KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE MY BLOW DRYER RUN!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

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I have noticed for some time now that it feels blogging is on the down slide. Instagram and Facebook seem to be taking a bigger foot hold.
Last week I read a blog post by a popular quilter with thousands of followers. She was talking about how it was easier for her to use Instagram than to do a blog post. She asked her followers if they would rather follow her on Instagram, Facebook or her blog. A good many followed her on all 3 but the majority agreed they like the blog the best. More information, pictures, instructions etc.

I am not on Instagram, I am on Facebook and obviously I blog. I love blogging, it feels like it's a more personal, specific audience that I relate with on a weekly basis. Facebook has it's merits but to me it feels a little more like "bragging" where as blogging feels like sharing.

If you are a blogger where do you think blogging is going? If you aren't a blogger what is your favorite "place " and why? I am not sure that I will be changing all that much, but it is food for thought.

I am hoping to post in the next 2 days as I will be off on an adventure by myself to visit my sister. I am driving to Illinois (13 hours) with my sewing machine, plants and other miscellaneous things that don't work with a plane. I will try to post while I am there.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Kelly


49 comments:

  1. I enjoy reading blogs. I'm not on facebook nor instagram. I hope you keep up your blog Kelly. Have fun with your sister. That's a long drive!

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  2. I am on facebook but I LOVE blogs. You get so much more info and pictures on a blog. I look at least three times a day to see if there are any new blog posts. And I love your blog so please do not stop blogging!

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  3. i do not do facebook or instagram or any other stuff--just blogging and email for this gal. I don't even really like texting as I feel it is so impersonal--when you talk to someone on the phone you can tell how they really feel...and I like blogging because I think a person't real personality comes through loud and clear....have a good, safe trip hugs, Julierose P.S. I agree with Stephanie--keep on blogging gal--love your blog...

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  4. No FB or Instagram for me. I love the personal feeling of blogs. I really enjoy following you.

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  5. I follow blogs daily. I look at facebook a few times a week, and I don't do instagram. This may be a sign of my age (52). I blog myself, and I would probably keep blogging even if no one else read it because I like having a record of what is going on in my life and what quilts I've made.

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  6. I love blogging and I think there will always be a place for it. The feeling of sharing and communicating thru a blog is something you can't get on FB or IG.

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  7. I've noticed the same thing. I prefer blogging, but I'm feeling like no one else is out there.

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  8. I prefer to read blogs because of the sense of community, the sharing of ideas and all the fantastic inspiration. Please don't stop!

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  9. Blogging does seem to be changing. I don't do IG and spend very little time on FB and would miss visiting the blogs I enjoy (such as yours).

    Your trip to your sister's sounds like fun, Kelly! I hope you have safe travels and enjoy yourself thoroughly. Does your sister sew or quilt?

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  10. I'm so glad you're addressing this subject! I think there will always be a segment of people who drift towards the fast and easy gratification, no matter what new social media or millennium it is. Then there's the slice of population that constantly seek for answers and will search until they find exactly what they're needing (or looking) for. Blogs give the detailed answers with a personal touch most of us crave--the other is merely eye candy.:) Hope you thoroughly enjoy your time with your sister!

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  11. I have chosen not to be on facebook or instagram -- it just felt like "clutter" I didn't need, in an already fast paced life. So I guess it goes without saying that I like blogs! I have read various blogs for years, but it hasn't been until recently when I started reading quilting blogs that I've felt as though I've been participating in a community. As I've gotten to "know" various bloggers I've come out of hiding and commented more. :) I have learned SO much by reading blogs, and have gotten to see so many slices of life from so many different perspectives.
    Have a great trip, and safe driving! We're driving from PA up to Minnesota in a week, as well. :) sarah@forrussia.org

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  12. I don't know where blogging is headed. I still blog and I read blogs daily. I am on Instagram but it really is mostly for photos. I don't do Facebook.
    Have a wonderful trip!

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  13. I feel as though blogging is on the downslide too. Some people I know are using instagram more, others seem to have lost interest in blogging. It's understandable because it does require work and thought, and more time on the computer is less time sewing.
    I wonder if that blogger asked the same question on Instagram whether more people would have said they preferred instagram.
    I think you are a bright spark on the scene with your regular posts so keep up the fun. And have a fun visit with your sister.

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  14. I love your blog! And many others! I follow Facebook but I feel that's for family and friends. Don't really know what Instagram is , ha!! Have a great trip - you're coming my way (Ill.) and I'm going your way next month. Safe travels !

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  15. I love reading blogs and always will, but I have noticed fewer comments on my posts. In that same vein, even though I read as many (or more) blogs as I always have, I don't have as much time to leave comments on each interesting post I see. I feel that Instagram and FB are just "snippets" of a life whereas blogs are much more revealing, in-depth, interesting and just plain beautiful.

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  16. I forget to look at instagram most days and only glance at facebook once in a while. Because of blogging, I have made some lovely friends that I would not know otherwise. I enjoy blogging and reading blogs, but sometimes even that gets to be too much. Perhaps the popular blogger that you mentioned is just tired of blogging and needs a vacation from it....sometimes I feel that way too! But, I know that I would miss it if I completely stopped. All of the reasons given by others are the same reasons that I like blogs. I agree that your page is a bright spot!

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  17. bon voyage and plese keep blogging, Trudy

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  18. It is a good question. I think of my blog as a journal of my life. I enjoy printing it out every year to chronicle my life. I love to read and write blog.posts, but only a few years ago there was no such thing. How did we connect with each other? I remember chat rooms. Times move on younger people come and learn to share their love of a hobby with different social media. I do not do FB, but sometimes I feel left out without doing instagram. Will I add it into my life I do not think so, I love my bloggers and I like flickr and I feel "with it" by doing pinterest. I need time for family, fun and of course sewing. Now don't you leave!

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  19. Oh gosh, I forgot. Have a safe and fun trip. I live in Illinois. Maybe you will be close!

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  20. I definitely prefer to read blogs. I do use FB but on a very limited scale.
    I prefer the detail of a blog and consider FB as just a snapshot.

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  21. Too many blogs to read with limited time?

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  22. Such an interesting post. I much prefer blogs for the same reasons already mentioned, more personal, more details etc. I do belong to several groups on Facebook but they are usually just for sharing pictures of finished work and seem much more impersonal to me. I have not yet tried Instagram. Such a shame if blogs disappear, I learn so much each day and am so inspired by others that I would really feel the loss. But I for one will keep blogging, if only to keep a record of my own work! Hope you keep blogging too. :)

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  23. I have been thinking this too. Not sure the cause. I use FB a little, no instagram and like others, I blog to journal what is happening in my life . I love your blog and always get inspired by it -
    I'm going to Illinois on the 17 - have a great visit with your sister!

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  24. I have noticed the same thing - blogging is not near as popular as it used to be but I still prefer to read blogs as opposed to FB and I don't know anything about Instagram. Your blog is always interesting and fun to read! I'll admit that by signing up to receive updates by email, I often read the email and don't get to the blog, though. Have a fun trip to your sister's!!

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  25. It's so funny to read this here, and on that quilter's blog post last week ... because 2 weeks ago I deleted my Instagram account. I LOVED instagram. It was friendly, and immediate. But i felt i wasn't able to be my true self over there. I also felt a lot of other people were faking it as well. It was all about how much you could achieve, and there were some passive-aggressive comments of judgy people about things like how many WIPs I had on the go. Drove me nuts. So I just deleted my account after 1500 followers, almost 3000 photos, and three years. And I haven't missed it one single day.

    I used my newfound spare time to up my blog reading. And I'm sewing a lot more. And I've let a lot of "care-factor" go since I left instagram. Feels so good. Like I'm free.

    I much prefer to read a blog post. And I much prefer leaving a lengthy comment on someone's blog rather than a "OMG cool" comment on their IG photo. ;)

    Thanks for the additional food for thought!

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  26. For me, reading the blogs will always come first. If someone posts something that I am interested in I love to have all of the details. I have made many projects from tutorials I have found on blogs. I recently started using Instagram which I enjoy, mainly because it's fun to see what all of the crafty people are up to at the moment. I don't think Instagram can take the place of blogs though. I have never been interested in facebook.

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  27. I have noticed this also. I even deleted some blogs I was following because the person has not done so in over 6 months. Like the people above, blog is my journal and where I check on "friends", I have FB, Pintrest, Orkut (which was like FB), Google +, and so on; but don't even bother with all of them. But do come back to blog daily if I have internet access. Have a great trip and I hope you will keep on blogging.

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  28. I think blogging is settling out. I believe there will be less bloggers as the ones who are less serious about it will migrate to FB and other easier venues. Serious bloggers will stay and will have regular readers. However they will have a lot less comments. Commenting in blogs is cumbersome especially on mobile devices so people read but don't interact. The blog is becoming a magazine. For interaction we will need to go to the other social media outlets. Just my 2 cents!

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  29. I love reading blogs and do it on a daily basis. I am on FB, not on Instagram. I, too, believe blogs are a much more personal outlet & hope that blogs are here to stay. I would like to start my own blog, just haven't had the time, (or perhaps the courage) to do so yet.

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  30. I enjoy seeing what others are accomplishing, but recently started actively posting on Facebook. Blogging takes more time than a quick share on Facebook. Just press the like button....done. My views are remaining the same on the blog, but comments are dwindling. Then again, I'm not creating any crafty things to post on my blog. I said I would never do Facebook and now I have moved over to the dark side.

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  31. Such an interesting post...I'm not sure of the answers. I think Vicki W's comment is really insightful! I think it's true that blogging pace is slowing, but for me it's because I'm working fulltime now and don't have as many mornings to take photos of my stuff. I also notice that fewer fabric lines seem to be coming out, or at least fewer that I "must have" and I kind of welcome that. Frenzied paces cause burn out, even of the most talented people. Maybe this means there will be lots of quality blogging. Also, I am really preferring the personal blogs lately, rather than the glitzy commercialized kind...more real-life people rather than stylists. Just my 2-cents.

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  32. Loved reading all the comments. I love to read blogs and I enjoy blogging. It just goes to show there's something for everyone, just like quilting.

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  33. I love your blog! I joined facebook to get coupons and other perks form "liking" and "following" facebook pages. I didn't let anyone be my "friend" as I have plenty of real friends and don't have the time to spend dealing with all that is involved.
    I happen to like to read blogs, as I learn from so many people. I signed up for instagram, I think, but just haven't had the time to investigate it. How does anyone have time for their real life when they are so involved with all the social media?

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  34. I equate a blogging-as being the closest thing to being in person and can share what we know. Instagram-Is like a quick phone call (not as personal but a snip-it of your life that has meaning)--I really enjoy the spontaneous-in the moment shout out . FaceBook-Is a complete waste on me. I never liked it-don't enjoy looking at it and the ONLY reason I have it--was so I could get Pinterest!
    I have met up with bloggers from several states and know that some will be life long friends!

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  35. Kelly- before I forget- safe travels & fun trip / visit!
    Now... don't stop blogging. I don't have instagram, mainly because I have an ancient phone that the company can't even believe is still working!!! (I refuse to update till it dies- more $$$ for fabric!) I have a FB page, but only friends seem to follow that, and not many are sewers, but I feel blogs are still very much needed. Much more like a nice, leisurely visit with a dear friend that we haven't met yet! I gave up magazines, but I will not ever give up reading my favorite blogs- especially yours! And... since you are fairly close to me, I hope to one day meet you in person!!!

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  36. For me...I love blogs...reading them and writing mine. It's more in depth and lots of fun to get to know bloggers and why they do what they do. I thinks blogs take work and therefore have more to offer readers. IG and FB are fun for quick hits. Give me a good blog over IG and FB any day.

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  37. Hi Kelly, I dabbled with Instagram but only occasionally post there. For me it's blogging. I still enjoy writing my blog and reading others. I like the intimacy blogging gives and have made many bloggy friends. It's still the way I'll be going!

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  38. I am brand new to blogging - I just started about a month ago - so I hope it is not on the down slope. I just discovered quilt blogs about a year ago and have been hooked ever since. I read them weekly and have learned from and been inspired by many. Please don't stop! :)

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  39. I love to blog...I don't Instagram and barely use FB I am kind of technology challenged, mostly because I'd rather sew than keep learning new technology. There may be a better way, but I am satisfied with what I do. I like reading other people's blogs...again, since I barely do FB, I wouldn't follow there. Thanks for taking the time to have a blog!

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  40. I love blogs. I think they are more personal, and more likle 'show and tell". Plus the tutorials. And just the bits of life that get shared.

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  41. Hi Kelly Interesting post. I'm late but wanted to leave a comment. I love blogging and don't plan to quit anytime soon. I think a lot of the reason that we don't get comments is that a lot of people have switched to reading through a reader or subscribing via email. Also, I read in the evenings on my IPad and find that if I do certain things the comment box hangs up, and I have to completely start over. So I tend to not even try to comment from there. I'm on Facebook mostly because I have family on there, and that is the only way that I can keep up with them. There are also groups on Facebook that I enjoy: I've Been Hexed and I Like It, Di Ford's Primarily Quilts, Dear Jane. It's nice to see what others are doing on their quilts. I also spend a little time on Pinterest. I love seeing photos of different quilts there. I like blogging because I don't feel that I can be as wordy on Facebook and not everybody on there wants to look at quilt related things. I know that blogging takes a lot more time than putting a photo up on Facebook, and I think it's worth it. I hope you keep going!!!!!! Have a fun trip to visit your sister.

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  42. Kelly, My comment is also late...it has been a very busy spring and now it's almost the 4th of July!!!! I noticed that a few groups have been quieter than usual in recent months; but I think it might be that winter temperatures wouldn't let go (at least in our neck of the woods) and when spring finally arrived in May instead of March/April, there was a lot of gardening and outside work to catch up on. I discovered Blogs a few years ago quite by accident...and I've been hooked ever since. It is more personal and I love the photos and the tutorials. I find a lot of inspiration on blogs and although we are often separated by many miles, we are kindred spirits in many ways and often share a connection through our love of quilting, recipes, gardening and family life. Hope you keep blogging! Hugs, Ann

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  43. I love reading blogs especially when bloggers link to other bloggers and I get to find new blogs to read! (I got here via a link). I also love Instagram for a quick share with friends but it is a different venue. I hope to get back into blogging this summer.

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  44. I jumped over here from Juliann's blog. I admit, I blog, have Facebook and instagram but I use them for different purposes. My quilty life is shared in my blog, my family and local friends (non quilters) are who I share with on Facebook, and Instagram is a snapshot into my life, (some running, very little quilting, healthy lifestyle and whatever else catches my eye)
    I usually only follow fellow quilters with one of these venues because they tend to post the exact same thing on all three! That's annoying and I try not to do that for that very reason.
    Blogging has slowed, but I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon.

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  45. Just from a purely statistical point of view blog use this year down is down drastically and Facebook growth has slowed (Facebook usage is predominantly amongst those 50+, young people are for the most part no longer signing up.) IG use has grown exponentially.

    I'm 33 and I far prefer IG to blogs. I'm also a modern quilter and it seems to me like IG is currently where modern quilting is "happening." I feel like IG is more personal and far less packaged. It's also a quick way to keep up with my favourite quilters and to update people with what I am working on. I have zero interest in having my own blog and really don't have time to follow many. So many things are posted on IG by bloggers that never make it to their blogs (mistakes, personal tidbits, ideas for projects that may never happen) -- it just seems more interesting to me. I get a tonne of comments on IG, I suspect that it's because it's so quick and easy to leave them.

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  46. I am a blogger - and I will continue to be a blogger. I am not on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I wrote a post on Why Blog? and ended up putting it on a separate page on my blog ... just because I believe in the format and the possibilities it offers. There is so much "instant" everything in our world (some good, some not so much) - I like having time to think something through and the process of writing each post. I don't comment here often - I'm a lurker - and perhaps that is part of the problem. Too many of us read without commenting - leaving others to think no one is paying attention.

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  47. Hi! I'm here from Barb's blog. I don't blog very often, but a blog to me is like an open diary - where I can record my life's happenings, and sort through the progress. I am on Facebook, but I would much rather blog and read blogs. There seems to be more substance on a blog. Most Facebook posts are shallow and not as interesting. I like Pinterest for looking at eye candy without having to make a comment.

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