It looks like we will have some volunteers to help doing the updates so hopefully there won't be any long dry patches where there's nothing new on the blog. More volunteers are welcome because it means that the amount of work involved gets less, the more people there are to share it. When we started this challenge the blog was just a central location for participants to check on how each person was progressing, but in a very short time word got out and other tatters started hitting the blog to see what was happening.
It seemed to me that after following someone's tatting adventures for a year as they tatted their 25 motifs, not getting a regular dose of info on them was like quitting cold turkey, so even after they finished their 25, I kept including them in the updates. Strictly speaking when someone hits 25 motifs they ought to be removed from the challenge page but that seems a little abrupt and besides, these are friends we've come to look forward to reading about.
Volume-wise I just couldn't handle copying and posting the pictures of those who had finished the challenge along with those who were doing it for the first time, so I included the links, but not the pictures and I found so many times that I wished I could ignore my own self imposed rules when someone presented something really note worthy like Carol and her gingerbread house.
The more often a page gets linked to, the easier it becomes for search engines to find it. So this page becomes the hub linking tatter to tatter and making them easier to find. Each blog that links to the 25 Motif Challenge links to others, bringing in people from a wide variety of interests. People that know nothing about tatting suddenly see tatted lace in all it's glory and it piques their interest in learning how to tat. So the links are important.
I'm not getting a lot of feedback from people other than occasional comments about checking out the blog and what you get to see here is filtered through my eyes. It is possible that most of the people who get their regular dose of tatting eye candy through this blog don't care if people who have finished the challenge show up here or not. I doubt that that's the case, but if it is, then I have been wasting my time including them. If, on the other hand, tatters are as eager to see tatting as they are to eat chocolate, then maybe the pictures of what people have done even after the challenge is finished, should be included.
So, tell me what YOU think because it looks like the 25 Motif Challenge blog is going to become a somewhat permanent part of the tatting world and it might as well be structured to suit the people who visit it. Add your comments to this post rather than emailing me so that everyone can see what people think.
I have a permanent link to this blog in my links on my blog sidebar, I also subscribe to it in my google reader which I highly recommend to others for a simple way to keep track of blogs.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are that when someone finishes that readers of this blog should be encouraged to (if they want to be further updated)subscribe to their blogs by some sort of RSS feed like google reader, bloglines, feedburner, etc. this will make your job (and the helpers job)easier because there is already RSS feeds out there to keep people updated, why do the job twice?
That would also in the long run help everyone because you are introducing new tatters, their blogs, and encouraging self-sufficiency so that growth of the tatting world doesn't depend only on this blogs shoulders, but also on the readers and participants, and those who've completed the challenge though their own blogs.
I know there are lots of readers who do not know of RSS feeds but usually I've found once pointed to and introduced to the concept people generally love them and find them a wonderful tool to keep track of the ever growing list of blogs they enjoy.
I was introduced in this manner by Sharon B who's blog http://sharonb.wordpress.com/ is very popular in the fiber art/needlework world. And I am very grateful that she takes the time to do that for her readers, so I try to encourage others too.
Sharon
ReplyDeleteI do really appreciate your efforts in this blog. I check it daily and would miss the people who are done but are still posting.
I so know how much work this must be and if you can't keep up the people who are finished I will continue to blog surf to keep up with them
Thank You
Connie
I for one have enjoyed seeing what the finished participants have been working on. I completely agree about removing them once done being abrupt. Depending on how many volunteers you get, perhaps a new blog featuring the finished participants (or graduates, if you will) could be started. Half the volunteers could update the main challenge page, and the others working on the other blog. Both blogs would be linked so visitors could go to one from the other and vice versa. Of course, with enough people helping, it may not be necessary to separate everyone. Just an idea; I'll support anything you decide Sharon.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone, but particularly like Jeff's idea. I do know it was especially important and thrilling for me when I got started to check and the blog and see my pictures there. I could always tell from the counter on my blog when the challenge page had been updated. I know the RSS feeds make keeping up with people easier, but pictures and comments here are like making the local newspaper. I'll do whatever I can to help you and the tatting community. It is time for you to delegate so you can have some tatting time!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of keeping the tatters who have finished the challenge as I feel they have become part of the challenge community. I think that with volunteers it will be more reasonable to include everyone as the workload will be shared and not just put on your shoulders. I always check everyday to see if this blog has been updated and look forward to being kept up to date as to what other tatters are doing. I know that I and I think many others would be more than happy to help out.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful job you have done the past two years Sharon. I know it has been a lot of work for you but it has been greatly appreciated.
Some wonderful folks like Jeff, Aileen, Laura and Clyde have volunteered to help out. That means that we should be able to do the updates often enough that it won't get to be a BIG job for any one person. If it works we will be able to include both present and past participants and it wil always keep things new and FUN. I may even have time to blog in my own blog, Wow.
ReplyDeleteI love this blog because it helps me become familiar with tatters I might not otherwise have encountered. I also appreciate all the work you've done over the past two years. I wish I could help you out, but with school starting next week, I know I'd be taking on something I couldn't keep up with. Even if my name is removed because I've finished the challenge, I will keep checking to see what everyone else is up to. Thank you for all your hard work!
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful collection of the tatting in the world. I can not always take to time to go to each and everyone's blog as I have dialup and graphics take a long time to load, but by checking here, I can catch a snipete that picques my interest and go to the blogs from here.
ReplyDelete