The Name Game: Sew Wrong Sew Right

Molly is here this week from Sew Wrong Sew Right.

I'm so glad Molly is here because I have a fun little story to share first. Mark and I were at quilt market in Portland in May. So as we were walking down the aisles, which is pretty intimidating because it is such a huge show, we paused at Angela Walters' booth, and there was Molly, who was helping in her booth. Now we had never met before, but she totally blew me away when she said, "Aren't you Cindy from Live a Colorful Life?" I am not used to anyone recognizing me. I mean, that just never happens to me! And then she said she regularly followed The Name Game and Really Random Thursday! So I'm thrilled to have her playing along this week.

How did you choose the name for your blog?

I decided I wanted to start blogging a few years back after being an avid blog follower for years.  I was jumping full force back into quilting after a 2 year focus on my etsy shop- and I wanted to get to know other quilters and share my experience, both good and bad with the quilting community.  I told my better half Jeff that I wanted to start and blog and the first thing he asked me was "what are you going to name it?"  That sent us on a several day long tangent of coming up with blog names and checking to see if they were already taken... We got some real winners in that brainstorming session... but I settled on sew wrong sew right because I think we all have those moments of pure joy when something goes sew right and also those moments of terror and dread when something goes sew wrong.  I felt at the time that many bloggers weren't sharing much on their process, just showing glamorous photos of perfect looking finished projects- and to me that didn't feel authentic.  I wanted my readers to know that I make mistakes too, and that the lessons learned from them are the most valuable ones.  I hope that my followers laugh with me when I fail and cheer with me when something comes out just right... those highs and lows are what make our journey as quilters so memorable.

 Were there other names you considered, and can you share any of them with us?

Oh boy were there ever some other potential names-  let me just start this by saying that one of the things I love most about Jeff is his uncanny ability to make me laugh- every single day.  He reminds me not to take myself too seriously, and the harder I try, the more funny he gets.  So I spent a few days trying to think of the perfect blog name, and he is constantly interjecting with names like "I'm Sexy and I Sew it"  (yes a really lame riff on the even lamer song "I'm sexy and I know it") - I mean come on.  That one still makes me laugh till this day though, and that is why he is so great- but that name was a no go.  He eventually came up with the one I picked, so he is not all fun and games, sometimes he is a little bit brilliant too! :)

Now that you are recognized by Sew Wrong Sew Right, are you happy with it, or do you wish you could change it to something else?

 I am happy with my blog name, and I don't really think I would change it if I could.  It is weird though, now that I am taking on customer quilts- I wanted to start a name for that business and it made sense to use my blog name or tie it in somehow- but I didn't think including the sew wrong part in my business name was such a great idea, as it wouldn't exactly inspire confidence in potential customers.  So for my business I chose Sew Right Quilting Service- and I think it ties it all in nicely.  Overall, it has been a good name for me, and I think I will stick with it!   

 

Thanks so much Cindy for the chance to share my name story on The Name Game- hope you all laughed a bit!

Thanks for playing this week, Molly. Even though you didn't choose "I'm Sexy and I Sew It," well, at least you know how Jeff views you!

Please stop by and say hello to Molly. As for me, I'm hoping we become really good friends.

The Name Game will be on hiatus until September 9. I'll be posting now and then in the meantime. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer.

The Name Game: Rainbow Hare

Today Janine is here from Rainbow Hare, all the way from East Sussex, United Kingdom. Not only does she sew and quilt, she makes the cutest little hares (you can read her "March Hare" blog post here).

How did you choose the name for your blog?

The short answer is that I called this blog ‘Rainbow Hare Quilts’ because I had a different blog called ‘The Rainbow Hare’ and I made this blog to focus on sewing, quilts and textile art. I couldn’t manage to keep up with two blogs, though, and this was the one I’ve kept going with. I originally intended to turn some designs from the first blog into quilts and wall hangings on this one but I’ve only done one so far…

The answer to “Why Rainbow Hare” is a little longer:

Before I started blogging I saw some hares in cages at an agricultural show. At that time I was studying and working long hours and I had no time to do anything creative. I identified with the hares as being confined and prevented from natural expression and creativity so the idea of a hare becoming free of its cage was like a metaphor for starting to blog and sewing again.

 I chose the ‘rainbow’ part because I associate colour with happiness and difference and possibility (for example, you can combine or mix colours in new ways and endless variations), as opposed to monochrome shades which I put on the side of the cage, for example being dull and grey and dreary or having rigid black and white thinking.(Later I discovered I’d actually seen Belgian Hares, which are a type of domesticated rabbit so named because they originated in Belgium and have been bred to resemble hares http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-belgian-hare.htm/).

 

Were there other names you considered, and can you share any of them with us?

I didn’t consider any other names at the time. The other day I thought ‘The Quilter of Foxhunt Green’ might have a nice ring to it but if we ever move house I’d have to change it again!

 

Now that you are recognized by Rainbow Hare, are you happy with it, or do you wish you could change it to something else?

 I’m happy with the ‘Rainbow Hare’ part but I’m not so sure about the word ‘Quilts’. I do love making quilts but I also like making wall hangings, cloth dolls, felt hares…anything in fabric or yarn so I think my blog is really a sewing blog rather than a strictly quilting one.

Thanks so much, Janine, for playing the Name Game today. Please stop by Rainbow Hare and say hi to Janine.

Next week, Molly will be here from Sew Wrong Sew Right. She has a great story about a blog name she might have considered. You won't want to miss it. And then we will take a break until September. Stay cool.

The Name Game: Random Thoughts...do or "di"

I don't know what it is like where you are, but here in the Central Valley of California, it's supposed to hit 113 degrees today! So stay cool by reading about Di, here from Random Thoughts...do or "di".

How did you choose the name for your blog?

I started my blog as a way for our children to follow us on our vacation through Brittany in 2010. It was originally named "On Vacation with Doc and di". 

When we returned from vacation my sister told me I should start writing about my quilts.

 (I want to copy this quilt)

I wanted to write about more than quilts, like family, travel, cooking and canning and gardening, so Random popped into my mind. 

 I changed the name to Random Thoughts do or "di" because I have always wanted to use my nickname in a business venture. My dream business would be a dessert business called "Desserts to di for"

 (are you hungry yet?)

Were there other names you considered, and can you share any of them with us?

No, after the original name change nothing else seems right.

(pattern here)

Now that you are recognized by Random Thoughts...do or "di," are you happy with it, or do you wish you could change it to something else?

I often wish I had a more creative name for my blog but after nearly three years I don't want to change it. I also like that people know my name  is "di" from my blog.

 

Thanks for playing along this week. With such a great blog name, you definitely should also link up to Really Random Thursday as well!