You may have noticed that some of the posts for the 25 Motif Challenge are extremely long. That happens when I get busy with things like vacations and renovations and can't do updates in a timely manner. From my perspective it means that when I do get to the update it's going to take an enormous amount of time. For example, Dec 30th's post took over 5 hours to complete and when I'm busy, that seems like an enormous time suck.
I have noticed that we have gone from just under 100 participants down to 25 and that most of the items displayed are also being posted on Facebook. So I'm wondering if this challenge blog has become redundant and if so, maybe it's time to close it down.
Your comments and input would be appreciated. Please let me know what you think in the comments.
UPDATE:
Only some of the people signed up for the challenge provided feedback. Only two or three really want the blog to continue, but most are ambivalent, so it seems like it's time to let it go. I have tried to keep up with all the lovely tatting since August of 2006 and have been introduced to some people I wouldn't have gotten to know otherwise. Those who are still actively pursuing their goal of 25 motifs in a year can still keep up with one another by clicking on the links in the sidebar on the right. As for me, I think my time can be better spent elsewhere, so I will no longer be doing updates.
Thanks for your participation and all the wonderful laces you have shared with us over the last 12 years. Sharon Briggs
23 comments:
I for one Love your curating and always look forward to a new post. Not being on facebook makes this blog that much more important.
Also, after coming across them on this blog, I have started following most of the participants. So in a sense it does become redundant. Yet, when in a time constraint or on a slow internet connection, your post updates me at a glance without having to visit each blog individually.
However, I do realise the immense time & effort required in putting it all together.
I'd like this challenge to continue (I'd actually completed 3 challenges in 2 years before I stopped counting) but the decision is all yours. Time is always at a premium :-(
Wishing you a very happy new year with lots of creative time :-)
Thanks & hugs
I really enjoy this blog. Thank you for all the work you put into it. It really encourages us to tat more.
I enjoy reading this blog. I'm not on Facebook, so if you did away with the 25-Motif Challenge blog, I'd pretty much be left out. I guess I could bookmark everyone's blog and check every few days to see what they're all tatting, but having one place to go for all of it is much easier. Thanks for all you've been doing.
StephanieW
Many thanks for your time. I love this blog. Happy new year!
I feel the same way about the TIAS - that it's been 'taken over' to/by Facebook. That's part of the reason I see no point in carrying on with it. I'm going to use this quote - 'to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose'. Having said that you've done a fantastic job on the challenge page - I'd have never taken that commitment on and I've long admired you for doing it.
It would be a shame to lose the 25 motif challenge, it can be a great way of focusing on tatting. But it’s a huge commitment on your part, no one would blame you if you called it a day.
I truly enjoy this blog and find other tatters through it. That said, I’m not sure it's worth FIVE hours of your time. Go gently into the night IMHO.
This blog was the "go to" place to see tatting in the early years of the 21st Century, and was a real source of encouragement and inspiration for me at the time. However, technology has moved forward and like you said, there's loads of tatting to be seen on Facebook, as well as Instagram, Pinterest, and other sites. Your time is very valuable! You could be spending those hours tatting or doing something else that you enjoy. My opinion: this blog has served its purpose. Time to let it be done.
I find Facebook unwieldy to find anything I'm actually looking for. Your blog is great for grouping recent activity all in one place. But if the time and effort are becoming too much, I can understand if you don't want to go on. I'm grateful for all you have done over the years.
I enjoy your blog and your synopses of the postings. It is nice to have it all together. But, I can certainly understand that you have a life, with its own complications and challenges.
Happy New Year. Follow your heart.
I think you do an awesome job and that is an awful large amount of time!!
If you have to shut it down I will understand. Please know that I appreciate all that you have done and for allowing me to join in(even though, for that past few years I have failed at meeting my goal of 25).
Happy New Year!!!!
Boldog új évet kivánok!
Én tudom hogy sok munka, mire összeszeded a blogokból a munkáinkat, ez nagy feladat, én mégis nagyon sajnálnám, ha be zárod a blogot...Engem inspirál, hogy újabb és újabb munkával jelenjek meg a blogomon, mert tudom más is megnézi...és hozod ide .Jó ide tartozni, annak ellenére, hogy nyelvi akadályok vannak, hisz sokszor a fordítás érthetetlenné teszi az írásokat...Szeretem a többiek munkáit is megnézni...
Remélem a többiekkel együtt sikerül meggyőznünk és nem zárod be a blogot...
Én is tagja vagyok a facének, de a munkáimat nem szoktam feltenni, csak nagy ritkán...További sok sikert és jó munkát :::Vera...
I enjoy this blog, I enjoy seeing what other tatters have been doing,
You have introduce many tatters to each other who would not normally see each other's work,
It is nice to have a challenge to do and to keep everyone motivated
Keep up the good work.
What if you did a 25 Motif Challenge Facebook page that everyone could post their own pictures to?
I thank you for the years of work you have given. I too like to see your synopsis. I aspire to tat motif after motif, but life gets in the way. Please take care of yourself. Your tatting and balance in your life should be most important.
I have SO enjoyed your Motif Challenge updates!
I myself have been so busy with other things, and I just thought to myself: the tatting community, and The 25 Motif Challenge would always be there. Although I have tatted small items, it has been 3 years since I have posted to my tatting blog.
So, I am not really qualified to voice my opinion, but I wanted to say THANKS, and give my humble opinion.
It makes me sad...
but I do think there is a time and place for everything.... and I reluctantly agree that facebook is becoming a 'gather all things' place ... even if we don't all want it to be!
Over the past 15 years, I have seen forum and groups of the African violet start up, and grow. At the beginning there were seven active African violet forums and groups. I was owner of one.... we had over 1,200 members and averaged 100 posts per day. Eventually, the free forums closed, and Facebook grew. Now there is one mildly active forum off facebook, and at least five facebook groups.
As sad as it is, there will be a few people who don't want to move to Facebook... me included, but the majority already have.
I definitely understand how much time this challenge blog takes, and I definitely think our time with our family and our off computer time is valuable. You need to do what YOU want to do.
I would suggest, maybe maintain a list of active participants, and if you also include a list of past participants, we would have a very handy 'shortcut list' if we want to keep up with other participants. When someone begins a Challenge, they could make a comment on a 'Sign up here' post??? Once or twice a month, you could update the list here??
Just my opinion. My main purpose for this comment is to say THANK YOU... it was appreciated! <3
I love and admire the entire Tatting 'community' : everyone is so encouraging. Everyone is genuinely interested in what everyone else is doing and are not shy about saying 'Great Job'.
Just love this blog and admire the efforts you put in compiling.
Hi. I have just begun tatting and look forward to learning as much as possible. Your work will continue to help and inspire others for a very long time. Thank-you for all you have done and continue to do. Numbers do not always show the impact you truly have. Best wishes. Rick in Ga.
Muskaan expressed my own thoughts with just one more addition. When other things are crowding into my 'me' time, the challenge provides a little extra motivation to make time to tat. I was just now popping in to join again for this year. Thank you for all of the years that you've done this for us, but maybe you need to do what is best for you for a while. Gratefully yours,
Sorry to hear your are leaving. I have checking alot to see your updates. I have enjoy your hard work to keep this up. However I want to thank you for your hard work. Will you keep up your personal blog or are you on facebook?
Thank again for your past work here.
Linda
Job well done Sharon - you are always appreciated & thank you for hosting this site thru the years. If it is time to close, it is time to close. Thank you for leaving the links up, giving us time to find our tatting friends and partitipants.
I agree with Martha re. Facebook. It really is a challenge to locate anything. Tho, some of the 'groups' are nice. Have a group focus/topic, you know the content and scroll thru. Guessing the Administrators have a lot to do with the group success. Blessings Sharon.
I am just finding out about this. Is there a list somewhere of the 25 motifs to work on for this challenge? I assume the aim is self-improvement and I would like to try a few. I'll be following some links from your 25 Motif blog and also from your web page. Thank you.
Please don't close the blog. I access facebook on my phone and so it's very difficult to get free patterns that I like! I much prefer coming here to see what peeps have made! Plus, they don't share stuff on FB, only on or via blogs!
Please keep it going!
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