Things which mystify me #3. Why is it that embroidery questions can languish here for hours without answers (although they seem to gather flowers) but non-embroidery questions get responses into double figures in no time at all?

I may not always leave a comment because I have nothing to add or say, or may not know the answer, but If I've taken the time to read it I always leave a flower. And in Projects EVERYBODY gets a flower from me, it helps me keep track of whats newly posted, lol! But with designs I only leave a flower after I've downloaded the design, or I lose track of what I've downloaded.
Diane

Maybe embroidery questions intimidate us newer to embroidery and no one wants to sound stupid. But I ask when I think of something because the answers might help someone else.I don't know how many times I've seen a question asked and thought, hey, I was wondering about that too. The non embroidery questions are more or less asking for an opinion and I don't mind offering mine even if others don't agree. It gets the mind working. Interesting question you posed Sue!
Meri

1 comment

by sewfrenzie 15 Apr 2012

I think its because we don't always have an answer, thats why we give a flower &hope someone else can answer it for them. Many times I actually mark the check so if Veronia ever brings that feature back I have it save for future reference because I could learn something that I do not know from others answers.
Diane

I would probably never ask a question at a forum that I could find an answer to by reading at that site or with a google search. For one thing I would get an instant answer and maybe even find answers to questions I didn't even know I had.

Also, I kinda like the anonymity of not responding at forums. I'm shocked and horrified at the personal information people willingly give at Internet sites and in emails that go out to thousands of people.

I sometimes read the personal stuff and even give flowers, but I'd probably not reply. Sharing projects at any crafty-type site is not too personal. In fact, I love the projects and tips on all kinds of crafting. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Sue, I'm always confident in my opinions, but not so confident in my techniques - LOL. For techniques you have to explain lots of supporting details, more technical writing. It's harder. It's like if someone asked What is the Meaning of LIfe, versus How do you change a Sewing Machine Needle. There are a lot more options to discuss about LIFE, than the how to do it answers. I think that's it.
How's that for Mystify #3, dear friend? Jan
Now, What is Mystify #4?

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 15 Apr 2012

Man, I sound like a smarty pants, don't i?

I guess you can answer your own question mmmmmmmmmm lets see that's 55 **

I try to answer when I have information that might help. I give flowers all the time. For posts that I read I give flowers to everyone that posts. I don't have to answer to give flowers.

Marcelle

I try to answer sometimes, when I feel that I can contribute. But, I am also only doing this for three years, and I always think that there are more clever ladies or gents, out there who might know much better than me. So, I often say a few things, but, when I am unsure, I just give a flower. ****

This list flies by, I try to answer if I have something to add but lately not on as much-very busy
with projects due end of the month. But yes it is important to answer questions. I've learned a lot. I put my 2 cents out on things I know about or can find.

I feel that I am new to embroidery and am here to learn more. I feel that the ladies from all over the world know the best ideas, best deals, best answers. If I do know a answer, I put in my 2 cents, if not, I wait for the answers from others and them give flowers. Hence more flowers then answers. LOL Sandy

Sometimes questions tend towards certain techniques that I am clueless about, or not so interested in. But we all have our "human-interest" side that's interested in the happenings of people we "know". Maybe those types of questions are more fun or easy to answer? Dunno......

I do try to answer as many questions as possible be it embroidery or non-embroidery. Depends on the time that I have at the time.
It seems as if people will respond more to non embroidery questions as it is only there opinions.
I see that you have managed to get a high figure placing this question Sue!!! I wonder why?

Hugs Yvonne

1 comment

by toolips 15 Apr 2012

lol good point

That's one of the many reasons why I don't ask questions anymore. I asked for help about 3 weeks ago and only 1 cutie was kind enough to offer help. Hugs..Carol

2 comments

by bevintex 14 Apr 2012

I try to answer as many questions as possible. I may even take the time to look up some info if I'm not sure. The questions do get answered,some just not as quick as the others.

by greysewist 14 Apr 2012

Maybe we were unsure what was being asked or were a bit busy? Maybe try again, putting your question a slightly different way & not forgetting to mention the machine model etc if it matters.

If someone has already provided the answer that I would have given I don't repeat the respond but give a flower for the person asking the question and those that did provide an answer.

Sue could it be that you are used to asking and answering questions but not everyone is. Most people feel comfortable in offering/commenting on a situation from 'their' perspective

i agree with most who responded sometimes there is less pressure to answer one that you are not sure of. However myself I am NOT comfortable telling people what to do? But I try to answer if only to bring it back to the top to get an answer.Sometimes it helps to see things: like the pic from sewmom about the bridge because this is something I would not have otherwise seen & then I would have missed a beautiful shot.

Sue, I often wonder that same thing - but mostly I wonder why the non-embroidery questions are even in this section - when they really should be in PERSONALS.

See, I didn't have an answer, but gave you a flower before I even realized I didn't leave a comment! But I think the other gals have answered it well enough. Usually when I see a question & it's answered I don't leave another comment unless it's something to help. But I love this site & all the questions, answers, & yes the folks on it!

Sue I do not know ..I do not know the answers so I do not answer

Possibely because we don't know the answers to everything...well I don't ;-)

Maybe because nobody came along who knew the answer, but they wish they COULD help so they give a flower.

I know I don't have much time lately. I am so far behind here at home, so I will just come and read messages, quickly browse projects, water as many gardens as I can and then get back to the demands of this busy life. SOMETIMES I will answer a post if I can do it quickly. :-)
Hugs n roses, Meganne

I will try to help where and if I can. Good question.

Well I have learned everything via trial and error lol.. never had a lesson,, but I love to try new things and experiment.. but in the past when I have offered my thoughts on an embroidery question Ive tended to be told off lol.. so I guess I now think twice before posting a response lol,

I think eggyannie has hit the nail on the head. I am self taught and feel that if I suggest something that I do with embroidery it might go horribly wrong for someone else. I love seeing all the answers and perhaps learning the 'proper' way to do something. Great question Sue. Sarah.

6 comments

by meganne 14 Apr 2012

Ah Sarah, there really should be NO proper way to do anything as long as you enjoy what you are doing and you are thrilled to bits with the end result, that SHOULD BE all that matters.
I taught handicapped teenagers to Tenpin bowl, as a professional coach I could have become a real pig getting them to try and bowl correctly, but that was what mattered. As long as they hit a pin, and clapped and cheered and grabbed their carers to look at their downed pin/s, the smiles on their faces was all that mattered, not HOW they got the ball down the lane.

by meganne 14 Apr 2012

coach I could have become a real pig getting them to try and bowl correctly, but that was what mattered. As long as they hit a pin, and clapped and cheered and grabbed their carers to look at their downed pin/s, the smiles on their faces was all that mattered, not HOW they got the ball down the lane.

by meganne 14 Apr 2012

mattered, not HOW they got the ball down the lane.

by meganne 14 Apr 2012

This sentence should read..... but that was NOT what mattered.

by airyfairy 14 Apr 2012

Thank you Meganne. Sarah

by hightechgrammy 15 Apr 2012

Me too, Sarah

I think people don't want to appear like know-it-alls and are a bit nervous of saying something that others might disagree with, as someone else mentioned. If it's a question where it's only our own personal experience or likes or dislikes, there's not the pressure :)

Been fairly new I would leave the answer for some one in the know,but still give a flower,its easy to respond to none embroidery questions you don't have to be an expert but just express an opinion.

First Congratulations on over 40,000 flowers. Perhaps in answer to the question so much time is spent reading Cute that little embroidery is done so the skills are not there to answer? Happy sewing

1 comment

by spendlove 14 Apr 2012

LOL

Sometimes they get lost between all the non-embroidery questions, and when in a hurry I look at page one only.
Sometimes the same question has been answered time and again in the past, and I must confess I tend to skip those - not very nice of me if it is asked by a newbie.
And there are a lot of questions that seem to be asked just for asking's sake. Too busy to have a look at those.

2 comments

by spendlove 14 Apr 2012

Exactly.

by crafter2243 14 Apr 2012

That is how I feel. So much to weed through and then when there is a one where I could help it has been answered many times already. Lately I have to skip 90% of hte posts.

I usually answer things I know about and if I don't I will say someone will be along shortly to answer it. Love Chris

is it possible that folk are a bit wairy of putting up an answer incase something goes wrong, Or maybe they too are looking for another answer to the same Q and are waiting to see if anyone else comes up with an alternative idea to theirs.
We all hate ridicule and can then become one of those who will sit back and not say how they do something incase it is not the "normal" way of doing it.
i normaly find that self taught people come upwith the most ingeniouse ideas to get around a problem and Where as those who have had classes know only the way the teacher was shown so think that that way is the best.
I used to do egg art and was self taught so i had to do as above and find ways to overcome a problem
i also taught how to do this craft/
One day my friend (whom i had taught)and i decided to go to a workshop i went to do one design and my friend another. the tutors were top of their class andvery experienced. all went well till my friend had to do the lining inside the egg around a very curved edge. not thinking she did it my way. suddenly thew tutor asked her what she was doing useing a soldering iron My friend explained she was removing the excesse fabric.
The tutor watched with great interest as my friend guided the hot soldering iron along the edge of the shell where it melted and burnt off the fabric it passed through, so leaving a nice clean edge in far less time than if done with a pair of scissors. no damage was incurred that way to the shell.
"Can i try ?" the tutor asked and then, how did you learn how to do this?
oH eggyannie showed me. so then the rest of the work shop had to see how to remove excess fabric from the cut edge of shells, be they curved or worse still zig zagged.
the end result was that the teacher had learnt a new way of doing thingsand so had the egging world.
so if anyone knows a different way to do a task pass it on.
I use the soldering iron technique even now to remove the whiskers from around purses and such that have the satin stitch finish. just do not touch the actual item but simply singe the loose threads off leaving a nice clean edge and no cut stitches.
If you want to put whiskers onto your animal designs then fine fishing nylon is threaded onto a needle and the whiskers put in place , leave a long end behind the design and then hold allthe ends at the back and remove tails with the soldering iron. this melts the ends of the plastic line together and so prevents then pulling out
the wheel may have started off square untill someone realised that they moved better after they had worn the points of so decided to cut them of in the beginning and make then in the shape they are today..pass on that information before you die and its lost forever.
annie in the uk

6 comments

by spendlove 14 Apr 2012

I love that last paragraph! Thanks for giving all that detail to make a very good point.

by lique 14 Apr 2012

Wow learned a new thing first thing I am going to do now is buy a soldering iron!

by shirley124 14 Apr 2012

Have got a soldering iron, but never used it. Maybe now is the time to try. Thanks

by leenova54 14 Apr 2012

Now I love what I just learned in the last paragraph! I need to try that with a cat face that is in DBC!!

by pldc 14 Apr 2012

I have just learned about the soldering iron too thanks for sharing a vauable tip!

by hightechgrammy 15 Apr 2012

Cool! Thanks!

perhaps.....the other questions are easier to answer? well here's a flower for your question.

1 images:[1]

I do not know Sue, I am retired and still only have time to look very quickly at the postings in this section. you were at the top today so I saw yours.
Hugs Pam.

Hmmmmm,I don't know.
Bev