Sunday, June 24, 2012

Week 6 Blog Hop News and Giveaway


Plum and JuneWeekly calendar:  be sure to visit these blogs this week to meet the bloggers and learn more about them AND see the projects they made especially for the blog hop!

June 26
    Svetlana from Sotak Handmade
    Beth from Plum and June (my turn!)
June 28
    Julie from Jolie Maxtin
    Lori from Adventures in Fabric

Click here to find links to the awesome tutorials from the last five weeks and to see some fantastic events currently being hosted by blog hoppers.  


Plum and JuneThis week's guest blogger is Angela from the wonderful Cut to Pieces.  I first found Angela's blog when I spotted this beautiful mini.  And I've enjoyed following her blog ever since and seeing all her lovely projects and her awesome tutorials.  To help us out, Angela answered some questions I sent her based on the information you all told me you were interested in hearing more about.


1.  What do you think is most important for new quilting bloggers to know?  Were you given some advice when you started blogging that you could pass on?

Well I think the first thing is to just start blogging because you WANT to.  Don't do it because "everyone" seems to be doing it or you want to become popular or other insincere reasons.  Blogging is about sharing your own journey through whatever projects you are tackling, whether that is quilting, sewing, painting, or life in general.  Not everyone will want to read your blog and not everyone needs to write a blog.  I didn't write a blog for at least a year after I was seriously involved in the online quilting community.  And when I started I did it because I realized I had a lot more to say about WHY I was making the sewing and quilting decisions I was.  And I realized that I needed to document the things that I was making because I kept giving them away and you so easily forget what you've made or what it took to make it.

There wasn't anyone that I knew well enough to ask about blogging when I started so I didn't really get any advice.  I just started writing and invited the people that I was in bees and swaps with on flickr to read along.  And eventually others followed.

Cut To Pieces
2.  Is there anything you now know that you wish you would have known when you started your blog?  Anything you wish you had done differently?  Anything you now know NOT to do on a blog (not necessarily something you have done but something you now know never to do.) 

Well one of the things that I have learned is that having a blog is A LOT of work.  If you write a post even three times a week that means you need to generate enough content to warrant that.  You need to be taking photographs of your work and then editing them and uploading them and then finally writing a blog post.  I don't think most people realize the time commitment that is involved with that.  So perhaps decide how much time you have to give to something like this.  Because when you are blogging, you are not sewing.  It's really hard to keep that all in balance.

Another thing that I learned is that you need to BE YOURSELF.  People come to a blog because they like the pretty pictures or ideas, but they also come because they enjoy reading how the particular blogger writes.  So speak with your own voice.

I try not to have a lot of regrets in the blogging world.  One thing I've seen and learned is to "save the drama for your mama".  People do NOT want to hear your grievances against someone else unless there is really no other resort or you would be protecting people.  But in general, be kind.  Don't be fake.  But seriously...if you don't have something nice to say then don't say it.  Figure out how to air your grievances in a way that does not attack.

                   image from Cut to Pieces
3.  What would your advice be for growing readership?  Any advice on using social media to do so?

If you really want to grow your readership then you need to be involved...involved in swaps and bees and be a presence somewhere.  

Also, I personally don't like doing this, but I know it works...throwing around pictures of popular fabric draws people in.  We're suckers for a pretty picture of fabric we like.  

Giveaways work as well...but be prepared for people who complain...because they're always out there.  I started with giveaways of things that I had made and went from there.  It was quite a while before I had a "sponsored" giveaway.  Giving away a precious item that you has made shows your readers that you are serious about respecting their time and appreciate that they read your blog.  I also gave away my own fabric that I purchased.   I'm not sure how many people are doing sponsored giveaways these days...it may be easier to find someone than when I first started.

4.  Do you blog surf?  If so, can you pinpoint a few aspects of a new blog that would make you want to become a follower?  And is there anything that would make you want to never visit that blog again? 

Occasionally...but I typically go outside of the quilting world when I do.  For me to follow a quilting blog, the writer has to have a style that appeals to me...that doesn't necessarily mean that they appeal to everyone.  More often, for the blogs that I don't follow, I will read an occasional post when I see an item that I like on flickr and want to know more about it.  HOWEVER this can only happen if the person has put a link under their picture on flickr directing me toward their blog.  You can't make it hard for people to find you!

As mentioned before, drama tuns me off...gripey whiney drama in particular.  I want to see "real" people but I don't want to surround myself in negativity.  So it's not that a person needs to be spurting out sunshine and rainbows all the time (that can be equally annoying), but I don't follow regular "complainers".  

                                             image from Cut to Pieces
5.  What types of posts are most popular on your blog and what about those posts is it that make them such?

Boy if you get the answer to this question then let me know!  I've always been surprised by what topic will strike a chord with my readers and what doesn't get a lot of response.  I do think that it is key to engage your readers in order to get responses.  So I always reply to everyone that I can who comments on my blog...some people don't give you email access, so there isn't much you can do unless you want to comment publicly on your own blog in response.

Still, to be fair, I would say that my most popular posts have been about my mini quilts and the stories that go with them.  That and really great giveaways.;)  But the minis are often made for someone who's identity I have not revealed and the story is not given until the end...so there is some anticipation I think to learn about the piece.

6.  As part of the advice series, we will be putting together a checklist for new quilting bloggers including items to help us look at our blogs objectively in terms of the look of our blogs, the photos, the content, the writing, etc. - any tips for what you think we should include on the checklist?

A clean, crisp look is most appealing to me...but that is very subjective.  There are lots of different blog styles out there.  Just make sure that your blog is easy to navigate.  

You may have noticed (even with this) that I tend to be a little long winded...some bloggers will give you five sentences and call it a day.  And it works.  That rarely works for me.  It's just not how I communicate online.  So again, the writing style is pretty subjective too.  I'm not a ton of help here!  Sorry!

7.  Thinking ahead:  (a) how and when should new bloggers solicit sponsors and (2) how and when should new bloggers seek out ways to be published.

a)Well gathering sponsors for a blog is a very personal decision and frankly a fair amount of pressure.  I don't find that it pays me enough for the pressure and have considered chucking it all...but I still end up blogging, so I guess we're all good.

I did ask a couple of people to sponsor my blog and was asked by another to be a sponsor all around the same time.  Some people turned me down.  It WILL happen.  One thing I learned is that a lot of companies budget their advertising for the year...so you can ask them now, but expect them to not be free to do that until the new year.  In fact, you might even suggest that yourself.  You may get someone who is willing to branch out later but doesn't have the time to think about that right now.  

                  image from Cut to Pieces
Also, you may find that asking someone to do a sponsored giveaway is a good alternative for both of you.  They might decide that they get a lot of traffic through your blog and you may get new readers through having a sponsored giveaway.  Plus it is a one time deal...you can find if you are a good fit for each other.

b) If you want to get published then contact publishers!  They are always looking for new work and ideas...but beware...it's not uncommon in this current industry to not be paid for certain publications.  But it gets you out there and gives you some credibility.  Most magazines will pay you for your work but it's a wait to see if you've been accepted.  Books are a little rarer to be published in because unless you are doing your own, then it is a compilation.  And that means that it takes many hands to make one book.  Which means it takes more time.  It's typically a year and a half to two years for book publications to come out from the initial invitation...that's a long time to wait if you are doing this to tell people about it.  Because you can never talk about publications that early. ;)

Good luck everyone!  And thank you for having me!
May we all accomplish even one dream of ours.

Angela

Thanks Angela for all the great insights and advice!

Giveaway:
  
This week's giveaway is sponsored by the very cool Contemporary Cloth.  They have a wonderful selection of fresh, modern fabric and they are currently having an awesome sale.  The giveaway includes two Jennifer Paganelli charm packs (Dance with Me and St. Croix) plus one yard of Kona in a color of your choosing.


To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post.  Leave any comment you want to enter but since it is fun to have a topic, if  you'd like you can tell us what is it about the blogs you follow that caused you to click the follow button?  One comment per person for an entry (replies to other comments don't count so reply all you want!)  The giveaway will be open until Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 8pm EDT and a winner will be chosen at random.  And, PLEASE, leave an email address unless you are sure that you are not a no-reply blogger.  The winner will be announced in the Week 7 Blog Hop News on Monday, July 2nd. 


The winner of last week's giveaway from Fabricworm is #44 - bhafer.  Congrats!  



Anyone participating in or following along with the blog hop can add a link.  Please either post the button or a text link somewhere in your post or on your blog and please visit (at the very least) the person who links up right before you and leave a comment!  For fun (actually, an experiment), when the link tool asks for your name - write down your favorite color instead.  





131 comments:

  1. I follow blogs that hold my interest, the writing must be good and I love seeing lots of photos.

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  2. I love to follow blogs that have great photos of great projects. I know I'll want to return when I see that kind of inspiration. Thanks, Angela, for the wonderful advice!

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  3. I love blogs that have an overall fresh, clean look. Long or short posts are fine with me as long as they're well written and full of grammatical and/or spelling errors. And great photos help! The main thing I look for is interesting content and the sense that the author is sharing a bit of herself with the reader in her writing.

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  4. I love great pictures. They are like the soul of a blog.

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  5. I love these advice for new bloggers posts. They are great!! I enjoy blogs that are clean and have projects that I like. It makes me stop back for more.

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  6. I generally go back to blogs with projects that appeal to me, and that are fun to read. Good spelling and grammar go a long way towards making me want to read more.

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  7. I do love great pictures but I also want to see projects that resonate. : )

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  8. Up until recently I've followed a pile of blogs as part of giveaway requirements, but I've found that now my reader is full of posts that don't necessarily inspire me and I just skip over. Unfortunately, unsubscribing is not as easy as Google Reader pretends with its fancy "unsubscribe" option in the reader settings because they keep coming back! Seems I now have to visit each of these blogs individually and unsubscribe through GFC.

    Having said that, I love to read blogs that have interesting tutorials and/or techniques, or if the writer has a great writing style or sense of humour.

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  9. Thank you for hosting this giveaway. I like a clean blog with great pictures. Ironically, the background to my blog is very busy, but when I went to change the background, a more subdued background didn't fit my personality! I also don't like a blog that is full of advertising or a blog that seems like every post is an advertisement or giveaway.

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  10. I like blogs with personality. If the author seems real, and I feel like they're the kind of person I'd want to know in real life, then I follow. :)

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  11. Pretty Fabric! My Hubby is coming home in a week after being gone 2 months!

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  12. These posts and interviews with bloggers are so helpful! I follow a blog because the writer's personality shines through and I want to get to know her more. Lots of great pictures and different projects are inspiring, too. Thanks for a great series and give-away!

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  13. Really enjoying the blog hop and all the advice! Thank you!

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  14. Angela's article is great - thank you for this series.

    I like to read blogs with good well-lit photos, where the writer has a sense of humour - you don't have to be funny all the time! - and isn't afraid to show their mistakes. It's nice to get a sense of the writer as a person, and that can shine through whether the person is a big "sharer" of personal details or not. Enthusiasm is always appealing! It's great when you feel that the writer is genuinely excited about what they are doing.

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  15. I tend to follow blogs where the writer's interests are similar to mine and where they have posted projects that appeal to me. Nice clear photos help, but there for a reason otherwise I switch off!

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  16. As a new blogger and quilter, I'm enjoying this series and blog hop. I tend to follow blogs where the author has posts or pictures that inspire me, or teach me something. They don't have to be a tutorial - just seeing a close-up of a detail can teach me something new.

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  17. I guess for me it's the structure of the persons content of the entire page. If a blog is messy looking I tend not to follow it.

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  18. I chose to follow my friend Lucy's blog because she was the one who got me into sewing.

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  19. that's a hard question - if you have just a few followers that's a bonus in my book - if you keep writing paid reviews then I'm likely to leave ... it's also nicer if they do answer on comments ... I have a "maybe list" so if I see something that I like I will follow the blog and decided some time later if they really are worth it. Some of the big blogs are great for informations, but they are just too perfect - I can only stand so many perfectly pieced and intricately quilted quilts before I become frustrated - so try to make some mistakes ...

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  20. I love a clean blog with good pictures. I don't follow unless the content interests me.

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  21. Another great giveaway and I cna't wait to look at tmr and Thursday's blog hop projects! I love the buttons that are interesting and tidy not too fussy - I often click those to see what sort of blog I will find!!

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  22. For me, it's content that I'm interested in, a fairly regular posting schedule, good pictures and a writing style that keeps my attention. (Actually, based on that, I don't know that my own blog always lives up to my own criteria...)

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  23. I love to follow blogs that have a clean design and good content. My favorite things to see in blog posts are tutorials and scheduled event, much like this blog hop. In the writing, I want to get to know that person, I want to connect with them. A little humor always helps too! Oh and I love seeing quality pictures!

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  24. I like to follow blogs of real people with families and lives and squeaking in some quilting here and there just like me! I also love someone who has a sense of humor and doesn't take themselves too seriously. :)

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  25. I follow different blogs because of the tutorials or the style of quilts shown.

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  26. I follow blogs with more quilts than other projects (although I do follow a couple of decorating blogs and cooking blogs). I like photos of quilts, but I also follow someone who often doesn't post pictures. I think it is the passion the writer feels for their endeavors and the love of family and friends that draws me in and keeps me returning to read more. (I've followed blogs that had interesting posts and then unsubscribed because I felt the writer was tossing around a lot of ugly, superfluous words.) I do love following fairly new blogs and love finding ones with interesting writers.

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  27. I read the instructions after I posted my link. Sorry. I think my favorite color must be green, judging by my fabric stash. Red is a close second. I have very few light colors, so I think I am a dark personality.

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  28. I follow blogs that have photos and blog design that appeal to me - they have to be making quilts that I love the look of and inspire me. I want to read quilt posts with a smattering of personal photos but not daily pictures of what the blogger just had for dinner - music playing is a big no-no for me. Having said that I do follow blogs in two ways - 1) the blogs that I love (as detailed above)and 2) blogs that are part of linky parties and hops that I'm participating in as I want to support everyone that joins in regardless and I'm disappointed when not everyone pays that support back.

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  29. I follow blogs that have projects and ideas that interest me and most importantly are easy to navigate!
    Amanda

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  30. Hello :) Thanks for the giveaway.

    For me, I like to follow a blog that doesn't look like other blogs. Something that is unique where you can tell that the blogger is doing their own thing and not copying other styles. Sometimes they kind of blend together when their is nothing unique to stand out.

    I am totaly turned off by negativity (especially if every post is negative).

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  31. Great advice from Angela, Thank you!
    I tend follow blogs with content that interests me (sewing, cooking, gardening) and are easy to follow. Good pictures really catch my attention.

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  32. Great advice Angela, Thank you. Thanks Beth for the great series and giveaway.

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  33. I had seen that mini quilt before, and it was nice to read her words. Thanks for the input!

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  34. I love blogs that are easy to read, show their process along with the good and the stuff that did not really work out. I really like ones that write like they are talking to you with a little humor too. Thanks for the all the great info these posts have been great!

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  35. I follow blogs that make thing I think I could make.

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  36. I follow blogs that:

    1) have great projects that either look do-able or that I can aspire to, and that have styles that fit my tastes,
    2) have engaging writers that seem relatable (bonus points for humor!)
    3) have writers that bother to proofread their posts.

    At the risk of sounding creepy, I also am disappointed when there is no "About Me" page. I just like knowing a little bit about who I'm following! It makes the blog more memorable to me.

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    1. now I want to make sure that I have an "About Me" page! I'm not sure I qualify.

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    2. I already followed due to your excellent post above! Content trumps "About Me." I just like reading a little bit about people! :)

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    3. oh good! *wipes brow anxiously* Still...I'll work on that.

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  37. I was thinking about what makes me want to follow a blog and I read the comment from Books_Bound. Really, she said it all! Now I'm off to check out if SHE has a blog.

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  38. So I like blogs because I can learn and see many tutorials, practice my English, at the beginging was hard, because I did not have a cleare idea for publish well.

    I follower some that I received the visit and comments.

    Thanks for the giveaway.

    Ale
    Costa Rica
    aleabarca612@gmail.com

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  39. The blogger has to use fabrics that I love with lots of pictures.

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  40. I follow blogs with good writing, good pictures, and good quilts (or ideas, like a boy crafty blog I follow.) Not all their quilts/projects have to be "to my taste," but good enough to be inspired! Also, random comment to Angela - I don't like blogs that do sponsored giveaways, because then I end up in Hart's Fabrics over the weekend when I'm supposed to be enjoying the beach with my family. ;)

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    1. lol!! I told you there are always complainers. ;)

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  41. Thanks for sharing your ideas Angela! I follow blogs of people I've met through commenting (I respond to all comments, unless they are for a giveaway) and who have a similar style to my own. I enjoy good photography (well lit, in-focus photos), concise writing and inspiring work. I will admit to ditching blogs that are an endless stream of sponsored giveaways and product reviews with no actual sharing of work by the writer. Like many comments before mine here, I also really like getting to know the people behind the blogs. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  42. I blog hop using interesting choices on other people's blogroll (no going back!) and see how many jumps I can make. Start off with google key words of the moment. Currently Quilt-as-you-go has my interest.

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  43. always the projects and the photos- i want to be inspired to create when i read a blog, and i love to get my inspiration from the work of others. it doesn't hurt to have a little sass or snarkiness or funniness for me either!

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  44. I am blog hopping because I am a first time blogger and I am learning to quilt, although I do alot of crafting. I have 5 new grandkids and there is so much out there to sew for them and share. I wanted to join this blog hop because I thought it would be nice to find a few other first timers and join like a little club and share building our sites together. So I am going to everyones sites and saying a hello and inviting them to my blog and maybe strike up a friendship on blogging or sharing a common interest for awhile and learn something.

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  45. "Because you can never talk about publications that early. ;)" Sly, very sly... Or maybe I'm reading too much into that wink, LOL.

    I click "follow" on blogs that have quilts that I think are pretty. I don't really care that much about what your blog design looks like, as long as I can see big, clear photos of your work. :)

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  46. Great advice! I generally follow blogs that are project focused. Don't get me wrong, I do love reading about the ins and outs of having a creative life (including balancing family, kids, and everything else) plus the fun of an occasional giveaway or event, but for me it's important that the projects really take focus. A lot of times I have found my favorite blogs through meeting and chatting with the commenters on my blog. It's been great to really make a connection with the people who inspire me daily and encourage me to keep sewing!

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  47. The comments here are as interesting as the post! Thanks for this!

    I click "follow" on a blog if:
    1. it has nicely-photographed projects that I can relate to most of the time;
    2. it is well-written and at least occasionally funny;
    3. the blogger is about the process and the creativity.

    I don't necessarily need regular posts; I prefer quality to quantity.

    I choose to "unfollow" a blog (as best I can - darn that google reader!) if:
    1. there are far more sponsored giveaways/product reviews than content;
    2. it has a negative or complainy tone;
    3. it gets political or too religious.

    Thanks again!

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  48. I will follow a blog if it has good photos of projects that I like and the writer comes across as friendly and upbeat. It helps if it is well designed, colorful and not too busy.

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  49. Thanks Angela for the great information! I try to follow most of the people that follow my blog, and if I am surfing around the pictures and projects catch my eye. I try to visit people who comment on my blog and leave comments for them too. Who doesn't like cheerful comments on their finish? I read most of my blogs through Google Reader, so if they have it set up to show a clipped portion of the blog, or no pictures, I don't read those too often. But honestly, I have no idea what the settings are for that.

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  50. Angela did a nice job. I generally follow blogs that tell stories about their pictures. I do like quilting stories, not so much about familiesi alos like sewing room tips, like how to store, organize, redecorate and pictures of stash. Thanks.

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  51. I thought of two more! :)

    When I'm deciding whether or not I want to follow a blog, I like to be able to easily click around and get a feel for what kind of projects the author enjoys doing or writing about. So there are two pages or buttons that are really helpful for that:

    1) Some sort of finished projects page. Lacking that, at least have an easily visible archive with the titles of your posts.

    2) Home! Seems obvious, but there have been a couple of blogs that I've had trouble finding the starting place after following a link to a specific post.

    Just two more cents. :)

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  52. P.S. These are great comments! Good question to ask!

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  53. If the blog is interesting or on the subject of what I like and has beautiful pictures to inspire me, I'll follow :)

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  54. Obrigada ,Você é mesmo um anjo,te amo.Gosto de tudo e todos,sigo,comento,peço a Deus por todos.Desejo do fundo do coração que tenha sucesso em sua vida e seu trabalho, saúde para seus filhos e família etc...É claro que entro em prêmios e gosto,quero ganhar.Não fico chateada por não ganhar,sério.Sacanagem é abrir internacional,e depois mandar E-mail pedindo desculpa por que o frete é caro,meu nome foi gentilmente retirado com a minha "permissão",pode?Outro grande abre de vez em quando um sorteio e nada..As vezes recebo também E-mail dizendo que não entende o que eu digo,para escrever em Inglês ou não comentar em seu blog.Continuo seguindo blogs e minha vida,afinal eu quero ter o meu blog,mas o medo é uma constante.Beijos e bençãos para vocês e obrigada.

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  55. To be honest, giveaways are a great way to get me to follow, but beautiful, thoughtful projects are the way to get me involved :-)

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  56. I follow blogs after I have read them and bookmarked them. I agree with Angela, I don't like whining, but I do like real and somewhat personal. I'm a fiber artist so that interests me. I do some traditional quilting so I follow a couple of those in the style that appeals to me.
    I like blogs that post at least once or twice a week usually.

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  57. Thanks again for the helpful thoughts! It's been interesting to hear everyone's perspectives on these topics.

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  58. Great interview! I look at the blogger's quilt/project gallery to see what they've done. If it's a style I'm interested in, I'll follow along. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  59. I follow blogs which have a nice conversational writing style, a little bit of personal interest, and lovely projects. I follow a mix of content--decor, quilting, kids crafts and clothes.

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  60. I like following blogs where the writer shares a little about their life as well as their projects.i enjoy seeing what others are designing and making. Thanks for the interview with Angela, I enjoyed it.

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  61. I tend to follow blogs that inspire me. I also try to follow people who comment regularly on my blog - I've made quite a few friends in the online quilting world by doing this. I also tend to read blogs more regularly and leave a comment if I know the author is likely to reply.

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  62. I follow a blog if it shows some creative and inspiring projects, and hosts the occasional giveaway :)
    ourbusylittlebunch(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  63. I sooo agree with Jess! Great info Angela....love you blog:)

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  64. great advice! i follow the blogs i do because i like reading them, find they have interesting projects/tutorials/etc. that inspire me & i wanted to find them again later on. giveaways are always nice, but i also like hearing/reading about what inspired a project or seeing fabric choices or just getting ideas & connecting with the broader blog-world.
    thanks!

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  65. Fabulous post! Sondra is wonderful to work with

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  66. I follow blogs that have creations I want to make or inspire me to do something similar.

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  67. Usually I follow a blog because I see a great quilt or tutorial on them, though as my RSS feeder gets more crowded sometimes it takes 2-3 of those for me to follow instead of just bookmark the site.

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  68. Great post Angela. I follow about 50 or more blogs and try to keep up with them on a daily basis. I like feeling part of a larger community and also love the inspiration they provide.

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  69. I follow blogs that have good content. I like their quilts and their tutorials. Plus I like to read regular posts. When a blogger lapses for too long, it's easy to forget they are there. I know life happens, but like Angela said, blogging is a bit of a commitment. Thanks for the great interview. It's always great to learn more.

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  70. I love blogs that teach me something new. It can be a new way to sew something together, or even something new about blogging.

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  71. I enjoy blogs that have pictures and tutorials, that is one great way to learn new sewing techniques.
    Thanks.

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  72. It's all about inspiration and eye candy for me. I like the pretty pictures. I also like bloggers who don't take themselves top seriously. I've found it can get clique-ish and I try to shy away from the "in" crowd. I may have a confessional blog post one of these days.

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  73. I have to say that I love seeing the different points of view & the journies of my fellow sewers and quilters.I love the fact that we are all learning from each other. Also, I love sharing my progress of my quilting journey.

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  74. I like a nice mix of words and pictures - definitely not a lot of long paragraphs of writing. I also like a bit of personal content, either through a good sense of humour or some mention of a personal life.

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  75. Hmmm, difficult. I like inspiration, good humour and lots of fab pics, but really it is about personality and the love that goes into blogging.
    I do not like the same old blogger backgrounds everyone else has, or religious statements. Religion is between you and God, not something you dash in everyone elses face.

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  76. I love Angela's shower curtain tutorial.

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    1. thank you so much! We are enjoying that shower curtain a great deal. It's perfect for our bathroom.

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    2. I'm excited to make one as well!

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  77. This is really helpful as a blogger. I have been a blog reader for many years and I know what style of blog I like - regular posts, good photos, actual sewing output, new ideas / fabrics / patterns / notions, problems encountered along the way and how they solved them. As a blogger I am trying to do make sure I post regularly and it is making me do more sewing so that I am not waffling about nothing!

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  78. I love blogs that inspire me to try something new.

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  79. This is great information. I'm still a little blog trying to grow, so I appreciate all your words of wisdom. What makes me follow a blog is the feeling I get as I'm reading it. If it makes me get that inspriation, that 'mojo' to create, I feel it feeds my creative engery and I want to keep following... :) Thank you so much for the chance at an aweseom giveaway!

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  80. Generally I visit a blog because there is a project I want to find out more about. I follow a blog because I like the style, or because the writer has more than one project I love. What I'm finding now, about 2 years into this blogging thing is that I'm starting to really connect with some readers - the ones who comment on a lot of posts, and it's sort of an online friendship, and that's rewarding in it's own way.

    Thanks for a great article.

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  81. I click the Follow button and read along when I find someone who makes something I would like to make too, or who teaches me something new. I've got a lot of things to learn and am so lucky to be learning from the most generous bloggers out there: quilters!
    Thanks for the great giveaway!

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  82. thank you so much for this amazing giveaway, I follow DIY blogs because I like to do things on my own (if it's easy enough for me) I am passionating quilting and I'd like very much someday to win a fabric giveaway!

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  83. I go for creative blogs, that have lovely pictures and that seem genuine and not fake!

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  84. I am not a blogger, just a stalker. I have been thinking about starting a blog but the time involved is sort of holding me back right now. I am enjoying reading all the information that you are providing. It is very helpful. I like to read blogs that are instructive, have good pictures and a combination of life, sewing, and eating. My three favorite things.

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  85. I tend to follow blogs that have great pictures of great quilts... quilts I might like to use as inspiration in future creations.

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  86. I follow those bloggers that have the same interests as me - contemporary quilts, geometrical designs, bright and colorful.

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  87. Angela's blog is one of my very most favorites! She is a genuine person through and through, and you can tell that through her writing. I like to follow people that are "real", as she said and are in a similar "place" in life as me, or can give me motivation or inspiration I may need at a certain time. I don't get a chance to blog much so I admire those that have made it such an art!

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  88. I love a blog that keeps it real. I don't want to read about how perfect everything they make is. Ripping seams and changing your mind is much more interesting.

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  89. I like blogs that have projects that I like.

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  90. Usually a photo of a quilt or a quilt-in-progress catches my eye, but I am also drawn to discussions about inspiration, developing a design, finding an unusual color combo. It is wonderful when I can read about someone's adventures in trying new techniques; there is an evolution in quilting knowledge that is magical.

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  91. Like many of the people who have made comments already, I find that photos of finished quilts or WIP catch my eye. Oh, and fabrics that I love or a fabric in my favorite color. I find the blog I follow to be inspirational and they spur me on to go out of my comfort zone and improve on my quilting skills.

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  92. I like to read a wide variety of blogs - I'm not just a quilter so I don't just read quilting blogs. I've found the on-line quilting world to be very cliquey, so I mainly follow blogs about sewing, crochet, felt etc where the authors are more inclined to interact.

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  93. Thanks Angela, your advice is sooo good! I have a tendency to like picture heavy blog posts, tutorials, and cool inspirational quilting projects. If I find a blog with these things I will usually click follow :)

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    1. Thank you! I'm glad that you found it helpful.

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  94. I look for blogs that are inspiring and motivating. I to find pictures or quilts that are beautiful and unique. I also like blogs that are easy to read. If a blog is posted with a cursive looking script, I usually do NOT follow. Cursive scripts are too fussy for the eye to quickly read.

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  95. This is a really interesting post. I agree with the point that blogging can be a lot of work and it does eat into sewing time. But then again blogland really encourages me to sew. Definitely a balancing act!

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  96. I like that are clean with little visual clutter, good pictures and show/talk about process.

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  97. Awesome interview! I have a huge reader list, basically because I have a really bad memory. Any blog I've come across that I liked the look of and thought I might check out again, I'll follow. I also try to follow anyone who comments on my blog (as long as they have a quilt blog). I haven't dropped many, the only ones I did it was because they were too prolific and pretty scattered topic wise.

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  98. The blogs I follow interest me because they offer posts with attractive photography. There isn't much that turns me off except pictures of poor quality. Most often poor photos aren't the fault of the camera, but the lighting wherever photos are being taken. We all could use some lighting lessons when it comes to photographing fabric, techniques, and quilts! Thanks for the chance to win this great give away.

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  99. A witty style of writing...and not just about sewing.

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  100. I like to see process posts, posts about what went wrong, what was surprising, what went right. I like seeing full posts in Google Reader, some family stuff, but not as the main focus of every post (it's ok by me if you mention family in every post, they're often the motivation or impact process.)

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  101. I like to see lots of photos, and good writing (but not long paragraphs), and to get a sense of the blogger's personality and life. I appreciate posts that really are primarily about quilting. I like the feeling of being connected to quilters around the globe:). I know there's been a lot said about photo quality, but I can't really weigh in on that considering all of my photos are taken with my iPhone!

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  102. I follow blogs that A, show projects that I want to make. B, give tutorials on more difficult items. C, the author's character shines through. I like giveaways because they often feature new lines before they hit the shops. I mostly follow quilting and craft blogs but include some lifestyle also. Good clear photos are great too.

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  103. Love the quilt with the girl thinking about the heart! So clever! Thanks for the chance to win

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  104. I guess my very favorite blogs are the ones where people share their 'goofs' as well as their successes! It's important to see that there is a process in quilting, and that it isn't always smooth sailing. Thanks, Angela, for the great tips for blogging.

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  105. I follow blogs that have frequent tutorials. I am very fond of block of the month/week blogs for quilts!

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  106. I really like blogs that are set out nicely and well designed, are well written (and funny helps too!) most importantly have attractive ideas to sew and I'm most likely to follow them if it's easy to find their FB, pinterest or other buttons to click! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  107. I follow blogs that has alot of free tutorials! Mjalfano19@gmail.com

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  108. Thanks so much for the giveaway!

    melissajpalmer at yahoo dot com

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  109. Once I read a blog post I like I start checking out the previous posts... if I go more than two pages back and realise I want to keep going, I subscribe :) There are many blogs I have gone back and read from beginning to end!

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  110. What makes me want to follow a blog is- as I'm scrolling down their posts, if I like most of the things they make or find that their style is similar to mine, I will follow. In other words, I find the things they make are inspiring to me. Thanks for the fun giveaway!

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  111. Sometimes I click the follow button if it was part of a giveaway, but if they are not interesting I will "unsubscribe". I will follow a post if they have lots of good content, fresh ideas, and not too much text...have too many blogs to read as it is :)

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  112. I like great tutorials and pictures. I also enjoy hearing about the bloggers family but NOT drama.

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  113. Blogs with lots of pictures and link ups are great - one thing leads to another and I tend to discover all kinds of inspiration from those. I like to follow the creative journey and hear about what the quilter was thinking along the way. Tutorials are also a bonus.

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  114. As a new quilter, I love the blogs with great tutorials and great pictures!

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  115. I like to follow blogs with nice, big pictures and a down-to-earth writing style! I also like it when the blogger is engaged with the readers. My favorite blog posts are project posts with insight into the creative process.

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  116. I like to follow blogs that offer something interesting for me. If it's checking in each day to see how a quilt was quilted (inspiration), or tutorials, a new fabric used a different way that I haven't seen, advice about thread & such. I love hearing about their stories of life and how they craft. I won't stay with a blog that just says...here is what I did today isn't it pretty. There has to be more life to it, tell me your mistakes and how to avoid them, I want to hear about it. I want to see it.

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  117. The giveaways and lovely tutorials:)
    andri_chama(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  118. I love blogs that are CLEAN and have somewhere for me to look at their past projects without having to read an entire blog post. I love pictures! :)

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  119. I follow blogs because I like the pictures/work that the person is doing. I don't click the follow button when there are too many other posts that I'm not really interested in.

    As a side note, do you reply to flickr comments? If so, what is the proper way of doing so?

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  120. I'm kind of new to reading blogs, (ok, I read a bunch a couple of years ago, sort of started one, and quit). Anyway, I like good pictures, clear writing that makes me feel like the blogger is talking to me, and a blog that is easy to navigate. Thanks Angie for sharing here - I found this site through you, through Live a Colorful Life, through Fabric Worm.....LOL. I think I'm hooked.(oops - see how new I am? I messed up my first comment :( )

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