Sunday, June 21, 2009

Thursday SAL and We Want Your Suggestions

It's Thursday and everyone who is able to stitch, we can't wait to see your progress!

Wendy and I were chatting earlier today and we were worried our members may feel pressured to post every week. We don't want anyone to feel this way. I'm going to put a survey at the very bottom of this page asking you how often you want to post or if you want to continue a Thursday SAL. (Just hit your END tab on your keyboard and you'll get to the bottom quicker:) This is your blog, so we hope you'll participate.

Please don't be afraid to post suggestions or email Wendy or myself with questions.

Babs had suggested we have the Archives listed on the sidebar, which is a great idea. Anything else you'd like to see, not see?

Hope you're all having a great week! We look forward to hearing from you:)

Cindy F. and Wendy

16 comments:

Marie said...

Good morning Cindy and Wendy !

I want to express my feelings about what is happening... !

It have the impression that the fire which was strongly burning in this blog, is slowly disapearing...
We are 100 members, and I can not understand why there is not more life here ! In fact, when I subscribed to this blog, it was for me an engagement. It's not always easy and the time is running for me too, with a lot of things to do, but I am in this blog, so it's necessary for me to post updates (in my case it's every thursday, but 1 time in the month is the minimum I think).

I'm here, telling you very often that you are all my motivation and that you are important for me. It's the truth ! I think that this blog is based on an emulation. We must all do an effort because we need each other.
I am here to share my progress but I need to see the work of you all. I need to feed my motivation with all the works and the experiences of each one from this blog.
So, sometimes, I do not understand why there are not more updates from the members. I know that life is full of things to do, but we knew it when we subscribed here, and I think that if we can not make a post with an update of our work, we could just make a post with a few words explaining that we are still alive ! Yes, it's a little abrupt... but I try to do my best in english, and secondly I NEED YOU ALL !!!

So don't let the fire disapear, please, people, come on !!!

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love this blog, probably even more than the HAED BB. My only problem with a Thursday SAL, is that I work full time (although I just had surgery and home for 2 weeks now!) and a weeknight is just not a productive evening for me. I imagine we have a wide range of schedules with 100 people, so I like the idea of the weekly update, but no specific day.

Whatever is decided I will continue to stitch and show as much as possible, so please stay around!

Susan

Cindy F. said...

Marie and Susan...THANK YOU:) Your comments mean so much to us! We hope everyone will vote on our poll:)
Thanks for making our blog a great place!

stitchenmylifeaway said...

Cindy & Wendy,
Sorry I have not posted but I am just dissapointed in the results of my stitching. I find I don't like to stitch over one. I have plans to start over on another fabric so that I can stitch two over two and be comfortable with what I am doing. Thursdays are great for me as I do have commitments for the other days of the week.

Thanks for asking
Shay

Anne said...

I love having something to show off every week so I work a little harder on my piece. I know that the blog is a lot of work for you, but I for one enjoy it and look forward to Thursday every week.

Beatrice said...

Hi there.
I try to post as much as I can..but I stitch on my HAED on Monday mostly.. that works for me.
I love to see all of the progress and always look forward to seeing what everyone is doing.
I think if the posts are done at least once a month should be enough to keep updated. More is better, weekly is best.
The Label is important to see who has posted, how many times, but... at the beginning I know I didn't mark the label right so I have about 4 places.Is there a way to bring them together? that might shorten the list for you.

There is a definite drop off in #'s there when you see the Archives.

Keep up the good work and Thanks for keeping this blog going.

Do you realize my piece might take me 10 years...lol?
Take care and stitch with happy fingers.

Cindy F. said...

Shay, take your time. It is important to be comfortable and happy with what we're stitching and the fabric...or we won't enjoy it.

Anne, this blog is not a lot of work. You guys do most of the work by posting. You stitch and post whenever you feel like it. I will always enjoy seeing your progress:)

Beatrice, I will try to fix your labels for you. If you ever want to change labels, just go to post and under post, find yours...click on edit and change the labels.

Thank you ladies :)

Angie said...

Just found out I am pregnant this week and nausea is keeping me from doing much of anything, I did vote though.

Yvonne said...

I haven't been posting for the last 3 weeks too. Just don't have the motivation to work on my HAED during this period. However, from next week on, I will put in more efforts as I am so closed to finishing it.

Congratulations Patchesmany!!! I realised that this is not only an enabling blog but also a fertile one. Since I joined, I've read about some members who are pregnant or given birth. Hopefully it will be my turn next ;0)

Thank you so much to Wendy and Cindy for setting up this blog.

Yvonne

stitchenmylifeaway said...

Thanks Cindy.
I hope to get my new fabric this weekend and maybe have a pic of my start for next Thursday.
Shay

Cindy F. said...

Patchesmany!!! THAT IS AWESOME NEWS!!! CONGRATULATIONS!! We are so excited for you:) I hope your nausea doesn't last long;) Best wishes for a happy pregnancy!!

Yvonne, don't feel bad girl! I lost my mojo this whole last week!! DH says sometimes we need a break and not to feel guilty about it:) I read on Stitcher's Village last night that stitching is not supposed to be rushed, but take your time and enjoy it. I think I forgot that;)

Shay, we LOVE to see new starts:) They give us new energy!! Have fun and enjoy every stitch:)

(((HUGS)))

Sally said...

I like the idea of posting a progress picture every week as it keeps me motivated and shows my progress too. I realise that not everyone has the time to do this though. I love this blog as I'm able to see everyones progress in one place and it keeps up my enthusiasm and motivation for stitching on HAEDs as there are times we need that extra push! Hope that makes sense.

Gabi said...

For me it doesn't matter if it says weekly or monthly. I don't think also it's important if a member stitches once per week (or what day of the week that is), or has a HAED in her rotation. And of course there are times when life comes in between.
That being said...lol...there is one thing I don't really agree with. There are 100 members, but not all members are posting. And I'm not talking about people who have a reason for an x amount of time, but for the people who want to be member of a blog without contributing WHILE there are people waiting to become a member. People who dearly would like to participate. But that are just my 2 cents :)

Cindy F. said...

Sally, yes! You make perfect sense:)
and thank you for your comment!

Gabi, Wendy and I truly appreciate your "2 cents worth" and we agree! Why join if you have never and will never post? We are still working on going through memberships. We realize people get intimated or bored with stitching large pieces and the purpose of this blog is to help keep everyone motivated to FINISH their HAED's! We want our members active...posting and commenting helps keep us motivated:)

Thanks ladies!! (((HUGS)))

Suzie said...

I guess it is a matter of perspective, because every morning when I log onto this blog, there are several more entries, with new updates.

I belong to some other stitching groups, and this one is the most active! There is one that I'm on, that I haven't ever seen the group owner post anything.

Over the years, I've either co-owner, or was a moderator for a number of different groups in different formats, and have come to realize that no matter what the topic, nor the format, they all start out with everyone posting, everyone enthused, and very involved. But within weeks, the rush settles down. Some find the status quo to be satisfactory, while others find it depressing, and look at it as a decline in interest. The viewpoint is more a matter of personality and interpretation.

The group then establishes into a core number, sometimes just a handful, of active members posting, while the rest remain silent partners in the adventure.

I too have noticed that there aren't as many responses to the updates as there were before, but I consider myself guilty of not leaving many myself lately. It hasn't been that I haven't been enjoying everyone's beautiful work, because I have, but I just plain haven't had the time.

Not to cry poor me, because everyone else has busy schedules too. I had one when I signed on, but as in life, things change, and now it has gotten even busier because of several factors all happening at once.

It is Summer, and gardens need tending, grass needs mowing, etc. I don't have that extra work, when the snow is flying. Later, when it gets too hot to be outside, and hopefully my other obligations slow down, I'll get back into stitching more again.

We had to spend more time at the Mayo Clinic than we expected, this trip, and since we've returned, I've had all sorts of appointments for myself, and my Mom, that I've got to drive her to. It seems with the three of us, medical appointments make up most of my week. And I can never guarantee that I'm going to have a Thursday, or any other day of the week free.

My darlin hubs, besides fighting cancer, is now experiencing memory loss too, so the things that I used depend upon him doing, I have to follow up now, to make sure that they're done.

And in August, we go back again, for over a week. By the time I figure in all that I need to get ready, and then to catch up when we return, most of my month is gone. We have to do this every 85 days.

While it is enjoyable for me to view everyone's progress, sometimes it hits me the other way. I feel discouraged because I'm not working on mine as much as everyone else is, and I feel like I'm not measuring up to what everyone expects of me, and then it becomes stressful for me. Stitching is not supposed to do that to you! I recently had to get a bite splint because I clinch my jaw so tightly, I am throwing my whole bone, muscle and nerve section on my face, out of balance, causing me intense pain. I've even found myself clinching my jaw when I stitch. This is not good.

I have managed to get a little more stitching done, but am embarassed to post it. .but I will as soon as I take the photo.

But if everyone else agrees that we do weekly updates, whether it be on a Thursday or whatever day, then I'm going to have to make the very sad decision to be one of those who gives up her spot for someone else who can stitch in a more regimented fashion. I simply won't be able to keep up with everyone else. Heck, I already feel like I am so far behind, I'll never catch up.

This reponse seems like it is all gloom and doom, and I apologize for that. I have a tendency to keep problems to myself. I just wanted to let you know why I haven't been posting as much as I used to do. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that some time will open up for me to be more active again, but only because of good reasons!

I hope that everyone has a beautiful evening!

Cindy F. said...

Suzie, you dear sweet friend:) Thank you for these comments. You hit on so many good points,,,,but the main one being, it's not supposed to be stressful. No one on this blog can disappoint me, unless they joined only for prizes. Even if most everyone wanted to post weekly, Wendy and I won't change the "stitch and post when you can"....not ever. If we keep a SAL day, the blog will never limit itself to that day. We do not want you or anyone to feel obligated, ever to post on this blog. This is for fun,,,and to keep us each motivated. I have been feeling some stress myself lately;) as I'm sure many of us have. Suzie, I am keeping you and your dh in my daily thoughts and prayers. Don't worry about anything or anyone besides you and dh! We will be here to support you...not just as an HAED stitcher, but as our dear friend!
BIG (((HUGS)))