Free Quilt Patterns + How to Add a Widget

(For active image, right click on widget in link)
I have spent hours and hours updating my Free Quilting Patterns list and have now created a widget that links the reader directly to this rather large list of sites that offer free quilt patterns or in the case of specific themes, to the actual pattern.

I began my list several years ago, feeling it was very important that I visit and save site information and not just 'copy' others' lists. Far too many of the 'lists' and 'free patterns' are actually not free or have dead links. As an avid blogger, researcher, and sharer of all things good, I spent an inordinate amount of time doing all of these.

When I visit other's sites and I see copying and pasting of others images or words, I know the blogger probably does not realize that they are infringing on another's bandwidth (which we have finite amounts of for the use of each of our blogs) or posting photos of works that may mislead others into thinking that we made the item, when we did not. The whole idea of copyright rights and the dangers of photo and image hosting, or the whole idea of quilting and copyright law are important ones, but it is also important to respect each artist or blogger's wishes by using good judgment and choices.

It is important to use link backs and public domain photos and not 'borrow' from others without their consent. Most of us are delighted to 'share' but appreciate links back.I can't even begin to tell you what enormous pleasure it gives me when I discover linkages from my posts on websites all over the world. My non-quilting articles have been featured on trend and buzz lists of major markets as have my free coupon links and tutorials. This makes me very happy. I feel like my work has value and my research was worthwhile and beside....I dearly love helping others :)

I am happy to offer you the info for placing the linkage for the "Free Quilt Patterns' logo on the right, as long as you please link it back to this blog. You also need to do this, in order to make it work! The widget used is from an altered image taken from public domain through google images and the image linking simply takes you to my own compiled list of free quilting patterns. At one time I tried to keep track of the number of patterns at each link or site...some made it easy for me by simply telling me their number, but others I tracked. I gave up when the list hit over 2,000. I continually add to this list, so my current 'guesstimate' is 2,500 or more free quilt patterns and I'm leaving it at that!!!

To add the widget and the link back for use by anyone, anytime, you follow these steps:

1. Go to Blogger Dashboard: layout
2. Add a page element: picture or image
3. To configure image, fill in the blanks as follows:

Title: Free Quilt Patterns
Link 1 to Heart and Hands blog free pattern site: http://with-heart-and-hands.blogspot.com/2007/10/free-quilting-patterns.html

Link choice 2 to my Free Quilt Patterns and Free Quilt Block Patterns separate blog: http://freequiltpatterns.blogspot.com/2009/03/free-quilt-patterns-list.html

And finally insert in the appropriate edit box this "Image (from the web":

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_aSMWM9ZrRLA/SlHy9IqGArI/AAAAAAAAOHg/uRl4dzvh658/s144/with%20my%20heart%20and%20my%20hands%20heading.jpg

And then finally click on : SAVE!

IF for any reason, your computer won't load this properly, or your blogger template doesn't work the same as mine does, then instead of using the Image (from the web (right click on my saved graphic first, so that it's on your own computer's desktop in a file, then use the optional linkage command of "from your computer" and link to that saved image, instead.

Allow it appear on your edit box as an image, if it does not, put cursor at end of jpg line and hit 'return' to activate it, manually.
It should appear, click save.

Thanks for the link back, I truly appreciate it!