Every now and then blog readers send me a email or leave a comment in the comment section that I need to answer. When I think other readers might be interested too, I answer them here on the blog. Today is one of those days….
From Kathleen:
“I know you probably said this ten times before – but this is a Bonnie H pattern, isn’t it? Which book is it in, please ??? thank you”.
I got the pattern free from Bonnie Hunter when we ordered the String Frenzy book from her. She is still doing that offer. If you aren’t interested in the book you can buy the pattern individually for $8. HERE is the link.
From Trisha:
“Jo, I am not computer savvy so I don’t know how this works…but would it be a terrible amount of trouble/work/time for you to have a category at the top of your blog where you put your “what am I reading” posts. I try to jot the titles down but sometimes I can’t do that right at the time when I’m reading your posts and then when I think of it later, I can’t find that post. You recommend so many interesting books. I don’t mean to create more work for you just to make it easier for me….just wondering!”
Trisha wrote after I had reviewed this book…The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani.
..which was wonderful.
Here’s my answer. In theory it would be wonderful. I know bloggers that have wonderful lists of things that make things right on the tip of their readers fingers. I admire them but most of them blog as a full time job. I’m a ameatuer personal blogger who blogs more for the person benefits than I am a professional blogger…so I’m not going to make a page as I know me and I know I will NEVER keep it up. I’ll have a good intention and then three months into it I’ll lag and pretty soon I just won’t do it. I’m being honest….BUT I have almost the same thing for you….
I have the search bar on the top right hand column of my blog. If you are ever looking for a book that I have previously reviewed, type “WHAT I’M READING” into the search box.
Then the whole list of blog posts that I’ve written to review books will show up. You can easily scroll through them and find the book you are looking for.
I did start a list and got four books into it and decided I couldn’t tackle it. Questions kept plaguing me. Do I list them alphabetical? Do I list them with a picture of the book? Do I list them in order I’ve read them with no picture? I felt like whatever I did, someone would prefer the alternate way of listing them. So…I quit.
Using the search option is the best way I can recommend to find anything on the blog. I know it can be cumbersome but, in the end, I think it’s the best option.
Marie wrote this question to me:
“I use to receive your blog.
Enjoyed so much. Do not receive at this time………I have registered my e-mail but no blog.
Please help me get this blog in my e-mail.”
AH…I hate this question. I get it often. Really often. I can’t do a single thing about this. I do not have any access to the program that does or doesn’t send the email of the blog to you.
If you are not getting the blog, do it the old fashion way and type into your search bar, www.joscountryjunction.com.
If there is a reader who signs up for emails of the blog and knows how to help Marie, PLEASE leave a comment to help others know how to deal with this.
Linda wrote:
“Do you wash your thrift store scraps as needed? Do you have any hints? My method seems like a lot of work. Thanks so much for your blog. I check in with you every morning with my coffee. I am a transplanted Iowa girl, and have similar antique, childcare and quilt interests. Bless you!”
I wash ZERO fabric before I use it. ZERO. I have never washed fabric and have never regretted it. I know there are huge debates about color running and color catchers and all of that. At one point I did and I HATED IT. I absolutely HATED IT. So I quit doing it. I make so many quilts so this is my feeling about them.
If the colors run, I’ll make a new one. PERIOD.
If the comment was leaning towards that the fabric might smell as it was thrifted. Fabric that comes from thrift store kind of has a bad rap. My thrift stores are all VERY nice and VERY clean. I would not be worried about anything I bought as “being stinky” or covered in pet hair. So no worries for me at all…and NO WASHING OF FABRIC. (as always, this is my personal preference, everyone can do whatever they want)
That wraps up this round of “Ask Jo”. If there is a question you have, leave a comment on the blog or drop me an email at rogjok@iowatelecom.net.
For the email problem, it could be that she needs to confirm the subscription. When I post a comment and want notifications of follow up comments, I receive an email asking me to confirm the subscription. Another reason could be that her email provider is marking it as junk and it’s not even making it into her inbox. She could add your address to her address book and then it shouldn’t mark it as junk–if she’s actually been receiving them and it’s been sending it to her junk folder. I hope this helps.
It’s great that you’re honest with yourself. I’m the same way about organization tips and recipes. I want to be neat and organized. I’ll clean and buy containers and 2 weeks later my sewing room or desk is a mess again. I used to tear out and print out recipes all the time. Did I ever make anything new? Rarely! Now I tell myself to resist, since I know it won’t get made. :o)
I use Bloglovin.com to read all my blogs. you just list them and then you can check daily or anytime to see if any have been updated. It’s the best way, for me, to not miss a blog update.
For Marie’s email issue, I see you are using Feedburner, so you would be able to access it and check your email subscriptions. Like Rhonda mentioned, subscribing is a two-step process. You enter your email address on your blog’s page, and then Feedburner sends a confirmation email for you to activate it. If that email was ignored or went to junk or spam on Marie’s end, she won’t get the blog posts via email. But I wanted to let you know that you, as the blog owner, can bring up your Feedburner email subscriptions (sign into Google/Blogger and go to http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/myfeeds). Click on your blog name in the page that comes up, then click under the Analyze tab on “See more about your subscribers.” Then “Feedburner email subscriptions” and then “Manage your email subscriber list.” You’ll see a list of email addresses and whether they’re Active or Unverified (meaning they didn’t confirm their email address, most likely). If you know Marie’s email address (she would have to provide it), you could scroll through and see whether she’s Active or Unverified. From there, you could Delete her address and then have her add herself back in again on your blog, and make sure to verify when she gets the email to do so. Hope that is helpful!
I also use Bloglovin. All my blog following dumps into that and I can see the new posts there. Saves tons of time and aggravation.
I started using Goodreads app a couple years ago to keep track of what I read. There were just too many times I would start reading a book and think it sounded familiar only to realize I had already read it. This wouldn’t help your blog reader, but it might be a useful tool for you if you felt like trying it. I also like it because when I’m in a book store or reading a book review I can go to the app, find the book, and put it in my “want to read” shelf for later.
I use feedly.com to get your blog and all the others I read. Have used it for several years and never a problem.
I would be curious who Marie uses for her provider. I have century link and a couple of years ago all of the blogs I read with Feedburner stopped appearing. They were gone for about 30 days and then reappear. This just keeps happening. Century link can’t tell me why. I have signed up with Bloglovin with as many blogs as I can.
I think if fabric and stuff comes into thrift stores all soiled with pet hair, they probably toss it instead of putting it on the shelf. So likely fabric is clean when it comes in. I found a 3 yard piece of a bright floral chintz recently at Good will for $1.99. Jo has taught me to look.
Jo,
The search bar works perfectly! It’s just what I needed but I didn’t know I could do that!!! Thank YOU!!
I also use Goodreads. I use it to track books I have read and books I want to read. I have different lists of books I want to read, such as WWII and books from Fresh Air.
I used to have a list of book to read on my pho e, and a paper list in my purse, and a file in my desk. Now I just put the book in a list on Goodreads and when I looking for a book to read I always know where to look.
My preferred way to get your posts is to just put your blog on my favorites list and then click it once a day whenever it is convenient.
Love all these Q&A’s. I’m so thankful you do this. Pick up great tips and solutions.
I to have recently discovered Bloglovin and it’s fantastic! Every morning I check it whilst having my first coffee of the day. What better way to start the day! Coffee and sewing. Two if my favourite things.
Hugs
Raelene from Australia
I love this quilt Jo. It’s like a garden of poinsettias. Thank you too for introducing me to Bonnie Hunter. I like her book Adventures with Leaders & Enders, which I purchased already. I’m doing a blog post on it tonight. I’ll put a link to this post. Have a great weekend!.