I've been blogging about needlepoint regularly since 2005, and I am finding myself repeating what I've said many times before. Now that I've moved announcements of new items to the various trade show tabs, consolidated monthly clubs in one tab, put the best tips and hints I've found in one place, have a blog just for new stitch guide announcements, and have started tracking all the classes, talks and exhibits I hear about under one tab, there is less to talk about on Blog.
Blogs are dying anyway. During a typical day I'll read 15-20 blogs and perhaps 3 of them will have information that is useful to us needlepointers. And that's on a good day! The rise of Facebook has meant that fewer people have time to blog and fewer still say things that are helpful to their fellow stitchers. Since last winter I've scrambled to post two articles daily and this has only gotten harder and harder as summer has come and gone. It's also taking more of my time to come up with things to say that are useful. Is it time for Blog to retire?
I am considering posting only a couple of times a week while still updating the tabs, but I'd like to know what you think, faithful readers? Has Blog outlived its usefulness?
What do you like to read here? What don't you ever pay much attention to?
How should I proceed?
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 15, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.
23 comments:
I read needldwork blogs everyday, so I find the ones you reference often ones already in my reader. I love the blogs that post things about what they are stitching or where they went for classes. They give me inspiration and ideas for my projects. I miss that about your blog. I realize a lot of what you do now is secret and since you sell stitch guides you won't blog details but to me that takes away the part I enjoyed the most. Just my opinion.
I have always been amazed at how much you write about and love reading all of your blogs. However, can't blame you for moving to twice a week. I too am one of those bloggers who isn't writing much these days, but that's only because I'm not doing much in the way of stitching. Life changes, and in my case, change is good.
I am also guilty of not blogging much lately, but only because I'm super busy painting new canvases to debut at the January TNNA show. I read your blog every morning, and would really miss it if you decided not to blog. Facebook is great, but not for as much in depth info as you provide, and I really enjoy watching as you blog stitch a canvas! Hope you decide to continue.
Jane, I've read your blog all the time, but I understand if you want/need to cut back to only a few times a week. I enjoy needlework blogs, mostly because all my friends don't stitch, so I like my e-friends.
I read your blog daily and refer to it for good information when needed. Facebook just doesn't compare in terms of ease of finding information. Cutting back the posts is just fine but I hope you keep the blog going.
Jane, I've read your blog every day for about 4 yrs; it's almost always the first thing I read. The only thing I ever skip is stuff on Woodlawn & other such competitions - just not my 'thing'. I very much value the tutorials & love the finishes & new product info. There's always something new to me in the fiber articles.
By no means (IMO) has it outlived its usefulness! I appreciate the work you put into it, and would miss it very much if it disappeared. If it would be helpful to YOU to cut back to twice a week, might I suggest 2 set days (M/Th, Tu/F, or whatever)? There will always be new NPers that would learn from you & the other bloggers. Almost every time I'm in one of the LNSs, someone says "Did you see what Chilly Hollow said about XYZ?"
I follow your blog regularly. I don't do social media at all so all of my news/resourcing comes from blogs. Your information and links are valuable It's a tremendous amount of work so I will appreciate any schedule you choose to maintain. Thank you for all you do...
Your blog is my go to when I want to know what's happening. I think you have established yourself as a reliable, informative source in the needlepoint internet world, I definitely feel there would be a big hole if you decided to phase this blog out. I know how time consuming blogs can be but I do enjoy some of them and more and more I am limiting my time on Facebook. We all see the same videos and snippets of information posted and re-posted, and so much of it does not interest me. I keep thinking about the comparison between reading USA Today and The New York Times. You are my Needlepoint NYT!
The blog has certainly not outlived its usefulness and you are a great source about needlework, the needlepoint business world, and about stitching in general. Your information is always very accurate and interesting. I live quite far from a guild or LNS and so I value your blog and check it every day for new information and to feel in touch with someone else who loves needlepoint. My favorite blogs are the information you give about your own stitching and the reasons for choosing certain stitches. This is a weak point for me and it helps to see what you are doing. I also love your references to new products, series, classes and clubs. I hope you can continue as frequently as possible but I understand that you may need to cut back. I do check the blog first thing every morning! Liz
I love your blog and read it every day (usually it is my first thing). It is always interesting. I have noticed that most of the stitching blogs I follow, or should I say have followed, on your blog aren't active anymore. I hate that because I love the chattiness and the comraderie that was going on. We were all stitching friends and I lived keeping up with everyone. I have actually considered blogging about my needlepoint but I have decided that it must take too much time or be difficult because so many bloggers have fallen away. Please don't stop. You are an institution. Maybe go to a couple of times a week but don't stop! By the way, I love it when you blog stitch a project!
Hi Jane! I love when you are able to blog stitch. You are excellent at clearly explaining why choices work, or don't. I read many other blogs, most of which I've found from your blog list, so the posts with links to other blogs is not as relevant for me. Thank you for your years of entertainment. I really hope you continue posting in some way.
Whatever you do and whenever you do it, I'll be salivating eagerly and willing to wait. Here in South Africa there is very little needlepoint activity and what there is, tends to be either lurid or trite, and usually beaded up to the earlobes. So I'm pathetically grateful for what the WWW can provide, and your blog is funny, judicious and teeming with information that, OK, I mostly don't use but I still find interesting and sometimes inspirational. I'm not into social media at all, unless I'm following a specific link, and I doubt I ever will be. But I'm lost in admiration for the way you've kept on feeding wonderful fun and info into what must feel like a cosmic void. Don't make yourself a martyr, but certainly cut down. Give us a treat on Tuesdays, maybe - Tuesday is often a rather dull day, I find.
And thank you for many years of excellence.
(I thought I entered this yesterday - sorry for the mix-up).
I enjoy stopping by every morning and my favorite part is to follow your progress as you stitch a canvas and to learn from your your thread and stitch choices. I do understand, however, that your time is valuable and you should enjoy spending it; blogging included!
Somehow my comment from yesterday never made it onto your blog. Here we go again. Jane, please do not stop! I discovered your Chilly Hollow blog a couple of years ago and have not looked back. It is an invaluable source of information for needlepointers and one of the first things I read every morning. Over the last two years I have also read back through the archives, stopping only when I ran into a wall of broken links. (Perhaps that is one reason to keep on blogging.) I most appreciate your postings about materials and methods, and I refer back to them often, but I am very grateful for the convenience this blog affords, allowing me to access all the needlepoint news in one place. I cannot begin to say how much I appreciate all your work--and I would say so more frequently if I did not have so much difficulty figuring out how to leave comments on Google Blogger!
Since I also read your blog every day before I do anything else, I will miss it if you cut back. However, I must admit that due to such busy lives we lead I understand. I have been trying to cut back some myself. I always used to post every day, but am trying now to post on M-W-F for sure. I still do read other blogs, read FB needlepoint nation, and all of the newsletters too. It takes a lot of time but I learn a great deal from everyone and every article! I realize that this is not really an answer, just what I am doing too!
Jane, I tried to comment earlier, not sure where it went, but hope this isn't a repeat. In any event, I LOVE your blog, and as so many others, enjoy it every morning with my coffee. I am in awe of the hard work you do here and on Facebook to benefit stitchers everywhere. I enjoy being part of NN on Facebbook, but your blog is so much more than that, and I do hope you will continue. I love your blog stitching, your sharing of technique and tools and threads, your industry and artist news, and your wonderful sense of humor! I use the announcement tabs less frequently. Thank you for all that you do.
Jane, I am adding my "Me too" to this list of readers. Your blog was the first needlepoint blog that I started reading and your information helped me find others. I enjoy you everyday, but will learn to cope with less frequent postings. I am sure it takes a phenomenal amount of your time to search all of the sources you have to bring all of the information to us. So I am hoping you won't retire the blog altogether, but will post as you have something interesting for us. I have learned a great deal here. Thank you for that.
Facebook is no replacement for the services you give me.
Jane, first I would totally understand the cut back. I've wondered HOW you do all that you do each day and still have stitching time. I will also say that yours is the blog that I most look forward to each morning. I'll skim through some others to see if there is anything new posted and save yours as the "cream for my coffee". You always have some new something to tell us about. I also refer to it as a goldmind of knowledge. I've especially loved it when you have "blog stitched" a piece and we can see it develop. So, yes, if you cut back I'll certainly miss it...... but I'll also totally understand. There was a line in my favorite movie..... "wherever you go I'll find you"....so whatever day you post on, I'll be looking forward to reading it!
I wish you would devote the blog to talking your way through your current project as you used to do. It was where I learned the most.
I'm with Joan (and some of the others) - the best part of Blog for me was what it says in your taglline - watching you stitch a canvas, mistakes and all. (I still mourn the demise of the Millennium Stars, and won't be around to see you finish it at the turn of the next millennium ). But if you can't, you can't. Life moves on - as I know only too well. (3rd October already and I haven't done a single stitch this month yet!!!) Try twice a week - I'd miss you in my Feedly...
I too follow your blog regularly - it is the first blog I turn to (nearly) each day and the blog I use to begin other reading, via the ones you list on the side. I enjoy the variety of things your share. I'm not a painted canvas person, but I know lots of people other - different strokes for different folks! That said, whenever something enjoyable becomes a burden, the person creating it needs to makes some changes for themselves. I will absolutely read anything and everything you post, but if you choose to change your schedule, that would be completely understandable. Thank you for all the knowledge you have shared with so many!
I follow and read your blog regularly. I find many times I've missed an announcement or perhaps project that I would not have known otherwise. I enjoy FB but do find it more time consuming to "get around" - perhaps this is just my inexperience with it. I also find in talking to others that many do not use FB. Keeping up a blog myself I am well aware of the time involved. Perhaps cutting back to posting 2-3 times weekly but I would definitely like to see you continue. Anyway, that's my two bits :)
Jane, if there were to be only one needlepoint blog out there, it should be yours! I would happily give up Facebook and follow your blog given the choice. I also agree with an earlier commenter that I would love to see more of what you are stitching on.
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