I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

[BillNye]

Hello to my favorite group of beta testers! I have another challenge for you if you'd be so kind...

We've received multiple requests to close caption our youtube videos for those whose speakers don't go high enough (if you get my drift :P) and so we've been working really hard to do just that, but in the process realized it would be great to be able to search those videos by all the content that is in them, and be able to download the transcript to print out and take with you.

So I've built that, and am slowly getting the videos on boarded (so far I have 10 done), but one of the things that I think will really help, A LOT!, would be for other quilters to be able to see projects everyone else had made using that block or pattern. So that's what I'm trying to figure out before we go public with the site, how can we make the process of sharing your finished projects with others in the community easier.

I've put a form together to allow you to submit things, so here is my challenge. Visit the new tutorials site (still in beta right now)

QuiltingTutorials.com

and search around / click around, and then tell me if it's obvious how to submit your own projects that you've finished. Also, just give me suggestions about what you might like to see differently.

Like I said, we're in beta still, so don't share the link around yet, but help me build something great that will really help people, then I'll put it on a grown up server and share it with the world

You all are the best, I know there are a few of you who take a lot of time to help me keep things running in tip top shape, thank you so much!! I honestly couldn't do it without you, this is such a great community, I'm just excited to be able to contribute where I can.

Al

[rebeccas-sewing]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Hi Al,

I just checked out the new website (in beta) and think it's a great idea. I put up two pictures, one of the full quilt and the other a close-up of the star that was made using Jenny's half-square triangle method. I hope I did it right. Was I supposed to be able to click on something to see the photos after I submitted them? I hope not, because I wasn't able to do that.

I think the transcript would be useful. One could print it out and reference it while viewing the tut, or pause the video and scroll down to read what's being said. I assume you know it's only useful in conjunction with the video. What would be really cool is a place on the site where one could print out written instructions with photos of the process to keep in a "how-to" folder for reference. It's always so wonderful to have the option of a hard copy. Of course this is coming from someone who spent her career using an IBM selectric typewriter. Joe (DH) said what I really need is an I-pad at my sewing table. LOL Maybe if I'm really nice to him, Santa will bring me one for Christmas/birthday! They both fall on the same day! Don't you think I should have one of those?

[Sandy Navas]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Al, I agree with Rebecca that this is a great idea - I often try to listen to the tutorials while DH is trying to listen to something on his computer and we do clash. Being able to read the text is great, but what I would like would be a scrolling text next to the video. As it is I can see myself pausing the video and scrolling down to find the text to see what was said - back and forth.

I thought the instructions and ease of posting others projects was great . . . simple and straight-forward.

Great job (as usual).

[Shirley]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Wow! I really like it. Easy to get around. I would also like to be able to print a hard copy to follow. I wasn't sure how to view the pics of those finished projects. Thanks for making everything so user friendly!!!!

[Sandy Navas]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Al, just a little bit (not much) off topic. I have been to the Moda Bake Shop this morning and was looking at MSQC's tutorial on Be Still My Heart. On the Moda site: http://www.modabakeshop.com/2011/02/...wall.html#more
the photos do not show up. However, if you click on where they should be it will take you directly to your beta site. The Printer Friendly .pdf works just fine. Somewhere there's a cross link there . . . either that or the quilting Grinch is at it again.

[rebeccas-sewing]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Gosh, Sandy, you're always getting chuckles out of me. Where the heck do you find all those funny quotes?

Al, just a little bit (not much) off topic. I have been to the Moda Bake Shop this morning and was looking at MSQC's tutorial on Be Still My Heart. On the Moda site: http://www.modabakeshop.com/2011/02/...wall.html#more
the photos do not show up. However, if you click on where they should be it will take you directly to your beta site. The Printer Friendly .pdf works just fine. Somewhere there's a cross link there . . . either that or the quilting Grinch is at it again.

[JVO]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

I like it as well, but agree that having pictures along with written instructions would be better. In some spots Jenny says "line your blocks up like this" if you were just able to read or print the transcripts you would not know what she was meaning. The printer friendly option is great.

But why the pop up (ads from google) when you start the video? I know you can close it and it goes away, but it is annoying.
Rebecca said she posted pictures of a project, I never did find them.
Other wise the site will be GREAT!! Good Work, can't wait till it is finished and you can show the world!

[Mia]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Hey Bill........ I spent some time looking around the site also and I really enjoyed my visit. I second or third or whatever the motion ..... I often like hard copies. I saw a couple of insignificant typos..... but I know we are still in beta, so that's not an issue. I've heard others say, as they age they have problems with the font size on lots of sites. Is it possible to address that issue? I'm by no means a techie.... so I don't know if it is possible to make a larger font an option. Overall, Bill, awesome work as always. I'm still lagging on the posting pictures part. It seems all of my photos are too large and I haven't figured out a solution to that.
Thanks so much

[twnkeyes]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Great site! I'm a visual learner but I also like to have the instructions in front of me. This will do the trick for both "issues". Keep up the good work!

[debinmalaga]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

Hi Al, I checked out the beta and it's GREAT, very easy to figure out how to submit my own projects, I like the form and the layout is very easy on the eyes and attractive.

Only suggestion I have is on the form you made, maybe a place to put your MSQC username so it's visible to everyone reading the post.

[shawnan]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

I think this whole idea is wonderful. For a variety of reasons, people are not able to listen to the videos and having the text would be very helpful.

However, it would be the most helpful if the text and the video could be on the screen at the same time - side-by-side for example rather than having to scroll up and down.

Excuse me now while I go off into the sunset singing my song.

Oh we ain't got a barrel of money, maybe we're ragged and funny. But we'll travel along singing our song, side by side!

[jrchapman]

Re: I know I only ever ask for help, but if you could...

I think it's looking great Al. I like the fact that there are links to submit your projects at the bottom and the right, it makes them really clear and easy to find.

My only suggestion would be to add a link to a list of all the tutorials in the navigation at the top. I know we often get people in the forum asking where a tutorial they once saw can be found, an easy list of all of them might be handy. Or perhaps a search with key words. I see there's a search box at the top but is that to search the tutorials or the whole site?