NiftyKnits - So Much Yarn so Little Time

Each week Craft Blog UK will be featuring one of our members and asking them a few questions so that we can all get to know a little bit more about their craft and why they enjoy blogging.

This week we will be looking at
http://www.niftyknits-somuchyarnsolittletime.com/



"I was invited to a twitter meet-up and someone suggested I wear my Star Trek original series Command sweater - I refused, but said I'd knit a meerkat wearing one - the rest is history!"

This weeks interview is with the geocaching, tweeting, waggledancing, meerkat knitting lady known as Nifty Knits. At the moment she is blogging about two of her little meerkats that have undertaken a world tour, meeting  some of the sellers from the Etsy Treasury Team and its a fascinating read, geography, history, humour and of course meerkats...   you're going to read this blog right now aren't you! When you get back please read the interview with Nifty below. (waggledancing sounded more gentle than waggleforcing)


NiftyKnits -Website

I asked Heather a few questions about her blog...

Can you tell us about your first ever blog post and share the link?
Wow - turns out I started in May 2008! The first post was just putting my toes in the water (here) and says little more than hello! The second post interests me more. (here)  The reporter I mention is the same guy who more recently featured the Meerkat World Tour, so he was a useful person to get to know!

Where do you promote your blog posts?
That partly depends on what I'm blogging about. If I've interviewed a folksy or etsy seller than I will promote on the appropriate forum, and hope the interviewee will also do some promotion. I also post on twitter and facebook, and there is a link to my blog on my website www.niftyknits.co.uk , which is on all my business cards and in my email signature.

In what ways has blogging affected your crafting or business?
Blogging increases my sense of belonging to the crafting community, and hopefully makes me “real”. Blogging has certainly both broadened and deepened my networks - by which I mean I am in touch with more people, and have deeper relationships, albeit virtual ones, than without my blog. It isn't just about *my* blog though, it's important to wander around the community, to read other people's blogs and leave comments. I think it's really important to leave a comment, blogging can feel very lonely at times.


Have you made any blogging mistakes?
I'm sure I've made many! One that comes to mind was a giveaway. I've done quite a few, and try to think carefully about what I want to achieve. On this occasion the condition of entry was to leave a comment choosing the entrant's favourite piece from my shop. I'd included several pictures in the post, and hadn't thought it through. Guess what? Many entrants just happened to choose those items I'd pictured as their favourites...they hadn't visited my shop at all!

Another mistake (and I still do this at times!) is imagining everyone automatically wants to read what I’ve written. Going to the “have you blogged today?” forum posts, posting my link and not bothering to read any of the other blogs posted there…it’s just rude! This is why I think it’s so important to leave a comment.

Do you have a favourite blog by another crafter - what makes their posts stand out for you?
http://kitschycoo.blogspot.com/ by a mile! Her stories about the antics of her children are hysterical, and she is the only person I can imagine making me feel interested in sewing! Other blogs I enjoy reading are those that are not just advertising billboards. It’s the same with twitter and facebook – if all you are going to post is “I’ve made this” “I’m selling this” then I just don’t want to read it. I want to be interested, amused – in Kitshcycoo’s case, her stories remind me of when my own children were young.


Of all your blog posts which one are you most proud of and why?
I’m very pleased with two recent posts which were about what I’d learnt from an audio presentation by Waggleforce. They got a lot of comments (including one from the original speaker!) and I know passed on valuable information to people who wouldn’t otherwise have listened to the broadcast.
http://niftyknits-somuchyarnsolittletime.blogspot.com/2010/01/macro-or-micro.html
http://niftyknits-somuchyarnsolittletime.blogspot.com/2010/01/more-about-waggling.html


More from NiftyKnits - 
All my links can be found on my website: www.niftyknits.co.uk ***Please sign up for my newsletter http://bit.ly/7nihIO to be the first to know about new Meerkats and special offers***

I like to feature other crafters regularly on my blog and I’m always looking for victims! My criteria are you must have decent photos, and you must be making original items, not from designs which are copyright to someone else. If you think you fit the bill, please get in touch.



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