Mosaic Tutorial

There has been a lot of exciting activity in the world of British Quilters this week!
The amazing human dynamo that is Lynne of Lily's Quilts has started a Brit Quilt Group on Flickr for all us British Quilters to get together and share stuff.
And if that's not enough we are now busy organising our first swap! And guess who is going to be a Swap Mama? Yes that's right, little old me! (I am unbelievably excited about this!).
It is going to be a very relaxed and easy mini quilt swap. We are trying to make sign-ups as simple as possible by getting everyone to make a mosaic and write their likes/dislikes/allergy issues in the description (though this idea could still change!).
So I have voluteered to do a quick tutorial on how to make a mosaic on Flickr. Based on the idea that if an IT idiot like me can do it, then you all can!

First of all I like to have all the photos I am going to put in my mosaic already 'favourited' in Flickr. So why not spend a short while going through some of your favourite groups or contact's photostreams and 'favourite' all the images you like and that you think will give your partner a good idea of the sort of quilt you would like to receive. You don't need to restrict your mosaic to quilt photos you can use anything as inspiration.

Next, and in a separate tab, go to Big Huge Labs Mosaic Maker (just click that link there) and you will go straight to the mosaic maker. It is so simple, the only thing you need to do with this form page is to set your columns and rows. It opens at a default of 2 x 2 which would give you a bit of a measly 4 photo mosaic. I usually set mine to 4 x 4 to give me 16, but I have also done 6, 12 and even 20.
Make sure the button is selected to choose your images 'inidividually'.
Now all you need to do is to go to your Flickr Favourites and pick one, copy the URL (the internet address of that photo) and post it into the No 1. space on the mosaic maker (where it says 'or enter URL').
Just repeat this step until all 16 spaces have been filled.
Then press CREATE.
If your mosaic has some blank spaces press the 'edit' button above the mosaic and choose some different favourites (not every photo is made available to mosaic making).
When you are happy with your mosaic, go to the 'share' button and choose Flickr. It may ask your permission to do this, just agree to everything (that's what you do on the internet, right?).
Pretty soon it will tell you it has finished and show a link to view your photostream.
And, as if by magic, the mosaic is transported to your Flickr photostream with all the 'credits' in the description!
You will probably want to change the title to something like 'Brit Quilt Swap Mosaic'.
It would also be useful if you added 'notes' to explain what you like about the different photos.

Keep your eye out on the Brit Quilt Group for more information about the swap sign-ups. We are still deciding everything at the moment! But I just know it's going to be fun, fun, fun!!

Apologies to all my international followers who won't be able to take part :(
I hope you found the tute useful anyway!