SBQ: Take a minute to reflect on your blog reading habits and preferences. What do you prefer to read in stitching blogs? (Progress, tips, family life, experiences, etc.) How much do you think you are influenced by other stitching bloggers?

Wow this is a great question. So I have been blogging for about a year and a half. I prefer to read blogs that are either a) mostly about cross stitching or b) so funny i fall off my chair everytime i read it. I have yet to find one that is both. I cannot stand political blogs, whiny blogs (usually about a medical or marital issue) or self serving blogs. I only keep up with one celebrity blog Wil Wheaton's, because he fits into the b catagory with usually fabulous writing thrown in to boot. I regularly read 18 blogs 15 are stitching. I don't mind a little personal stuff on a stitching blog (because I like to throw some in there too.) You can see my list under blogs I read. (oh I have to update that)

I think that I stitch more (and definitely finish more) because of these bloggers. I also think that my involvement in a community group (Tarheel stitchers) and becoming more familiar with exchange boards and yahoo groups online has also encouraged me in every aspect of my stitching (and maybe soon quilting).

On to my personal/stitching stuff.
First I was customer #3 in a new LNS in Winston Salem NC yesterday. I was soo excited her store is nice and big and only 30 min away from me. It is called the Stitch Nitch and I encourage anyone who is looking for any OOP to call her. Here is the story... there was a LNS in the same shopping center that closed down 5 years ago, and all the patterns (about 20,000 of them) have been sitting in storage for 5 years. She has supplimented that stash with all of Mill hills stuff the full line of DMC and all of the fibers you can think of NN, GAST, WDW, RG ,SSS, everything. I spent an hour or two there and got a hold of a few patterns , Prairie Schooler's Old World Sampler(OOP) and Garden Beasties, and Bent Creek's Cold Snowman (OOP) and some 32 ct Belfast Linen. I plan on heading back there next week with a more planned list of what I need/want.