by Sherri Sylvester | May 17, 2014
| [polldaddy poll=8055582] |
 |
(Scroll down to find the last survey’s results.) I began a lovely relationship with Instagram a while ago and I have fallen hard for it! I love that you can follow as many people as you like and that Instagram doesn’t have some crazy algorithm for sorting out what I can and can’t see (Facebook take note!). I love that you can find out more about your favorite bloggers by seeing what their “real” lives and vacations are like. Even if they do tidily crop their photos!
I love that you get sneak peeks of projects before they are done – or even ones that end in frustration, or turn up months later because they were “finally” finished and blogged. I love that you can have chats with people that you never knew before, instantly! And keep up with ones you knew but weren’t able to connect with easily. I love the non-cumbersome and non-fancy way you can add photos and comments quickly and easily.
Should I go on?! So far the only bad thing I can find is that I keep misspelling words when my phone’s keyboard decides to fill in my words for me and I don’t notice before I hit “post”! Sorry for another semi-non-sewing related question, but I am a curious person. If I keep doing this we’re going to have to call this “General Survey Saturday” – but then of course it would not be a great title, since the alliteration would be gone! (Want your sewing project or blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday? It’s easy! Find out how at the bottom of this post!)
Last Survey’s Results: Last time we talked about going to sewing conferences and sewing retreats. Which is especially relevant this weekend with Quilt Market happening in Pittsburgh as we speak! Turns out 60% of you don’t attend them and/or don’t know of any in your area. The other 40% or so attend them at least once a year. I am curious if this has anything to do with where everyone lives and if they are closer to a larger city or live in a smaller town. But of course that is me being nosy too curious and I’m not going to bore you by trying to find out! I attend the Creativ Festival in Toronto twice a year. But I am thinking that I should research other options – since it is so much fun!
How to get your Sewing Project and/or Blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday: Send an email to sherri@threadridinghood.com that includes your sewing related multiple choice question, your name and where you live (if you’d like it included). Please send your question with 3 to 5 multiple choice answers. Also send your blog information including which post you’d like me to link up to if you are featured! If you do not blog I would love to post a photo of one of your recent projects, so please send it along with your question. (Note: I may also feature a photo from your blog post (if applicable), if you do not want a linked photo please let me know in your email.)
by Sherri Sylvester | Apr 26, 2014
Hi All, I’m back with another question!
Last Survey’s Results: Last time we talked about sewing in groups. Who with and how often you might meet up with other like-minded sewists. Seems that everyone is pretty split on this. The highest percentage of you get together with someone about once a month. The rest of you sew with others once a week, twice a month or not at all! With a few people not having anyone around them that they know enjoys sewing. Interesting results. Do any of you have any thoughts on how to find someone in your area to sew with? Maybe it would help out someone who can’t find a group.
This Week’s Question:
I was at the Toronto Creativ Festival yesterday – where I accumulated more fabric (Instagram photo above – follow along for more behind the scenes fun!). I got to meet quite a few Canadian Online Fabric Shop owners, including a new one I will be adding to the Pinterest list! It was so great to meet fellow sewists and modern fabric fans. I’m following quite a few of my favorite bloggers on Instagram while they have been at SNAP! Conference. I’m also pretty close to Pleasant Lake, Michigan – where Camp Stitchalot takes place. It would be really fun to go sometime!
Made me wonder how often some of you have been/go to to creative conferences or weekend-long sewing retreats? I’m sure have not come up with a complete list of survey question options since there are so many – please comment with your own answer! I’d be interested to hear your experiences – was it everything you wanted it to be? Which one did you go to? (Want your sewing project or blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday? It’s easy! Find out how at the bottom of this post!)
[polldaddy poll=7999357]
How to get your Sewing Project or Blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday: Send an email to sherri@threadridinghood.com that includes your sewing related multiple choice question, your name and where you live (if you’d like it included). Please send your question with 3 to 5 multiple choice answers. Also send your blog information including which post you’d like me to link up to if you are featured! If you do not blog I would love to post a photo of one of your recent projects, so please send it along with your question. (Note: I may also feature a photo from your blog post (if applicable), if you do not want a linked photo please let me know in your email.)
by Sherri Sylvester | Apr 5, 2014
Last Survey’s Results:
Two weeks ago I wanted to know about your scissors. I am here to report that I am completely and totally jealous of the poll winners – those of you who own Ginghers – Lucky you! Second in the popularity lineup are rotary cutters, and the makes vary greatly from there. Turns out a lot of you who commented however, including someone who works at a large retail-chain, use Fiskars. Makes me feel not so bad to use them as well!
My conclusion to the dilemma “To buy or not to buy shears”? I think I have concluded “not” for now. But in the future, should a little extra funding come in I would definitely splurge for some Ginghers! (Note to any family members buying gifts in the future perhaps?! Hee, Hee.)
This Week’s Question:
This photo was taken last Friday night in my dining room when I was waiting for everyone to arrive for our monthly Sewcial. Today I am curious about how often you get together with others to sew. I started a group last year and we get together on the 4th Friday night of every month. It is very informal, and we bring whatever project we are working on and squeeze into my living/dining room area to sew. Mostly I find I don’t accomplish much because we are chatting so much!
What do you do? How often do you get together with others to sew? Is it just you and one other person, or are you part of a Guild, if so – which one? (Want your sewing project or blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday? It’s easy! Find out how at the bottom of this post!)
[polldaddy poll=”7945490″]
How to get your Sewing Project or Blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday: Send an email to sherri@threadridinghood.com that includes your sewing related multiple choice question, your name and where you live (if you’d like it included). Please send your question with 3 to 5 multiple choice answers. Also send your blog information including which post you’d like me to link up to if you are featured! If you do not blog I would love to post a photo of one of your recent projects, so please send it along with your question. (Note: I may also feature a photo from your blog post (if applicable), if you do not want a linked photo please let me know in your email.)
by Sherri Sylvester | Mar 22, 2014
Last Survey’s Results:
Well, I feel better! We had a lot of people with the same problem as me answer the survey last week. The question was: “How do you keep up with your favorite blogs?” and I was generally feeling overwhelmed following my list of “only” 38! With many more solutions being mentioned in the comments, the most popular survey answer was “I skim… a lot… whenever I have a moment” with 58%! In second place (with 21%) were the people who “I dedicate a certain amount of time every day to catch up.” I envy the person who answered that they have lots of time and read them as they come in! I can’t forget to mention the winner of the “I read the most blogs” Award – seems Amy is officially the winner with 120. Congrats Amy!
I am happy to say that since last week I have completely emptied my Bloglovin’ inbox almost every day. Hooray! I’ve been following the “skim… a lot… whenever” method and it has worked out well so far. Though maybe this week was an anomaly? I have my doubts as to if it will stay that way… But, I have been keeping my sewing area cleaner and I didn’t think that would work so maybe there is hope! (I have to admit, for the sake of full disclosure, that I read the 2 that came in late today before I took the screen shot!)
This Week’s Question:
Today I am curious about your sewing notions. Specifically scissors. I have several pairs that I use. Mostly Fiskars – Regular, Pinking, Micro-Tip and a pair for cutting paper. I also picked up a rotary cutter a while ago – not an expensive brand, but it works just fine!
I have been thinking lately about getting a fancy pair of shears, but I’m not sure I care? I cut a lot with my rotary blade and the Fiskars are working out well for me. Maybe a fancy pair of scissors would just make me feel more official and not really improve my sewing experience?! What do you use? I’ve include a few options below – if yours are not listed, please leave a comment – we’d love to know what they are. (Want your sewing project or blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday? It’s easy! Find out how at the bottom of this post!)
[polldaddy poll=7903926]
How to get your Sewing Project or Blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday: Send an email to sherri@threadridinghood.com that includes your sewing related multiple choice question, your name and where you live (if you’d like it included). Please send your question with 3 to 5 multiple choice answers. Also send your blog information including which post you’d like me to link up to if you are featured! If you do not blog I would love to post a photo of one of your recent projects, so please send it along with your question. (Note: I may also feature a photo from your blog post (if applicable), if you do not want a linked photo please let me know in your email.)
by Sherri Sylvester | Mar 15, 2014
Alright, it’s time we get this thing back on track. It’s been an entire month since the last survey and I had to go back to remind myself what it was even about! Thanks for joining in, let’s see what you said waaaaay back in February!
Last Survey’s Results:
We asked “Where are most of your sewing patterns from?” The majority of you (40%) use free downloads and tutorials online. My favorite too! A huge thanks to all of the amazing bloggers that take the (enormous amounts of) time to tell us how to make something. Second place goes to our local fabric store patterns with 25% and a close third with digital downloads from the blogging community at 20%. Huge kudos to the 3% of people who said they draft the bulk of their patterns!
This Week’s Question:
I’ve been a tad overwhelmed lately at the amount of screen reading I’m doing. Seems I’ve managed to fill up my Bloglovin’ list with 38 blogs – which doesn’t sound like a lot, but when they all decide to post something it really adds up! And of course all of them are indispensable – trust me, I checked!
I’ve got 132 unread posts as of today and it will likely take me about 2 or 3 hours to get to the bottom of that list if I was to sit down and read them all at once. I suppose 2-3 hours may not seem like a lot either – but I don’t seem to have that kind of time all at once right now. I’ve gotten caught up before, but it always gets away from me (kind of like cleaning my house!) I’m curious what your approach is. I want to stay on top of the blogging trends and information, but haven’t got a great process worked out just yet to do that. In keeping with the “survey” I’ve thought up 4 different ways to approach the problem – but I know there are more ways than that so I’d love you to comment and let me know what you do – and maybe how many blogs you follow so we can see who follows the most!
[polldaddy poll=7882814]
And I’m off to sew something for me! Hooray! See you next week…
Want to have your Sewing Project or Blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday? Send an email to sherri@threadridinghood.com that includes your sewing related multiple choice question, your name and where you live (if you’d like it included). Please send your question with 3 to 5 multiple choice answers. Also send your blog information including which post you’d like me to link up to if you are featured! If you do not blog I would love to post a photo of one of your recent projects, so please send it along with your question. (Note: I may also feature a photo from your blog post (if applicable), if you do not want a linked photo please let me know in your email.)
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 15, 2014
Last Week’s Survey Results:
You all are super helpful, thank you! A few weeks ago we asked what you did with your fabric scraps. Over half of you put them in a bin and ignore them like I do, but I was impressed by the suggestions made in the comments. I got some great ideas, and here are some of my favorites. Giving the small scraps to a daycare or kindergarten for crafts. Sorting them by colour and size into bins. Keeping the tiny scraps for stuffing. Donating your scrap bin to your quilting guild’s charity committee. Now I suppose that I can’t do all of those as some of them conflict with each other… but I really don’t like throwing something out that may be useful to someone else (or myself!)
As far as follow-up. I have (just barely) started a scrap basket for small skinny cuts of fabric. I figure these will be good for stuffing small things if I ever collect enough! I also think I might throw my thread ends in there – even though that might be crazy! They would be good for stuffing as well, and I am always surprised at the amount of thread I find in my garbage bin. (and on my floor!)
This Week’s Question:
This week I’ve finished tidying up the last few spaces in my sewing area, and have put all of my patterns into envelopes. This made me wonder how you get most of your patterns. I am always impressed by the patterns I’m seeing offered online, but haven’t bought many because I can’t justify the cost very often. I am a tad conflicted, because I would love to support the online community more. Simple patterns like Rae’s Geranium and Washi Dresses (+ the expansion pack!), Oliver and S’s Fairy Tale Dress and April Rhode’s Staple Dress have been on my list for just about forever. I buy few patterns at the fabric store anymore – they are too “proper” in their instructions and almost irritatingly complex. So… Please let me know by filling out the survey below, I’d love to hear some of your favorite patterns you’ve bought, and what is on your wish list as well! (Want your sewing project or blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday? It’s easy! Find out how at the bottom of this post!)
This Week’s Survey:
[polldaddy poll=7803151]
How to get your Sewing Project or Blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday: Send an email to sherri@threadridinghood.com that includes your sewing related multiple choice question, your name and where you live (if you’d like it included). Please send your question with 3 to 5 multiple choice answers. Also send your blog information including which post you’d like me to link up to if you are featured! If you do not blog I would love to post a photo of one of your recent projects, so please send it along with your question. (Note: I may also feature a photo from your blog post (if applicable), if you do not want a linked photo please let me know in your email.)
