If you’re a frequent visitor, you’ve probably noticed that, as I mentioned earlier today, Needle ‘n Thread has had a bit of a face-lift. I thought I’d mention the points of change and fill you in on what still needs tweaking.
For Needle ‘n Thread, I wanted to get away from the standard blog template that I was using previously, but keep a template format for ease of publishing.
Some Things That Have Changed:
Many of the accidentals have changed: background color, font style, frames on photos, etc. The font size especially on the comments has changed – I thought it important to make the comments really visible, since many readers contribute excellent and useful information in the comments.
The most obvious change, which can be somewhat disorienting, is the second column: it’s moved from the left side of the page to the right, and some of the content in that column has been eliminated or streamlined. I retained “The Editor’s Floss,” which has the same links to the most-used sections of the website. The “Previous Posts” section and the “Archives” section are still available, but the “Archives” section is only available on the main page. The Feedburner has remained, but some “sponsor” links are gone.
The header is not clickable. It used to be clickable only in one small spot, and if you didn’t know where that spot was, you couldn’t click on it to return to the home page, anyway! Instead of a clickable header, there is a “home” link in the top menu, which will take you back to the current “front page” of the site.
There is a contact page. The content still needs to be added (it will be an e-mail form), which will be done soon.
The Bookstore page will include Amazon links to books that I have personally reviewed, which have a review written up on Needle ‘n Thread. Yes, I am signed up as an Amazon affiliate – the proceeds help maintain Needle ‘n Thread.
The “Links” link in the top menu will take you to an organized page of links that will include the following: online embroidery retail shops (not affiliated, but shops that I have found are excellent in service, quality, and selection); embroidery information websites, including blogs; and free resources around the web, such as free tutorials, patterns, etc.
Eventually, there will also be a Frequently Asked Question link in the top menu.
And finally, there will be a little “About” blurb, in case you’ve ever wondered who the heck Mary Corbet is!
Things That Have Not Changed:
The content links are the same, so if you have any particular pages bookmarked, you can still access the same page with the same link.
The content of the site has not changed – you’ll find the same content under the same links, the most popular of which are included in the Editor’s Floss, in the column now on the right side, at the very top.
The use of ads and placement have not changed.
Please be patient! There is still some tweaking to go!! In the meantime, I hope that you find Needle ‘n Thread just as useful to you, and that, despite the slight changes, you still feel at home here!
Mary, I like the new look. The one thing I miss, and perhaps you just haven’t a chance to put it up, is the search.
Also, I don’t see all the Google ads in Firefox (with adblock extension) and I don’t miss them! 🙂 In fact, I think the site looks better in firefox than in IE.
Just my two cents….
Nice job!
Mary, this is a wonderful new look. I love the green!
Thanks so much for all of the really useful and fun items you post.
Mary the new look is wonderful. So much easier to read. Thank you for all the wonderful info and such you put out here for stitchers in all areas.
Margaret, Gerry, Sharon – thank you! I’m glad you like it.
Yes, still some tweaking to do, Margaret – the search feature will be back soon!
May I say – it might just be me, being blind – but the “previous posts” list is a bit hard to read, unless you click on it to underline each heading.
A line between each one? You have heaps of room on the right there.
A humble comment,
It’s hard to find the content through all the ads.
Hi, folks –
Thanks for all the constructive comments! I’m still tweaking. (I’m beginning not to like that word!)
The search feature will be replaced soon, too…
and I’ll work with fonts and ads still…
Thanks again!
I like the green also, it’s a lovely shade. And I think he “new look” is much more pleasing and restful to the eye.
The only trouble I’ve had with your site is trying to find where I was last time, so I’ve been bookmarking every page I want to go back to!
-Christiana
Hi, Christiana – yes, I know what you mean about finding your place again. It’s somewhat the nature of the “blog” set-up. The labels will help – if you click on a label, you’ll get all the posts that have to do with that label. Another feature (finally re-added this weekend) is the search field in the right column. Search a key term, and the search feature will give preference to posts on this site with that term in it. It will also give other links to places online with the same type term, but generally, the ones on Needle ‘N Thread will show up first.
Hope that helps….