This week I got the book, The Quilter's Catalog, a Comprehensive Source Guide, written by Meg Cox in 2008. I bought it for a full $5.25 so it was quite the bargain.
"The complete quilter's companion and essential resource, jam packed with information, supplies, explert interviews, techniques, community and inspiration."
And truly it is ... for 2008. Browsing through it, got me feeling nostalgic. Maybe it's hitting middle age but it's just odd how many things in this book from only 15 years ago are now obsolete.
I remember back in 1995, and all you would hear is "Check out our website on the World Wide Web at www.etc etc" We didn't have a personal computer more less the Internet. So after getting our first Dell desktop (which was crazy expensive - like 2 grand), I invited a workmate over to show me how to use it. I had been working on computers since 1981, but this was my first experience with a personal
computer and Windows 95. And I was off....
The next thing ya know, I was connecting with quilters from all over the world. It really did open a whole new world. I was doing charm swaps and round robins with ladies all over the world. I would check the missing fabric website on a daily basis. (I had no idea that that site was still going - wow) I joined a virtual quilt group, the crazy quilters who would meet most evenings to chat in actual chat rooms and stitch. Eventually, we met in the real world - in Vegas - of course, we did - lol!
Years progress and the newness of it all kinda fades. Plus there is always some kind of new site or new tech that is all the rage. Looking through the Quilter's Catalog though brought it all back.
Do You Remember?
International Fabric Collection - it was based here in Erie, PA (then Fairview) but mostly did mail order through their site - www.intfab.com - you could get fabric from all over the world in this shop (which in the beginning was only open on day a week to the local public) I'm sure there a lots of quilts shops that you loved that are gone now.
The QuiltArt List started by Judy Smith in 1995 could literally have over 500 emails a day on it. The most amazing quilt subjects would be debated from all walks of life on this list. It eventually slowed down to where they moved it to Facebook.
The World Wide Web Quilting Page was started so early (1994) that it got the domain name www.quilt.com. This page was a wealth of free information on quilting and was always my first stop when I got a chance to get online in the early years at the library!
Quilt University...the first real site where you could take a virtual quilt class at a very reasonable price. It would be years till the rest of the internet caught up to this great idea. The site was eventually sold as the owner retired and became Academy of Quilting.
So many blogs I miss...Liz Berg, Elizabeth Barton, Rayna Gillman (For the record I definitely know how hard it is to keep a blog going for years!)
I guess these are the thoughts that come up when you spend HOURS hand appliqueing a border for the Block of the Month for the Quilt Show. I am now officially 3/4's done with July and it's officially August 18th. Sighhhhh
Sorry, there aren't more pictures! Funny how its hard to find images of obsolete sites!
So what are the quilty things you miss from the early days of the internet?
6 comments:
I didn't know these sites, but it's true that many sites and blogs have disappeared since then. Technological evolution!
I sure miss the non fb quiltart list. I still won't do FB
LeeAnna
We got our first PC sometime in the early nineties I think. I know I took online classes at Quilt University, and art/craft classes at Joggles.com. I don't recognize the rest of the sites you mentioned, but I'm glad Ravelry came along to take the fibre-craft torch from the Knitter's Review Forums. I miss many blogs even if I don't dip into the ones I do follow as often -- nor do I post as often, after 20 1/2 years of blogging. I'm thankful for your blog, though, as it keeps mine company and shares it with others -- and others' blogs with me.
My first internet quilting discussion board/chat was through Compuserve. Boy, did it open up my world. Like you, I jumped into Round Robins. I also participated in an Artist Way study group. I was a mother of teens, now I am grandmother of teens. What hasn't changed is my drive and enjoyment from sharing with a global quilting community.
Thank you for the linkparty. I cam across here last week and thought I might link up my page.
Wow! Trip down memory lane! I remember when I discovered the equilter online shop before international postage rates became crazy and also the Dear Jane website and the mailing list that I was getting via email everyday!
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