Anyway let's round up the comments that need responding and then I'll reward / bribe you with the offer of a Style Arc pattern!
Anna's birthday dress:
Thanks to all your lovely comments on Anna's birthday dress past and present - a cute little dress is a delight to sew. I'm going to be extremely honest here and admit that my first thoughts after delivering Anna were thank god that pain is over and ooh I have a little girl to sew for! (I didn't find out the gender before delivery so it was a genuine surprise). Thanks to Paola and others who answered the questions about when Aussie schoolkids start school - here in NSW kids only start school at the beginning of the school year (end of January), usually when they are 5 or will turn 5 before July. Anna was more than ready to go to school and being born in January made it an easy decision - it will be a more considered decision with Toby though since he was born in April and it'll depend on how he develops.New Look 6968 dress:
I'm so flattered at all your amazing comments on this dress - it's really such a simple and uncomplicated dress but the fabric is beautiful and the style is very me so I guess that's why it works so well. I'm incredibly touched Kelly D that you find me an inspiration for your work wardrobe, and Gail thanks for the comparison to Veronika Maine - they are one of my favourite RTW sources for the rare times I purchase clothes and a constant source of snoop shopping too.Little White Dress:
I don't want to sound big headed here, but I think my version of this dress turned out better than the one photographed in the Burda magazine as well, so thanks to everyone who made the comment that my version made them take another look at the pattern. The lighter fabric I used and the extra width I added to the skirt made it hang far better than the thick rosette textured fabric Burda used in their version.Silvia (aka Sewing Princess) - I'm afraid I have no secrets to sewing invisible zips, just lots of practice I guess! I don't even use a special invisible zipper foot, I just use my normal zipper foot and my fingernails to uncoil the zip. I would love to be a guest at your lovely place, but sadly real life and distance gets in the way!
Cheekychacha - I get my Burda magazines via a subscription directly with Burda, it's much cheaper and quicker than third party subscribers here in Australia and I generally receive the magazine in the same month it's issued. I've just received my renewal for this year and it's 90 euros (about $136 Australian dollars). The link for subscription is on the Burda Style website.
So I think that concludes the comment responding I needed to do, which moves us nicely onto the good part of this post.
Style Arc Lynne Skirt pattern giveway!
Sandra, winner of the Tessuti gridlock competition last year and Pattern Reviewer extraordinaire, gave me the Lynne skirt pattern recently because somehow she had ended up with two versions. An elastic waist skirt is not really my style, so I've decided to offer it up here on my blog to whoever wants it. This could be your chance to try out the fabulous Style Arc patterns if you haven't already or just add to your Style Arc collection. The pattern is a size 8 though - the Style Arc patterns are a single size pattern, and their sizing chart is here.
I'll post this anywhere around the world, all I ask is that you leave a comment on this post telling me how you prefer to see comments addressed. Do you:
- check back to the post to see if the blogger has replied to your comments? Not at all or only if you've asked a question?
- like to see them addressed and answered in the next blog post?
- do you prefer an individual email reply? Assuming that you're not a 'no reply blogger' of course! or
- Does captcha annoy you more than having to enter your name and email address like for Disqus commenting?
If only I were a size 8 :-) I like to respond to each person, they took the time to respond to me ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a StyleArc size 8 either, so please don't enter me in the giveaway, but I too have been thinking about asking my readers how they prefer comments to be answered. If they've asked a question and they're not a "no reply blogger" I've generally been emailing them directly.
ReplyDeleteI'm also sadly not a size 8, shame. But I use a plugin on my site which does both for me. When I reply to a comment, it emails my reply to the email address supplied. Then I know their question has been answered and often it helps open a conversation on the site too. You can read about the plugin here - http://moms-make-money.com/replyme-plugin/
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I'm an elastic waistband kind of girl either, and usually I'm not a skirt girl, but damned if I'm not exactly a size 8 in style arc (never happens with big 4). Perhaps fate is telling me that I'm an elastic-waist-skirt kind of girl... plus, looking at this pattern makes me think of summer so please count me in. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI'm a size 6-8, per Style Arc, so throw my name in the hat! I'm not a blogger, but I like a combo of questions answered directly via email back or in a subsequent blog post. I guess it depends on what the question is! The captchas are a bit annoying, but I'm willing to pay the price so that you're not overridden with spam!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the captcha,and like it when comments are replied to individually as it's sometimes helpful to see the reply given to others who might have asked questions:) I do like the style arc skirt so count me in please. I've been inspired by lots of you makes and have actually made a list of future makes after seeing your 2013 makes:)
ReplyDeleteHi Kirsty
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the comments - I like the catch up you did today - if I want a direct answer I will email you as I did with the pattern for breast feeding that I made for my daughter
Sadly I am not a size 8 either but being large and with this skirt being elastic waist I may try it I like the style arc patterns
Also I have to tell you I am in NYC and went to Mood fabrics yesterday - it was AMAZING !! I only bought 3 pieces of fabric as I already had too much luggage
Well worth the online shopping though - I thought of you making Toby Ralph Lauren shirts - they had every stripe you have ever seen !!
Hope to see you at ASG this year
Wx
Holy cow! I think I would fit a size 8 and I've been wanting to try a Style Arc pattern, so please count me in. As far as comments, I'm afraid I'm so lame that I don't really know how to see if there's a reply. Sometimes I try to find the post again, but my mind is a sieve so I have limited success with that route.
ReplyDeleteWell, I happen to be a StyleArc 8 at the hip and while my first inclination is to say that I'm not an elastic waist person either, the reality is that I usually wear tops untucked anyway and secretly like my few elastic waist skirts quite a lot. So, I'm in, unless you don't want to ship to the US!
ReplyDeleteRegarding blog comments, I love the interaction that blogs provide, but remembering to check back on Blogger comments just doesn't happen. I much prefer Disqus, and since my browser remembers my Disqus credentials it's just as easy to comment using Disqus as it is to use Blogger's native system. I think responding to comments in the next blog post is fine too - it's always interesting to read others' thoughts and I certainly don't expect an individual response to every comment.
Anyway the blogger wants to do it. Replying to comments is very time consuming and I appreciate any answer. I would love to try a Style Arc pattern. Love all your Burda makes!
ReplyDeleteNot a size 8 here either, or one who wears skirts!
ReplyDeleteI like to see replies too, but that can get very time consuming having to search for them, like the idea of emailed reply plug in. I don't mind the basic mathematics capcha's, some of the visual ones can be tricky in low light. Like when I'm reading and my husband is attempting to sleep...
I also enjoy your Burda makes, in part because their pattern block does not work for me. Cheers all!
I am way off a size 8 as well, so no need to to enter me in the giveaway. Re: comments: I really would not expect a reply to a comment where I compliment someone on a make - I just hope it will be gratefully received and that is it. However, if the comment I make does give rise to the possiblity of a real conversation I do check back to the original blog, but I would not expect an email or some direct contact unless the blogger and I had personal contact. In fact I quite like replies in teh comments, because they often contain advice that is useful for other blogger too.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note: It was your blog that gave me the idea to start a blog for myself, so it will always have a special place in my heart!
What a lovely giveaway though I too am a little larger than an 8, so please don't enter me. And we know life gets busy as it does for everyone at this time of the year, particularly for a family with a new school starter too :)
ReplyDeleteSadly not a Size 8. Nice skirt though!
ReplyDeleteMy son was an April baby too, and I sent him to school at 5 years 10 months, partly because we were expecting to move areas in that year and I didn't want to change schools in the middle of kindergarten (we did), and partly because I think he wasn't quite ready socially, being quite a reserved child. It was the right decision in these circumstances.
In a past life I taught primary school, and my observation about the start early/keep them back debate is that it all depends on the child, and how likely they are able to cope with the kindergarten setting which is a lot more structured and fast paced than it was in the past (ie. no time for sleeps in kindy these days!!). Some kids aged 4 years 5 months thrive - some absolutely don't, and need that extra year of relatively unstructured time to grow up a bit.
My comment about comments is that it is nice to have a reply or some acknowledgement of a comment, but I don't expect it. I understand bloggers have real lives, and sometimes they need priority, and there just isn't enough time in a day.
An integrering question, the one about the comments.
ReplyDeleteIf I leave a comment I would go back to the post to see a reply, but actually only if I posed a question or a comment believed to require an actual response.
This works for me when I comment and this is the approach I use for my own blog as well.
I don't think I am an elastic waistband girl either and I'll refrain from entering the pattern give away.
I'm not a Style Arc 8 so don't enter me in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy however you answer questions. If you were on wordpress and I added a comment, your reply would come up on my wordpress notifications, but you being on blogger means I check back to your post if I've asked a question. So I would prefer you to respond by email for my own convenience and on the blog so everyone else can join in if they want to but I'm perfectly happy with what you are doing now.
I don't like capcha, but understand why you use it
Alas also no longer an 8 so skip me for the draw too. I always find it a lovely surprise when bloggers respond directly to my email. I think that is very nice and also polite. However, I don't know how to do it on my blog otherwise I would. I just check back, but often find I forget when it is a blog I have stumbled across rather that my 'regulars'. I also think the capcha is annoying but I also use it after I had a lot of silly spam comments. Having said that I saw one once that was matching birds and I liked that (if I had to do it, that was a better way than letters that are illegible).
ReplyDeleteI'm not a skirt wearer, so don't enter me in the giveaway, but thanks for introducing me to Style Arc patterns. Have just had a quick look and they have heaps of pants patterns. It's been a long time since I've purchased a pattern that only comes in one size, but there's a couple I'd definitely like to try. I rarely go back to a blog post to check for a reply comment. If I've asked a question and I'm unsure if the blogger replies via email, I tend to tick the Notify me box, but that also means I'll get an email for every comment left, so if I ask a question, I'd much prefer an email response.
ReplyDeleteNo thanks to the pattern, but it's interesting that you ask about comments. I primarily leave my comments for the blogger - it's nice to see a reply sometimes but I don't expect it all, after all the blogger has already gifted me their time and energy by posting a blog.
ReplyDeleteCaptcha doesn't bother me but disqus does. In fact for a while (till I figured out how to change it so my real name didn't appear on my posts) I stopped disqus commenting altogether.
Also, like Chris above, i like reading replies to other people's comments. And if the question is a big or complicated one, I'm happy to read responses in subsequent blog posts.
I'm a size 8 so throw me in the hat. I love getting an email reply, if it's something specific but it's also fun to read the public replies on the blog and it's wonderful when things turn into a post or tutorial, if that's appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI like an individual response, but understand that if you receive a bucketload of comments it's incredibly hard to keep up with responding and also to think of something other to say than "thanks". Before Disqus became so prevalent I used to have to remember where I had commented and go back on the following days to see if there was a response. Lord, I just gave up and consequently I also gave up commenting on those blogs, even if I continued to enjoy reading their posts. Also nothing more annoying than receiving no response. I, for one, love the dialogue. If you don't want to respond to comments don't enable them. I switched to Disqus for my blog and adore it. And I love commenting on Disqus connected blogs as you get notified of responses. And if you simply create a Disqus profile you can stay logged in and not enter anything else each time you comment. Ahhh, comment love.
ReplyDeleteI am a size 8 so throw my hat in. I love an individual response but i know that is not always possible. If I have asked a question I try to come back and check for an answer. By the way, i loved the post of Anna's birthday dresses. I didn't realize I had been following you that long and watching her grow up in the photos made me see time has flown by.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasure to post this to you; I have followed your blog for a long, long time, many thanks for all the inspiration and fun! I toss my name in the draw and I do look back to see if there's anything on the blog in response to my comment. I've gotten an email one time from a blogger and I was shocked; seems it's more common to expect a response within the blog. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI am a novice sewer and very new to the sewing blogworld. I think if I get any reply at all I would appriciate. However if I get personal e-mail for my replies Iwould feel really special so personal e-mails would be nice. But then other people in the blogland wont be able to read the reply and the information would not be shared. yes I would like that skirt very much so ı toss my name n the draw!
ReplyDeleteI'm a novice like Kezban. I always look back at the comments for a reply so I can see what other bloggers might be contributing. Every little bit helps.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to be in the draw! Looks a great pattern! I sometimes find ur hard to find a personal email address to reply to. Going through a capture is ok, keeps you junk free! Just hope the Internet connection holds out! Helen
ReplyDeleteAnother relative newbie here… I really appreciate replies to my comments if I ask any kind of question. If I do, I try to remember to check back and see whether there’s a reply. I once got a reply by e-mail as well, which was surprising in a good way. I agree with the people above who said that having both would be best (if it can be done easily, preferably automatically), because just getting the e-mail means that no-one else will see the reply, which is a pity. It also makes me unsure about whether the blogger replies to comments at all, given I don’t see any of the replies on the blog.
ReplyDelete(I have no comments on my blog yet, but I’m working on enabling them, so this question came at a very appropriate time for me.)
Oh, and I seem to be pretty close to a Style Arc size 8 (I am exactly an 8 around the hips), so even though I don’t think I’m really an elastic-waist person, I’d love to try and challenge my own ideas of my style. It’s sometimes fun to try something you wouldn’t expect to like!
This is a great question - something I've been wondering about too. I don't really expect a reply unless it's a blog where I comment oftwn...and my preference is to have a reply in the comments section if I said anything worth replying to, and ideally to have that reply emailed to me. Mind you I haven't set that up my blog, have I! Sounds like disqus achieves this magic :). Please don't include me in the giveaway as I already have too many patterns.
ReplyDelete