Replies

1. 
   user-51823 | Jan 13, 2007 11:43pm | #1

   welcome! you expressed that well, and no one will hold it against you.
   yes, there's some complaining going on about the percieved new direction of the magazine, but concurrent to that is the continuation of members helping each other.
   as a newcomer, you haven't had the chance to take part in all the constructive conversations that have gone on here for years and years. the archives are open if you need to search for something, and if you do post questions, you will get wonderful input. if you don't see all the topics you'd like to as you browse the recent messages, it's because there's is such a wealth of knowledge here, it only surfaces on an as-needed basis, ie, ask a question, get the answer. at other areas of this website, you can access classic sewing tips and articles easily.
   sometimes answers come slowly as a person with the answer may not check in frequently, or maybe we need to research before posting. ususally tho, someone steps up quickly to help.
   don't be discouraged by the negative remarks on clearly labelled threads debating the mag. they will be distilled by the editors and the pertinent points considered in improving the publication. you can label any thread "ignore" if you don't want to see them.
   we hope you stay and post. welcome again!

1. 
   rmh | Jan 14, 2007 01:04am | #2

   Thank you msm-s,     I will indeed keep reading for something I haven't seen before.  I didn't have anything particular in mind_just looking for some new ideas to add to what I have done or read about.  As may be quite obvious, I'm very,very new to a computer.     I've been sewing most all my life - I'm now 52; but for a good part of my life I didn't have a machine so it was all by hand.  I've only had a machine for about 8 or 9 years.  I may not know all the terminology nor the proper wording for many things , much of what I read about and see pictures of now, I see that I have done before and thought "I" made it all up!  Not the case!  So since I know that I'm pretty good at figuring things out on my own I thought it was high time I learned what the proper names for things were. I do have a lot to learn.    And speaking of a lot to learn, the computer is a whole new world to me as well. I bought it in October and I'm slow going but I'll get some of it figured out as I go along.  I don't even know how to sent E-Mails yet.  I have alot of reading to do and trial and error just as I did with sewing many years ago.             Anyway thanks for your input msm-s. 

1. 
   ctirish | Jan 15, 2007 08:28am | #3

   Hi, Welcome to the new world of technology. If you need help in doing anything let us know. I worked in computers for years, so if you have questions about doing anything, let me know. You obviously have figured out how to connect to the Internet, that is a first good step. You may find writing each step down as you do it helps. I have done that for several people when they were new. It makes it easier to get to the screens and site you want to and just doing that is helpful in terms of positive reinforcement. If you don't know what I mean, let me know.
   enjoy, jane

1. 
   rmh | Jan 19, 2007 04:17am | #4

   ctirish,

      I am just now getting back to you on your offer to help me out with computer related problems I get.  I do have problems navigating around this site.  Specifically, I am finding that just getting to the Gatherings discussions - the message boards, is a task that is exhausting.  I do write things down as I do them but since I'm trying so many things and then trying something else and on and on, somewhere along the way I realize that I always end up forgetting to have written down something.  I'm sure this is all so very basic to all of you.  But I am so very new to this computer thing as I am also just as new to visiting this site or any other.  I could sure use help in figuring this out.

     

      Due to some fairly recent health issues, I have had to put a hold on my sewing for a while but I hope to be able to get back to it soon.  This is one of the reasons I wanted to get my computer; so I would still have something to occupy my time.  Naturally I gravitated towards sewing sites but I soon found this is the one I prefer.  I am so glad that I found it and I plan to do much more of it. 

      I would gratefully accept any help you could give me with the problems I'm having figuring out some of these  navigating around issues I'm having.  I would like to have this be a nonissue with me .  I'm looking forward to any help you could give me.      Thanks.

    

      

1. 
   user-51823 | Jan 19, 2007 06:18pm | #6

   you say that just getting to the messages is hard- are you having trouble with "bookmark" it or making it a "favorite"? try doing that while you are right here on this page it should bring you right to the discussions.
   or are you maybe having problems logging in?

2. 
   rmh | Jan 20, 2007 04:04am | #9

   msm-s,

      Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes!

      I don't know how to access bookmark or how to use it and can I use it from the threads homepage? What page can I get to from the homepage easily that I could just click on something to get right here?  And by the way thank you for answering me twice now on my questions.

                                        rmh

                                   (Ruth H.)

3. 
   ctirish | Jan 19, 2007 07:22pm | #7

   Hi, First question - what are you using to get on the internet, a phone modem, cable or DSL? Also, are you using something like AOL? 2. What do you use for accessing the interenet - Internet Explorer, Firefox/Mozilla or something else? 3.What is your home page when your screen comes up for the internet? Is is Yahoo or Google or somethin else? Let me know and we will go from there? It will be easy for you in very little time. jane

4. 
   rmh | Jan 20, 2007 05:14am | #10

   ctirish

      I am using a cable connection (wireless).

      I am using Internet Explorer for accessing.

      I have my homepage as google.

     

      I think I really wasn't specific with the problems I'm having.  My problems begin on the threads homepage.  I don't know how to get to the General Discussion page from the Threads Homepage.   What I've been doing up until now is I saved the discussions page in my favorites list on my Google homepage.  But I have been having trouble with my brand new computer- something with the hard drive and possibly the motherboard it's self .  The dealer I bought the computer from has been really good in fixing the problems but there has been a number of times it's happened now so I'm not so trusting that my computer isn't going to get that dreaded blue screen of death again. This is why I have to learn how to navigate around the Threads site without relying on what I may have saved in my Google homepage favorites list.  They may have to replace my motherboad if that turns out to be my problem but when my computer goes blue the hard drive gets wiped clean and I start all over again.

      Good thing I'm a very patient person.

      So that's my story and thanks for answering my post.

                                             rmh  

   Edited 1/19/2007 10:58 pm by rmh

   Edited 1/19/2007 11:01 pm by rmh

5. 
   ctirish | Jan 20, 2007 09:08am | #11

   Hi rmh, It is pretty unusual to have a bad hard drive and a bad motherboard in the same machine. Everyone who has been using Internet Explorer 7 and some who have done updates in the past 2 months (at least) are experiencing terrible problems from clicking on a button and nothing happening to the blue screen of death. My new laptop has frozen every time I have tried to use it. I used to use it exclusively, but the latest release is a nightmare. If you are using IE7 or IE6 - I would go to http://www.mozilla.com and download mozilla/firefox to use as your browser. Then go to the control panel and remove IE from the installed programs on your PC. This may solve more problems than you think. The one thing mozilla/firefox does not have is plugins - which is why it doesn't have any problems. But there are some things you can't do that you could do before. So, if you use firefox and you run into a problem and it says you need a plugin you will know why. I am hoping Microsoft fixes IE soon. I downloaded again tonight to see if I could get it to work and it immediately froze up my laptop. I can usually tell when they don't have a fix for something because if you click on sending an error report - if they have a solution - it will come back with a button that says you can prevent this problem in the future and when you click on it they tell you how to fix it. As to the question of how to get to the forums once you are on the Threads website it is easy once you know how.
   First the wordy version - When you get to the website, if you do not have automatic login set up you will need to go the top right corner and login. Then if you look at the brown buttons across the top you will see one that says Gatherings - that is where the forums are located. Click on Gatherings and that will bring you to the Welcome to Gatherings page. On the left side of the screen you will see a purple label that says recent discussions. This list is the most recent posts to the site. You can click on a discussion that is listed there or you can click on the purple button that says Start Reading. That will get you into the complete list of discussions. From there you can post a new discussion - but do a search to see if there is already a posting about your topic or even the answer. There are many discussions - don't be afraid to expand a discussion or to go to the archives to look up something. The Short version on how to get to the discussions is:1.Go to Threads website - http://www.taunton.com/threads/
   2.Log in - upper right corner
   3.Click on Gatherings Discussions button - last one on right - red/brown buttons
   4.Click on purple Start Reading button
   5.Pick or search for a topic or start a new post. Have fun, ask questions, make comments - there are no wrong answers or comments... Let me know if this doesn't work for you.

6. 
   AmberE | Jan 20, 2007 04:41pm | #12

   Thanks so much to all of you for making rmh feel welcome! That's always a victory for this community. While we want to keep the lively discussion on Threads magazine moving forward in a positive way, the primary goal here is to encourage conversation on sewing and the more dedicated members of this community have so so so MUCH to offer to newer and returning sewers to bring them along.The great news here is that Threads is doing so well now--we're UP substantially for the first time in years in renewals, newsstand sales, subscriptions and circulation. Let's keep that going so that we have Threads around for a long time to come!

7. 
   sewingkmulkey | Jan 23, 2007 01:31am | #14

   Threads sales are up - fantastic!  I've subscribed since the very first issue and have weathered the slow/uninspiring times but have been quite happy with the content of the last two issues.  Keep up the good work!

   Could it be that there truely is a resurgence in sewing?  I'll keep my fingers crossed and continue to keep buying my favorite magazine!

   Thank you, Amber, and all the editors at Threads.

   Are you coming to Houston's Quilt Festival in the Fall?  I've missed seeing you there.

   Karen

    

8. 
   AmberE | Jan 24, 2007 01:47pm | #18

   I think it's a lot of factors, and I hope that part is my own contribution! (That's what all editors like to think, right!) Yes, I should be there next fall. Just a super-busy schedule this year.

9. 
   rmh | Jan 26, 2007 07:32am | #21

   Hi Amber,

      I think you are doing a fine job with the magazine as do many others.  It never hurts to be validated though.  I say thanks to you and those on staff that make this all possible; both the magazine and this site.  I'm enjoying both very much.

                                                rmh

    

10. 
    AmberE | Jan 26, 2007 07:22pm | #23

    Many many thanks! :-)

11. 
    ctirish | Jan 23, 2007 08:38am | #16

    Amber, I am thrilled to hear that Threads is doing so well. I didn't realize it but I started worrying about Threads and its demise. Do you remember we talked about putting the magazine in with sewing machines on shopping networks? Only the Chesire library carries the magazine Threads. And it is the only sewing magazine they carry. The past couple of days I have been researching sewing books, prices and what libraries had the books I wanted to read. All of the libraries in Hartford county, CT have very few books on sewing. What can we do about it? I don't want to ruffle feathers and suggest the situation should be in the magazine but is there a way to get the magazine in more libraries and to get the word out that we need to write to our local governments and tell them we need more books on sewing in libraries. I am going to send an email to the American Sewing Guild and the CT chapter to see what we can do as a group to correct the situation. For perspective I did a search on Quilting at some of these libraries and there are approximately 2-3 times more quilting books than sewing books. Rocky Hill has more fiction books about sewing than they do non-fiction books about sewing. I have already sent an email to someone about Rocky Hill to find out what I need to do to get more books in there.I was so surprised when I discovered this problem. It never occurred to me that libraries would not be purchasing a well rounded selection of books on an ongoing basis. They also have 2-3 times more golf books than they do sewing books. Let me know what you or anyone at Threads thinks about ways to tackle this situation.
    Take care, jane

12. 
    AmberE | Jan 24, 2007 12:24pm | #17

    I would think that advocacy on a local basis would be the place to start. I can check here to see if we have any pull on a national level. I think it's great---the more exposure for Threads the better!

13. 
    Lady Willoughby | Feb 01, 2007 05:21am | #25

    Being retired after working for 18 years at our local public library, I thought I would throw in my two cents worth.  Mine is a town of around 20,000 with one very good public library -- in Wisconsin.  I was administrative assistant to the Director, not a librarian and I cannot guarantee that every public library works the same way; however, anyone wanting "Threads" at their library should first go to your local library, ask who does the ordering of the magazines and non-fiction books.  Then make an appointment with the appropriate person (if you need to do that).  Then you can present your case and request they purchase specific items.  If you live in a big city, with a public library consisting of many branches, that is probably a different scenario but you can learn how it works just by asking questions at the library.

    Libraries must work within annual budgets so their response might depend upon the time of year you make your visit.  I would think that this time of year would be good and sometimes, toward the end of the year is good -- if they have more money left over than they anticipated.

    Library get reimbursed by the state for every individual checked out item so librarians are prone to order things that prove to be popular. 

    If your library does not have and can not or will not order "Threads" you may be able to request copies via "Interlibrary Loan."  It doesn't cost anything (at least here) to get them from other libraries and then check them out at your own library.  Hope this is clear.

    Lady Willoughby

     

14. 
    Gloriasews | Jan 27, 2007 02:25am | #24

    I agree with you on the sewing books in libraries - even in large cities in Canada this is happening (there are scads of quilting & knitting books).  The sewing books that are available are mostly old ones or pertain to sewing drapes/curtains, I have found.  You can request your library to order any that you know of or newer ones - the libraries are always wanting to know what we want.  Also, our libraries (in Alberta) have book sales of old books several times a year.  I was able to pick up books that I have borrowed many times and that are out of print for $1-$3.  How great is that???  They sell all kinds of books: novels, cookbooks, craft books, etc. 

15. 
    ctirish | Jan 23, 2007 06:42am | #15

    Hi, I wanted to see how things are going with your PC and your ability to navigate the internet? If you have managed to get to this site without problems you are doing great. Sitting down at a PC for the first time is scary. You have this machine in front of you that you know can find so much information for you - info you never thought you would want to know. Everyone thinks a PC is fragile that somehow you are going to bring the internet to the ground. Don't worry about it, unless you are installing new software or you open email with an attachment on it and you don't run it through virus software first, if would be pretty hard to break it.When your PC is running without problems we can talk about setting up your bookmarks/favorites in your Internet browser. You need to do some thinking before you start adding sites to that list, otherwise you will end up with a list you won't use because it is out of control. jane

16. 
    rmh | Jan 26, 2007 06:57am | #19

    Hi ctirish,

       Sorry I've been so slow getting back to on this.  I've looked in briefly a couple of times over the last few days but I haven't had time to sit too long in one sitting.  The steps you gave me to get to Discussions worked perfectly but ofcourse you know that.  I guess that it's like anything else, it's easy when you know how.  Now I wonder why I found it so hard to begin with.  I am much more comfortable now with the computer now.  Thanks so much for your help.

       I love this site and seeing all the interesting things that everyone is talking about.  I've only been reading Threads Magazine for a couple of years now and I get quite excited about picking up my copy at the news stand.  I always go through it quite thoroughly even before I go to the counter to pay for it.  Once I get it home and go through it again and again and then many times over again.  But it seens that no matter how many times I do this I always get something new from it.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this.

       Hope to be talking to you again soon.

                                               rmh

17. 
    ctirish | Jan 26, 2007 06:58pm | #22

    Hi rmh, It seems to me adults have to learn most things, as children we seem to have an innate ability to understand how things work. I have been reading Threads for five or six years now and I really look forward to each issue when it comes. You should subscribe to it, I think it is less expensive that way. I have subscribed to several sewing, embroidery, heirloom, magazines over the years, Threads is the one I read from front to back. One of my favorite parts of this site is the magazine index. On the 'home' page of the Threads website in the left column you will see a list that starts with "About the magazine", if you look in that column you will see magazine index. If you click on it, a screen will come up that displays an alphabet and a search box. These are for looking up any topic or author for anything that has been in any Threads magazine from the beginning. You can browse by picking a letter or type in anything you want to find in the box and click search. It brings up the subject, article title, issue and pages. If you click on the issue it bring up the table of contents to that issue. I find the article I was looking for and then I can find the issue in my stash of Threads magazines. It is a great feature. If it is one I don't have I can look on Ebay for it or ask here about it. I know what you mean about time. I take care of my granddaughter during the day - monday thru Friday. I started when she was three months old, she was so fussy and cried if she wasn't held. When that phase passed I thought when she sits up and plays by herself..LOL then I thought once she walks it will be easier. Well, she is 16 months old and I have done ONE piece of machine embroidery while she is here. I don't know what I was thinking, when I thought I could do both tasks at the same time. She is a very light sleeper so I can't sew while she naps either. She is into everything, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Now I sew on weekends when I get the chance. Sometimes I sew at night if she has't totally worn me out. I have to go there is only about 3 minutes left of Sesame Street and it is reading time. Anyway, there is a photo topic here and if you finish anything it would be great if you posted it there so we can all tell you what a great job you did on it. It is great positive reinforcement. Ahhhhh, there goes Oscar, talk later, jane

2. 
   katina | Jan 19, 2007 12:56pm | #5

   Welcome - it's good to have you. Yes, the discussions do get a bit lively sometimes, but at least there is a forum to to express ourselves; Amber has a very deft hand threading her way through all of it. I'm sure your computer problems will be resolved by people like Ctirish, so don't be discouraged. Gatherings is a great friend!

   Good wishes - Katina

1. 
   rmh | Jan 20, 2007 03:49am | #8

   Katrina,

      Thanks for the welcome.  Quite frankly, I'm a bit surprised that I am enjoying this as much as I am.  I'm looking forward to the time I will be visiting this site from now on. 

                    ( from Nova Scotia ) 

                         ( Canada )

                                             rmh (Ruth H.)

    

3. 
   AmberE | Jan 20, 2007 04:45pm | #13

   Welcome rmh! You are right, the conversation has gotten pretty negative at times recently! I plan to continue to guide it in a more positive and constructive spirit just so that newcomers like yourself will feel welcome and inspired. So glad to have you on board!Amber Eden
   Editor

4. 
   rmh | Jan 26, 2007 07:26am | #20

   Hi Cherrypops,

      Good to hear from Australia.  I have been pleasantly surprised to "see" people from different parts of the world, I'm from Nova Scotia, Canada.

      When I had to retire, I thought I would have all that extra time to do all the sewing that I didn't have time to do when I was working.  But I seem to be busier now than before.  I have alot of hobbys and family that my time is now like a precious commodity.  I guess everyone is like that now.

      I guess most sewers are trying to do like I am in that at this time of year I try to pick up the fabrics to start sewing for next Christmas.  I can get most of them at bargain prices at this time of year.  Ofcourse I have so much of a stash already, if I bought nothing else in sewing supplies I would have enough to last me years.  But I just can't pass up buying more.  Especially when there are so many sales.

      Just wanted to say welcome to you as I'm a new person to this Threads site myself.  I'll "see" you on the boards!

                                                   rmh