The question in bold is the important one.

I was a cardmaker before I got back into quilting, again. If there is a unique idea that I put out there, and I was afraid of others 'stealing' it, I would NEVER put it on the Internet. I did, actually, have an original idea stolen from me and sold on eBay. The person who reproduced my tutorial made more than $200 off my original idea. Lesson learned. Since then I have placed a copyright on each photograph I place on my blog. Also, there is a copyright statement on my blog saying that everything I place there is MY original work; and while folks are welcome to take my ideas and make their own art, they cannot take my photographs and words and claim them as their own on their blogs.

I blog for several reasons:
1) This is the only way my family around the country can see what I create. We are a military family. My mother lives in California. I live in Nebraska, and am about to Florida.
2) I like to document my progress and evolvment.

My cards have been published in numerous magazines. I don't post the cards on my blog until the publcation has hit the newsstands. This protects the integrity of the piece as an 'original' which nobody else can claim before the magazine is released to the public.

How does this translate to quilting? If you are working on a piece that you intend to turn in for competition, don't publish it on your blog. Wait until the competition has been held. That way nobody else can 'steal' your idea and say it was *their* original idea. I know it's difficult for many of us to hold back because we're just itching to share, but if you are really that concerned about others stealing your original idea, then don't post it ever on the Internet.

How did I start my blog? I have friends who were using blogspot.com. It's free. It also provides numerous templates for everyone and it's user-friendly.

In the event that anybody is interested in seeing my blog, it is:

http://thepaperquilter.blogspot.com

You'll see the Copyright statement I have right next to my photograph. Also, you'll see how I have placed a copyright watermark on each photo, so really, it would ridiculous for anyone to claim my work as theirs.

I have 3 blogs I do and you can make them private for only friends if you want. On one site the blogging feature won''t work for me I can only comment. It is very frustrating and no one knows how to fix it.
Darlene

Great Question Skeet!

I blog so that my family and friends can look in and see and anyone else who might want to. Its fun and sort of a therapy, since I also like to write.


I blog so my cousin and I can work on quilts together. We do RR's together and it's fun to see what the other might be planning, usually we just tease each other though.

I don't worry about someone stealing an idea, since I don't try to sell anything.
Being an old fashioned quilter, most people know bout squares and triangles.


And last, I set mine up, because my son (the computer engineer), teasingly told me I couldn't do it on my own without his help. I did it all by myself.

It also helps me to organize my thoughts and ideas, and if I blog what I am doing, I feel more obligated to carry through!


Which reminds me, I have to update mine today sometime.


:D :D


Ninnie

Thanks for all the links to quilt blogs.

Have you checked out quiltinggallery.com? They showcase bloggers from all over the world.

Holy buckets!! That is an amazing collection of blogs!! Thank you so much for sharing!

Skeat, I always wondered that too!!!

I started mine since I have customers from all over. It gives me an opportunity to show the customer their quilts before we have a chance to get it back to them, and to share the ideas I use with other quilters. Most of us longarmers share ideas back and forth. "Stealing ideas" isn't necessarily a problem. Even if we try to do the exact same thing on exactly the same quilt top it doesn't necessarily execute exactly. Besides, for me, most of the enjoyment of this business is to take ideas from all over and come up with my own arrangement. I find it flattering for someone to like my designs enough to use them. My growth has come from learning from other LAers. I hope to pass it on to those who are also learning.

My blog is onnieshands.typepad.com. I blog because I am new to quilting and want to share my experience with other quilters. I post about things that I have found that make quilting easier for me.

countrygirl your link doesn't work I had to copy and paste.