, so many blogs are dormant these days) blogs to read in in 2019.
Whether you’re sad to see the end of 2018 or can’t wait for it to get out the front door, I wish you all the very best for a happy, sewing-full 2019.
Cheers,
Kirsty x
Thanks for the round up will hopefully grab a few moments to read a couple later today Happy 2019
Great posts, all of them! I especially appreciate the business side of blogging post. Thanks for linking up!
I read ( for the first time) your post on running a quilt blog and was amazed at the amount of time and effort that goes into it. So glad you shared this! I especially appreciated your explanation of PDF vs paper pattern costs…I will never balk at paying for a PDF from the designer again. Your blog is a gem, thank you for letting us enjoy your creativity.
Thank you for your understanding, Jane, and for taking the time to read. Much appreciated!