Clarinda Kaleidoscope celebrates First Blogiversary – Hoorah!

Hello and thanks for reading!

Today my blog celebrates being one year old proving that it wasn’t just  a seven day wonder and no-one is more surprised than me.  It has been a wonderful year of learning new skills, making friends and (incredibly) creating an on-line presence!

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An early make worn last week for a picnic at Parham House (the car is not mine by the way)

Blogging

My first post was about my Lilou from Love at First Stitch – you can read that post here.

Photo from my first blog post

Photo from my first blog post

I have 90 followers – thank you so much if you are one of the 90! I have written 62 posts and usually post at the weekend.  I still feel a bit underskilled in relation to blogging, for example, I can’t work out how to add an About Me page (although I thought I had written one during the original set up) and when I try to add a button to say I am joining in with something (e.g. OWOP) it is very hit and miss if it works. I am looking at giving my blog a bit of a facelift and to that end am considering having a customised blog heading designed – I just can’t decide what the image should be though. Any ideas?

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My instagram was set up five weeks later and has 200 followers – I enjoy using instagram and only follow fellow sewistas. I am currently doing the daily sewphotoblog set up by House of Pinheiro which is a great way to find out what others are up to.

Sewing

I had been sewing for about four months before I started my blog.  I have learned so far that there is much I have still to learn!   I mostly enjoy the learning part but sometimes I’m quite impatient and get frustrated when things don’t go right first time.  I have had some triumphs:

1960's coat made at Sew Over It

1960’s coat made at Sew Over It

and some disasters:

How could I not have noticed this until I put the finished garment on

How could I not have noticed this until I put the finished garment on

but most of all I have had fun!

Originally made for my niece's wedding, this dress was equally at home at the races

Originally made for my niece’s wedding, this dress was equally at home at the races

It has been great meeting people on line and in the next couple of weeks I am actually going to meet some of my on-line friends at Fabric Godmother.

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The most exciting aspect of blogging for me this year was being voted as a finalist and then a winner during The Monthly Stitch Independent Pattern month – it was really wonderful to know that other sewistas had actually voted for my dress – a By Hand London Kim featuring Frida Kahlo.

My winning dress

My winning dress

In the coming year I hope to continue making clothes in fabulous prints, engage more with the on-line sewing community to gain inspiration from others and finally, get over my fear of the overlocker.

Toodle pip,

Clarinda x

Just so you know - It's not all about me (but mainly it is)!

Just so you know – It’s not all about me (but mainly it is)!

 

22 responses

  1. Congratualtions on your first blog anniversary and i hope there will be many more such. I am impressed (and shamed) by all you have achieved in such a short space of time while I still tremble every time i pick up the scissors to cut. I hope to see you in the flesh at the Fabric Godmother and tell you in person how much I enjoy your blog.

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  2. Happy blog birthday! You’ve had an amazing first year and it’s so nice to see your lovely lemon print Lilou again. Your 60’s coat is indeed a triumph, you should be so proud of your work on it, it’s beautiful. Here’s to the next year! x

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  3. Definitely didn’t realise you had been sewing for such a short while – your accomplishments are amazing and inspiring! Look forward to seeing more. Happy Birthday!

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  4. Happy Blogiversary! Yours is an enjoyable blog that I look forward to reading! I didnt realise you (blog) were only one year – you write like a pro 😃. Heres to another fantastic sewing year!

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  5. Happy blogday!! Yours was one of the first blogs i read, i have loved following you over the past months and think you are a very talented sewista! I am hoping to come to the fabric godmother meet up in the morning and am sooooo excited to meet everyone!!

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  6. What an uplifting post! I can’t believe that (a) we’ve had blog-birthdays so close together and that (b) you’d been seeing for such a short time before. Your Frida Khalo dress rocks! Happy blog birthday, sewista! How I wish I could come to the Fabric Godmother!

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