Knit 1 Blog Too

Knit1blogtoo CLOSED

2008-05-30T22:25:00.003Z

Following on from my previous message, the Knit1blogtoo netring is now closed.

Members will no longer be able to:

1) post to the k1b2 blog
2) add comments
3) navigate from one members blog to another

Please delete the Ringsurf navigation code from your blog as it is no longer valid. You're welcome to leave the blog button and a link to the blog if you wish.

Ringsurf has recently gone through some changes so if you need to log onto your account you will have to follow the instructions on the new Ringsurf home page. I am unable to help with this as I simply don't have the time.

I will leave the blog online and all information and tutorials will remain live.

Thanks for taking an interest in the ring over the past couple of years. It's been a great learning experience and I've enjoyed watching & helping many of you progress from novice to expert bloggers. Happy blogging!

Knit1BlogToo NETRING closing down

2008-05-09T12:00:00.000Z

Hi everyone

I am closing the Knit1blogtoo netring at the end of May 2008.

The blog will remain online as will the various links and resources. But I will not be maintaining an up to date database or providing tutorials. The ability to post to the Knit1blogtoo blog or to leave comments has been removed with immediate effect.

If any member is interested in running the ring themselves, please feel free to email me and we can discuss it.

Thanks...Bernie

Wanna upgrade from Classic Blogger?

2008-02-04T04:39:00.001Z

How many of you are still using the Classic Blogger Templates? you? or maybe You? Oh no, not YOU!!

Seriously though. If you're still using Classic Blogger why not upgrade? It's so much easier to personalise your blog once you've upgraded to the new Layouts. To say it's user friendly doesn't do it justice. You have to see for yourself.

And you can always revert back to the classic template if you absolutely hate it. Yup, it's true!

Leave a comment on this post or email me if you're ready to take the plunge. When enough of you step up to the challenge, I'll put together a tutorial and will hold your hand along the way.

How to: Upload a picture to Blogger

2008-01-31T11:14:00.000Z

I'm bumping this post from Nov '06 up to 2008 for anybody who has problems uploading photos to blogger. If this doesn't help, email me and I'll see what I can come up with. Thanks..Bernie

Here's a scenario to explain how to upload the Knit1BlogToo Button on to Blogger from your PC.

Create a new post in Blogger.

Click on the 'Add Image' button.

When the 'Add an image from your computer' dialogue box opens, select BROWSE.

This will open up a folder on your PC so you can retrieve the picture you want.

Choose how you want the picture to be aligned in the post** by choosing a layout.

When the picture is uploaded, this is the HTML that will appear on your post:

<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7556/2731/1600/knit1blogtoo%20button%20re%20tutorial.0.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7556/2731/320/knit1blogtoo%20button%20re%20tutorial.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>

And this is the picture:

**To set the alignment of the picture or CHOOSE A LAYOUT, i.e. place it to the left, to the right, or in the center, you need to do this when you select the file to upload. The bottom of the dialogue box gives you the option to select the formatting you want:

NONE
LEFT
CENTER
RIGHT

If you select NONE, the picture will be plonked in the top left hand corner of your post and any text that you add to the post will simply start where the picture ends.

If you select LEFT, the picture will be aligned to the lefthand side of your post and any text you add will wrap around the picture on the right.

If you select CENTER, the picture will be aligned in the center top of the post.

If you select RIGHT, the picture will be aligned to the righthand side of your post and any text you type will wrap around the picture on the left.

To add a link to this picture, see How to: Add a link to a button or photo
Don't forget to check out Blogger Help and/or Blogger Help Group on Google for further information.

picture loading problem

2008-01-24T14:56:00.001Z

Some of my blogger buddies say that my pictures won't load for them to view. When I view my blog the pictures appear fine. When I look at the html code, this script appears before the picture codes:

onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"

does anyone know what this means?

thanks! deborah

News: Temporarily closed to new members

2007-12-31T12:00:00.000Z

Further to my previous messages concerning new memberships to the ring. The ring will remain closed to new members for the forseable future. I will review this in the New Year. Many thanks for your understanding.

I have closed the knit1blogtoo netring temporarily to new members. If anyone joins while the ring is closed, their details will automatically be deleted from the queue.

Please check back again in November 2007 for details. I will re-open the ring for new members at short intervals over the coming months.

Current memberships are not affected, and members will still be able to navigate throughout the ring as normal.

Thanks as always! Bernie

Progress bars

2007-09-30T10:39:00.000Z

I found a really nice and clear instructions on progress bars for both old and new blogger temlates.

And also colour codes for html if you'd like to change colours of the bars, or template.

FIber Festival in Pittsburgh

2007-09-26T06:13:00.001Z

I have not posted for a while. I have been working on putting together a Fiber Festival here in Pittsburgh. It is going well and details are on www.pittsburghknitting.com

I have been spending my free time working on swatches for a new shop that will be opening here in Pittsburgh. It will have over 2000 square feet of yarn. That is a lot for around here.

Also to amuse myself I have been trying to start a blog to replace the now dead Uknitted Nations. For some reason I really like the webring. Any way here is the link http://uknittednations.blogspot.com/

Have fun out there in cyber knitting land

Photography: Better images for your blog or online shop

2007-09-14T10:36:00.001Z

Check out this post on my blog. If you would like to take better pictures of your projects or goods for sale, you may find it useful.

Take care...Bernie

Craftybernie unavailable for a week...

2007-08-18T15:36:00.000Z

Hi everyone.

Just a quickie to let you know that I am going to be away for a week.

If you're a newbie and you've just joined the ring, I will update your membership upon my return. In the meantime, if anybody has any problems or questions, or you're waiting on a reply to any comments or email from me, I'll catch up again next weekend.

Unfortunately I don't have internet access where we're going so no email for me. I'll be in touch again next weekend when we return.

Have a great week folks!!!

Pictures/images - resizing

2007-08-09T19:43:00.000Z

Thank you bingeknitter so much for typing up the tutorial on posting pictures side by side. I don't actually use tables myself but I have often wondered how I could use them just for this purpose. It was very helpful.

Regarding the resizing of photos/images, I haven't tried it in the table format so I'm not sure whether the following would work, but it's worth a go...

Again, brackets should be changed to either <> appropriately.

The image URL will start with http:// and will end in jpg. or jpeg.

(table)(tr)(td)
(img src="image URL"/)
(/td)(td)
(img
src="image URL"/)(/td)
(/tr)(/table)

Inserting an img style tag between the image URL and the img src tag, should allow you to format any image or photo that you post to your blog. When you upload an image to Blogger, look at the HTML view of the image and you'll see tags that look similar to this:

(a href="http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i146/craftybernie/P7260027.jpg")(img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i146/craftybernie/P7260027.jpg" border="0" /)(/a)

The first part is the address or the URL of the photo - this is where people will be directed to when they click on the image itself (you can change this to your blog or another website):

(a href="http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i146/craftybernie/P7260027.jpg")

The second part is the style of the image, namely the formatting of the image -

FLOAT:LEFT; - the image is aligned to the left of the post.
MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; - there is a margin or space of 10 pixels at the
right & bottom of the image.
WIDTH: 200px; - the image is 200pixels wide (you can make the image bigger
or smaller by increasing or decreasing this figure)

(img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt=""

The last part is the actual source of the image, namely where the photo is being hosted on the internet (photobucket/flickr/picasa, etc). Do not change this!

src="http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i146/craftybernie/P7260027.jpg" border="0" /)(/a)

Display pictures side by side - tutorial

2007-08-06T09:49:00.000Z

This is done as a table with two columns. The only disadvantage that I can see is that you cannot click on the pic to have it enlarged.

(table)(tr)(td)
(img src="image URL"/)
(/td)(td)
(img src="image URL"/)(/td)
(/tr)(/table)

Change the brackets to <> appropriately.
The image URL will start with http:// and will end in jpg. or jpeg.

In the image URL you will have the image size looking something like this /s144/ or 144px can be with a different number, depending on the size of your original image. Find out the size of your mainframe in the html edit

#main-wrapper {
width: 410px;
float: left;

And then change the size of your image from 144 to half the main wrapper width (200 or 205 in this case) to fit the frame nicely.

Picture uploading side by side

2007-08-02T12:33:00.001Z

I worked it out, Yeepee. If anyone would need it, give me a shout and I'll try to explain how.

Picture uploading

2007-08-02T11:32:00.000Z

Does anyone know how to put two pics side by side and take the border off? I tryed to upload them left and right aligned but they still apear one above the other on left and right. It just looks like a huge mish-mash.

'scuse me....

2007-08-01T19:47:00.001Z

Oops - sorry - forgot to put my blog in my intro post: http://fuguestateknits.blogspot.com/
DOH!
Have a good day, everyone!

Hi all,

2007-08-01T17:39:00.000Z

Just popping in to introduce myself and my blog. You can find it here http://www.bingeknitter.blogspot.com

And a question, I can't find my blog in the members list, but I was invited to join and did so.??

Team Blog Invites & more UPDATE

2007-08-01T06:23:00.000Z

Wow you guys are fast! I had in excess of 40 invites pending yesterday and only 18 this morning. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to get these out but I'm glad we're almost up to date.

Just to reiterate what the Team Blog is for:

It's not intended to be used as a forum for ongoing discussions, but it is a place where team members can:

1) Introduce themselves to the other members, thus encouraging visits to their blog.

2) Ask questions about Blogger and blogging in general - I do encourage you all to look to the blogger forums for help but it's also worth asking any questinos relating to POSTING, LAYOUT or SETTINGS questions you have here, in case other members have experienced the same problem or query before you.

3) Advertise their wares for sale, with prior consent. It is at my discretion whether I choose to allow members with shops to join the team blog in the first place, and whether they are allowed to post an advert for their shop (be it Etsy, Ebay or other). Just a reminder that I don't endorse any products sold by members, unless otherwise specified.

4) Receive updates or news relating to the Knit1blogtoo ring.

5) Access many useful Blogging links and resources in one place. The list is never going to be 'complete' but it's enough to get most newbies and experienced members on the right track.

I hope that clears things up. Thanks.

Thanks for the Invitation!

2007-07-31T22:37:00.000Z

I am looking forward to sharing ideas with other knitting bloggers! Thank you for inviting me - even though I technically asked you to invite me, LOL:)
Am writing this from the office, so gotta go, but will be back soon, I promise!
Joan a/k/a fuguestateknits

Blogger Invites for Knit1blogtoo

2007-07-31T16:47:00.000Z

Well I finally caught up on most of the invites for the Knit1blogtoo blog. I think we have 50 confirmed team members, and a further 30+ awaiting to accept / decline their invites.

Just a few points of interest:

1) if you don't include your e-mail address on your Ringsurf account, you won't receive an invite. I use Ringsurf to mail the group and if your e-mail is missing, you won't receive any updates, invites, nothing.

2) if you don't have a Blogger blog and have received an invite to join the team blog, please either DECLINE the invite or set up a blogger account. It's not compulsory to join the team blog - it's just an extra feature of the ring.

3) if you haven't received an invite and you think you should have, please check your Ringsurf account and make sure your e-mail address is typed correctly on your account. I can't invite you if I haven't inserted your e-mail address or if you have done it incorrectly.

I'll be back again soon with a further update regarding membership numbers, FAQs and details on the forthcoming quiz/competition. It will be a simple competition rather than a treasure hunt as I simply don't have the time to do anything else. Prizes will remain the same as previously stated.

Knit1BlogToo News

2007-06-25T03:56:00.001Z

Dear fabulous Knit1blogtoo ring members

Ringsurf Update

Earlier this year I reported that Ringsurf was being a giant pain in the business end as spammers had all but taken over at Ringsurf.com. To top it off, Ringsurf.com appeard to have been abandoned and there has been no support or contact for months now. However, somebody is clearly taking an interest over there as there have been some changes to the layout etc... which you may or may not have noticed. I'm not entirely happy with the service being offered yet so I'm adopting a 'wait and see' policy for the time being. Hopefully it will settle down very soon.

Navigation Code

I just ran a check on the 'integrity' of the ring this morning, checking for broken links, missing navigation code, problems, etc... and there were only two errors out of the whole ring (which I might add appear to be kinks in the system and not the fault of the bloggers involved at all, whatsoever!)

I am so very grateful to you all for being such wonderful ring members and for dealing with any questions or queries I throw at you as they arise. It makes my life a whole lot easier and of course leaves me more time for fun crafty type stuff!

I am in the process of updating the new members' invites on blogger and will post a new 'active' total later today - just so you can see how we've grown in the past 12(ish) months.

Inactive blogs

I am happy to report that I have only stumbled across one blog in the ring which has been inactive for at least six months. The usefulness of the ring depends entirely on keeping blogs up to date. So, if you spot a blog that appears to be inactive for a period of time (usually a month but I'm not a tyrant and will be flexible) then please do let me know. Sadly I don't have the time to visit each and everybody's blog as often as I would like so would greatly appreciate your cooperation with this.

Competition

I'm in the process of setting up a little competition or treasure hunt to celebrate our almost 1 year knitblogringaversary (well, it's a little bit of everything)! Prizes will include the following: Yarn; Tote & Needle Roll in a neutral colourway/patern; Stitch Markers; etc..... Rules and details will follow shortly, so stay tuned!

TTFN, Bernie

Knitting software

2007-06-19T16:06:00.001Z

Does anyone out there know about or have experience with a good knitting program that I can use for pattern making. I sit here with my pencil and graph paper, but it would sure be easier on a computer. And I am not thinking shape and size of a garment, but "Faroe Island" patterns etc. Actually, if it could make the shape and size also, it would OK. Happy for advice!!

Knitting Minutia

2007-06-15T18:47:00.000Z

Ok let's take a look what it says in the book:

Sl2tog-k1-p2sso
slip two stitches together, knit 1 stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over

Fine now that is solved, the next one I can't figure out is:

The Centered Eyelet Decrease (Worked over 4 sts; 3sts remain.)

Sl first st knitwise, k 2nd st but do not remove from LH needle, psso, yo, k3tog (4th, 3rd and 2nd sts).

What does that mean? I don't get it. Maybe I'm lace challenged but darn I'll keep trying.

Excellent lace tutorial here: http://www.mimknits.com/wordpress/?p=164

New Members - invites coming soon...

2007-06-14T21:23:00.001Z

There are approximately 40 new members who have joined the ring over the past few months and are still waiting to receive an invite to join the team blog. I am hoping to make a start by the end of this week but failing that it will be next week before I catch up.

Unfortunately I can only invite one member at a time, unlike the old blogger where I could invite a whopping 3 at a time. Me thinks it's going to be a ....s...l...o....w.... process.

MM's Volcano

2007-05-25T12:17:00.001Z

Oops, I meant to post this at Arleta's Motley Wool, but it ended up here. Science geek! LOL

How to: Add Ringsurf Navigation to Blogger Beta Blogs

2007-05-22T20:51:00.000Z

The instructions below are for Blogger Beta Blogs only.

For Classic Blogger templates, please see this post.

The Ringsurf navigation code should be copied from your Ringsurf account and put in your blog sidebar where it can be seen by the rest of the blogosphere.

To retrieve the code you need to log in to your Ringsurf account, using the ID and PASSWORD that you were e-mailed when you joined. This will take you to the 'Admin' or 'Edit' screen, where your personal information is stored:

Scroll down the page to the Site Code dialogue box, and copy everything from <table border=1> down to </table>. You can use CTRL A or CTRL C to select and copy in one go.

Next, you need to paste the code into your blog, somewhere in the sidebar. To do this, log in to Blogger Beta and from the DASHBOARD, select the blog you wish to edit. Click on the TEMPLATE tab and select the Add and Arrange Page Elements screen.

The Navigation code should be added to your blog as follows: Select Add a Page Element.

From the Choose New Page Element screen, open a new HTML/Javascript element by clicking ADD TO BLOG.

Paste the code into the content box and Save changes.

If you are a member of more than one netring, you can choose to either save the information for each ring in it's own separate HTML/Javascript element or you can store the information for all your rings in one HTML/Javascript element.

For help with adding a button to Blogger Beta check out the Add a Button in Blogger Beta post. This assumes you have saved a copy of the button you wish to use.

For help with loading photos to blogger you can check out this post where it also explains how to link a button to a webpage.

If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact me.

Graphics: New Blog Button?

2007-05-18T08:42:00.001Z

I've been having a lot of fun with some new freeware software that I downloaded yesterday, and this morning I created this banner:

... and here's a button that I made by cropping a section of the banner:

The software is called Paint.Net and is available to download for free here. It is super cool!!! If you enjoy tinkering around with graphics and can't afford (don't need) something as sophisticated as Photoshop then this is ideal. I regularly use MS Paint to make my headers and buttons but this is much better.

There is a useful HELP forum online with plenty of tutorials to get you started. Paint.Net is still warm in my hands so I haven't done much with it yet. But it's been fun so far. I'll ~~brag~~ let you know how I get on with it.

How to: Change how LABELS are displayed

2007-05-11T09:36:00.000Z

I have added a drop down LABEL menu on my blog which took me literally seconds to install. If your list of labels is dropping off the page then you (yes YOU) might like to try this too.

Compare the list of labels on this blog (knit1blogtoo) to the label menu in the left hand screenshot. See the difference? When you click on the 'drop down arrow' beside Select a Label it opens up your complete list of labels.

Still not sure? Try it out on my blog if you like. When you're finished, the list disappears again! Thus giving you even more space in your sidebar. Magic.

To achieve this drop down menu, visit Ramani's blog - hackosphere - where you'll find the hack. He has monkeyed around with the label widget and made it an absolute doddle to install in your template. It's soooo easy that if you can't do it I'll eat yesterday's underwear for breakfast!

If you're feeling really REALLY confident and happy to tinker with the HTML in your template then why not take it one step further.

Ramani has also done a hack for multi-style labels. You may have seen the icons to the left on some posh blogs??? Basically, when you click on each of the icons your labels are displayed in different ways. Like the look of it? Then give it a go on your test blog, if you have one.

Don't forget, download a copy of your full template before making any changes whatsoever!

Good luck and Happy tinkering!

Blogger Invites for Knit1BlogToo Team Blog

2007-05-08T10:57:00.000Z

Just a note to say that members who have joined the Knit1BlogToo ring in the past few months will shortly be receiving their invite to join the team blog. I will post an update here in the coming days. Thanks ....Bernie

Rockyou.com - Photo Effects

2007-05-08T08:05:00.000Z

It never ceases to amaze me just how much cool/fun/distracting stuff there is out there in the web. I mean, check out these toys from Rockyou.com.

From stylizing your photos to creating notes and countdowns, this one is definitely worth a look. You can tart up your photos, create a slideshow, write funNotes, add glitter text etc... It's not exclusively for girley girls either. There's some 'manly' themes too.

The countdown feature works like the 'Tickertape' tool featured last year. Although this one is not as compact as Tickertape it's still pretty.

Stylizing your photos is easy peasy. Simply upload the photo, choose a theme and any text you want added, format the text and any background graphics then press a button and voila!

It does all the work for you. All you have to do is choose your blog platform and rockyou.com will provide you with the relevant code to paste into your blog/website.

So have a play. Enjoy. And I'll contact Rockyou.com for my commission!

Sticky Posts on Blogger BETA

2007-05-04T00:17:00.000Z

Remember sticky posts? (Sticky posts are created by post dating a post on your blog so that it remains at the top or 'front page' of your blog until you remove it or the date passes). Well, with Blogger BETA, it's possible to place something at the top of your blog (just above the blog posts) so that it will always be visible, no matter what.

In the screenshot below, you can see that I have three columns, left-sidebar, middle column (blogger posts) and right-sidebar. The button links to my blogs are in the left-hand sidebar just below my profile.

I have also provided a screenshot of the Page Elements screen so you can see how it looks before I start moving things around.

To try it out, simply drag one of the page elements from the sidebar, then drop it where you would like it to be displayed/visible. You don't have to commit to anything at this stage - you're just simply experimenting and moving something from one place to another. Blogger won't automatically save this so you have time to preview what you've done before saving it. If you don't like it, you can simply click on CLEAR EDITS to undo any changes made.

Now the button links to my blogs are in the middle column, just above the blogger posts. The buttons will remain at the top of the page no matter how many posts the reader sees. If at a later date I decide to put them back in the sidebar, I simply go to the Page Elements screen, click on the HTML/Javascript element that contains the script, and drop it back in the sidebar.

Finally, I used this method to display the 'Member Login' box for Ringsurf on the Knit1BlogToo Blog, above the blog posts.

Good luck! Remember to download your template regularly or at least before making any changes.

Member's List now on Google Spreadsheet

2007-05-03T11:53:00.000Z

I have put the Members List for Knit1BlogToo onto a Google Spreasheet. Although the layout is pretty much what we had before with the HTML table, I am happier with this format as it is much easier to add to and to update! Enjoy...Bernie

Knit1BlogToo Member List

Poll: Is this blog helpful?

2007-04-27T09:36:00.000Z

It's feedback time.

This blog is almost a year old and now it's time for YOU to tell me what you think of it. Take a moment to answer the poll in the sidebar. Use your vote wisely - you only get one!!!

No information is gathered by entering the poll.

If you would like to supplement your vote with comments then please feel free to do so on this post.

Thanks for your time....Bernie

Beta Blogger Template simplified

2007-04-17T13:32:00.000Z

If you want to understand how the beta templates are contructed and what the heck a widget is, then check this out. It's written by the same guy who gave us Blogger for dummies and now beta blogger for dummies. It's an excellent source of information.

Oh, and don't forget to check out the blogger help group on Google Groups. If you have any technical questions or need pointing in the right direction, guaranteed you'll find someone over there who can help you. I know I keep repeating this but it's really worth a visit if you're ever stuck!

Templates for Blogger Beta - Freeskins

2007-04-14T12:13:00.000Z

Check out Freeskins.blogspot.com yet another cool template site. There's a multitude of free templates for both beta and classic blogger. You will also find a selection of 3 column beta templates. If you fancy something a little more personal, I think they will also custom make something (for a fee??). Enjoy...Bernie

Members list updated - new members added!

2007-04-14T01:29:00.000Z

Hello all!

I just wanted to tell you all that we now have 95 Members in the Knit1BlogToo Ring. This includes the members in the queue who have already been approved.

The Members list ~~is constantly~~ has been updated so feel free to check it out when you have a mo - you never know who you might run into!

Thanks...bernie

Templates available at Blogcrowds

2007-04-13T21:38:00.000Z

If you haven't done so already, you've got to check out this site. !!!

Blogcrowds.com has loads of regular blogger templates that have been converted to 3 column templates.

In order to retrieve the HTML for a template you like, you do have to register. But as soon as you register, you can access the site immediately. If you fancy a particular template, simply copy the code and paste it into your blog.

I haven't spent much time over there but from what I've seen briefly, I think I'm a gonna change my blog, again (and again.... and again.....)

PS Please please please remember to download your template before making any changes! Don't say I didn't warn ya!

How 3 col templates affect the Page Elements Screen

2007-04-03T00:28:00.000Z

Many of you are no doubt aware how easy it is to add and delete page elements on your blog thanks to those clever folk at blogger. No more faffing around with templates and dreaded HTML code (actually, I quite enjoyed that part but that's another story!).

Some of you may not have had the chance to play with a 3 column template while using classic blogger, so it may seem even more daunting now to switch to a 3 column template in blogger beta. But honestly, it has never been easier! And when you switch to a 3 column template, here's one of the fun things that will change slightly but thankfully continue to work.

Adding a 3rd column has an obvious but interesting effect on the Page Elements Screen. For example, look at these screenshots:- the one on the right was taken while using a 2 column template; the one on the left was taken while using a 3 column.

Immediately you can see from the screenshot on the left, that the Page Elements Screen picks up the 3rd column. Thankfully this facility will function as normal and you can continue to use the Page Elements Screen as before by simply dragging and dropping the elements with your mouse.

So I can happily report that there's nothing to be scared of. Although the Page Elements Screen looks a little funky with the extra column, it works just fine!

Bernie

How to: Change colour & font settings

2007-04-02T22:41:00.000Z

Hi guys. How many of you have completely given yourselves up to Blogger Beta? Are you still using a classic blogger template in the beta world? Or have you swapped your old template for a brand spanking new widget-full beta baby??

For those of you who haven't, then you should really consider it. Why?

Well, one reason has to be the new 'Fonts & Colour' option in the template tab, which allows you to transform the look of your blog in a single click!

How many times have you wanted to tweak the background colour of your blog or change the header text but were too nervous to even consider editing the dreaded blogger template?

Thankfully this new function really makes it incredibly simple. No more faffing around. You just log in to blogger, select your blog from the Dashboard and click on the template tab. You will then see that there are four options to choose from:

Page Elements
Fonts & Colours
Edit HTML
Pick New Template

Click on 'Fonts & Colours', and you will see a screen similar to the one in the screenshot above. Here is the clever bit. From this one little menu, you can change any number of elements of your blog's layout, such as:

Page background colour, Text Colour, Link Colour, Font Type, Font Size, etc...

It's easy to experiment with different colours and fonts now. Simply click on the 'Shuffle Blog Colours' option beside the large colour pallette and watch with wonder (woooooo) how blogger magically swaps the colours around. If you don't like what you see, you can simply undo it by using the 'Revert to Template Default' or 'Clear Edits' options.

So go on, have a go. Maybe have a different theme to match the seasons or even a different colour each day to match your mood. Remember, have fun. And if you don't like what you see, just undo it! Easy!

Knit1BlogToo Upgrade to Beta is complete.....

2007-04-02T22:25:00.000Z

.... or at least I think it is. If you spot anything which you think is out of place or missing, I would appreciate it if you could please let me know. Feel free to share your favourite Beta friendly sites which I will add to the sidebar.

I'm sorry I haven't been around much to support you guys with the upgrade to Blogger Beta. I do hope you are all coping well. If you have any specific questions, feel free to post them and I'll see if I can help.

Right now I'm off to bed!

Enjoy the new site.

Midnight 2 Sticks & Sharkypurl Join Forces

2007-03-28T18:03:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I haven't posted here in months...but I wanted to share something exciting with everyone.

Shannon of Midnight 2 Sticks and I have started our own podcast --- SSK Podcast. Check us out on iTunes or at our blog http://sskpodcast.blogspot.com

Let us know what you think!

We're working on the audio issues...
Because Shannon is in New Jersey and I'm in Illinois, we're recording our conversations over Skype with Hot Recorder. If anyone has any recording tips or tricks, please, don't hold back!

Big thanks to Crafty Bernie --- if you hadn't organized Knit 1 Blog Too, Shannon and I may have never met!

All the best,
Stephanie
http://sharkypurl.blogspot.com

Photo upload troubles

2007-03-15T10:15:00.000Z

Does anyone else have troubles posting photos to blogger2? I tried last night andafter I preseed the upload button, the spinner would come on and spin a short bit and then the upload page kept coming back that I needed to select a photo. Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks :-)

2007-02-27T06:35:00.000Z

I now have my progress bars working again. You are the wealth of blog info.
The blogapedia.... I'm complete again!!

I'm back!

2007-02-26T14:37:00.000Z

I'm back on line now for those of you who have been waiting patiently to be added to the ring. For a more in-depth explanation for my absence, please visit my blog.

Speak soon...Bernie

Work In Progress Bars (WIPs) on BETA

2007-02-26T14:33:00.000Z

EDIT 28/2/07 - Jo has informed me that the site that provided the solution to the Progress Bar problem in Beta has been taken over by an adult website. I've removed the link from the posts to avoid any unpleasantness.

Hi Carole (& Rositta)

~~If you go to this post http://knit1blogtoo.blogspot.com/2006/12/blogger-beta-progress-bars-update.html, you'll see that~~

JO had a similar problem when she switched over to BETA.

~~She found a solution for which a link has been provided on the above post.~~

Hope it helps.

Bernie

HELP?

2007-02-11T14:59:00.000Z

On the old blogger on my blog you helped me create WIP bars..
when I try to put the same html in the new blogger... nothing happens

This is what I'm trying to put in: (OK.... it won't let me put in with the appropriate<>

Aran Poncho

It comes up saying this
Your HTML cannot be accepted: Tag is not allowed: script language="javascript"
ANy suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong? TIA

Ring Update (Ringsurf Groan more like it!!!)

2007-02-02T16:42:00.000Z

I'm really ticked off with Ringsurf at the moment. I think I must have had nearing on 100 new members join the ring, 90 of which were totally bogus.

I mentioned in a previous post that Ringsurf is currently being bombarded with spam. It's so bad they've closed down their forum (not that it was anything special in the first place!) But it's especially annoying and time consuming to manage the ring with these eejit spammers joining all the time! Groan :(

Ah well, at least I know that I'm fixed for Viagra, Tylenol, Diflucan and endless Ringtones should the need ever arise.

So, apologies to those who have joined the ring and have been waiting to be added as members. You'll be added as quickly as possible. Honest!

Hello

2007-01-27T18:05:00.000Z

The Blogger was not letting me post for a while. Well it finally let me switch to the new Blogger and the link on my dashboard is working again.
Anyway this is my Clown Brigade at our first performance with out new long scarf.

Note for New Members to the Ring

2007-01-26T07:45:00.000Z

I'm sorry if you've been waiting for an acknowledgement regarding your site submitted to the Knit1BlogToo Ring. However Ringsurf is presently being bombarded daily with submissions from spambots and it's been difficult to pick out the 'real' people amongst all the junk.

If you are in the queue and haven't heard from me, please be patient. You'll be getting mail from me very soon. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions in the meantime. You can do this by clicking on the 'Contact Me' heading in the title bar of this blog.

Thanks & best wishes..Bernie

Switching to BETA help - Update

2007-01-26T07:21:00.000Z

I know I've been very slack on the blogging front lately. Not sure why but I've been really lacking motivation to do much since Christmas. However, things are looking up.

As promised, I'll be posting my notes on how to switch to BETA etc... for those of you who would like a little assistance.

I'm sorry it's taken so long to get myself organised. I feel like a naughty school girl who didn't hand in her assignment on time, with a really bad explanation on why it's late! You see, my note book got misplaced in the post-Christmas tidy up... blah blah blah blah .... but I found it again last night. I'll be typing up my notes this weekend come rain or shine!!!

Best wishes everyone!!

If only there were 25 hours in a day...

2007-01-25T19:18:00.000Z

Well, things in my life have begun to be decidedly crazy until May. I am taking 2 classes (8 hours), working 45+ hours a week, working out 5+times a week, dealing with an injured horse, etc. So much to do in so few hours a day!

On the knitting frontier, I haven't done even a single stitch since the football games last weekend. Maybe this weekend? Who knows.

Not a lot more to say - but I'm sure my postings will be more infrequent than they already were. I'll be around as much as I can be!

posting of URLs

2007-01-24T21:14:00.000Z

I have earlier posted links to other knitting blogs on my blog. However when I now click on them (mostly the "blogspot" ones), they will not open. I don't know if this has to do withmy upgrade or not, but what can I do to fix it? Anyone...

http://in-my-mothers-name.blogspot.com

the upgrade

2007-01-15T18:57:00.000Z

i switched
still can't figure it all out
i usta be able to post photos from my cell
now
MOST of the time
they don't go thru
anyone know how to do it
blogger support doens' answer e-mails
thanx in advance
IF i get more than 2 days home in a row
i can play with the blog
hhmmmm
maybe in Feb

New Years 2007

2006-12-31T23:59:00.000Z

image hosting for myspace

How to: Make a Sticky Post on Blogger

2006-12-31T21:20:00.000Z

JUST FOR YOU ROSITTA - I've posted it again:

Arleta from Northern LP Michigan has asked how do you make a sticky post.

For those of you not in the know, a sticky post is a post that will always stay at the top of your page no matter what other posts you make.

The easiest way to do this is to post date your post by chosing the latest date you can from the 'time & date' menu - see the screenshot below.

More experienced bloggers will post a copy of the actual post in their template so that it is always displayed. Here are some very brief instructions to do this: view the source of your blog page and scroll down to the post that you want to copy. Once you've copied the post, open the template and scroll down to where you want the post to appear on your blog. Simply paste it, save and republish your blog.

This is more tedious and probably unnecessary for minor posts or notices but if you want to venture down this path, I suggest you Google 'Sticky Post on Blogger' before attempting it so that you can get a better explanation and understanding of the implications of doing it either way.

If you're not that bothered, stick with the post dating option. It's crass. It's dirrrrty. It's cheap. But hey, it works!

Beta Blog & 3 Column Template

2006-12-30T01:16:00.000Z

Ta-da! Here's a piccie of my new 3 column template. This is on my test blog at the moment but I will hopefully copy it into my other blogs after the weekend. "Isn't she pretty?", she said, shamelessly flaunting but definitely not gloating.
As I am learning how to use blogger beta, I am keeping a record of how I did what etc... and I will be posting about this in the coming week or so.

If it will help at least one member of Knit1BlogToo to switch over to Beta with confidence and perhaps even get themselves the coveted 3 column template, then I'll be happy. (insert big cheesy grin here!)

So, if you want to check out the new layout, click on the screenshot and you'll be redirected. Oh, and if you run into any problems over there perhaps you could let me know? Thanks...Bernie

Happy Camping Folks!

How to: Add a button to Blogger Beta

2006-12-29T01:48:00.000Z

Further to my post in November explaining how to add a link to a button or photo in 'classic' blogger, I am happy to say that it is even easier to do in Blogger Beta.

Just follow these simple steps and you will be able to add your favourite buttons to your blog in no time at all:

1) Log in to Blogger.

2) From the Dashboard, choose the blog you wish to edit.

3) Click on the Template tab.

4) When you arrive at the 'ADD AND ARRANGE PAGE ELEMETS' screen, click on the 'Add a Page Element' option in the sidebar. Then, choose 'HTML/JavaScript' and click ADD TO BLOG. (This saves you loads of time as you don't have to open your template, paste in the link, save it and republish it.)

5) A new dialogue box should open and it looks something like this...

6) Choose a name or title for this 'box' - e.g. My Blogs. You then need to enter the link tags and image source as explained here in a previous post. Don't forget to SAVE CHANGES!

7) As you can see from the screenshot above, this is the actual html for my buttons and their relevant links as it appears on my blog. If you want to learn how I created the buttons for my blogs, you can read about it here.

9) One final thing: once you save the changes, you can simply click and drag page elements on the ADD AND ARRANGE PAGE ELEMENTS screen.

I hope you will find this useful. Any problems let me know. Good luck everyne!!!

Bernie

Add a button or photo to a link in blogger beta

Knit1BlogToo on Beta

2006-12-20T23:48:00.000Z

Sound out the fanfare. Ring out the bells. Knit1BlogToo has arrived on Blogger ~~Beta~~! Yay!!!

Actually it's a lot less exciting than I thought it would be but perhaps once I start messing about with the HTML on this template things will get a bit more interesting.

I have just this minute sent an e-mail to all Knit1BlogToo members to let you know that I've changed over. If you haven't seen it yet, please check your spam folder or let me know if I missed you off the mailing list.

I'm a bit under the weather at the moment so I'm off to bed. In the meantime, don't panic if you have trouble accessing this blog. I'll be back on tomorrow to sort things out and give you all an update.

Best wishes...Bernie

PS If you absolutely cannot wait, then check out Blogger Buzz for more information on Team Blogs and how access will vary from classic blogger users to beta blogger users.

Knit1BlogToo - New Members Added

2006-12-14T10:39:00.000Z

Just an update to let you know that we are now up to 64 active members in the Knit1BlogToo Ring. Don't forget to check out the New Members list to see the newest ~~victims~~ members. :)

Blogger Beta & Knit1BlogToo Navigation Code

2006-12-11T22:02:00.000Z

Just a polite reminder for members to add the navigation code for the Knit1BlogToo ring to their beta blog after they transfer over (and when ready of course).

I do appreciate that there are loads of links etc.. that need to be added to our posh new beta blogs. But if someone does accidentally forget to add the link to their beta blog or simply hasn't gotten round to it, they will temporarily be moved to the queue. This is in order to keep the ring running smoothly during the transition.

If anybody wants to withdraw their membership from the ring, please e-mail me and I will remove you immediately. No questions asked.

Best wishes....Bernie

EDIT - 29.12.06: It appears that the Ringsurf Navigation code may not work as it is in Blogger Beta and needs to be modified slightly. If you have switched over and are having problems with this, please let me know. Many thanks...Bernie

Toplisted - Knit1BlogToo top of the "top"

2006-12-11T06:23:00.000Z

Look at this.
There we are - top of the 'Toplisted' site.
Knit1BlogToo is at the top of the 'top'.

Ok, so it's no big deal really.
Except it's the first time that I've seen it up so high!
Smile everybody!

Edited 14/12/06: Time to confess... It's never really been at the top of the list (when you click on the 'toplisted' link in the sidebar, it automatically sticks the redirecting site at the top) - but we do spend a hell of a lot of time on the front page in the top 50! Hehehe-oops! I'm not evil, honest!

Blogger Beta - Joknits has changed over, hurray!

2006-12-11T05:24:00.000Z

Big cheer for Jo of http://joknits.blogspot.com/ who has made a successful switch to Blogger Beta. An even bigger shout out for her great looking 3 column template.

Pop on over and take a peek. Any bloggers who are nervous about the switch to Blogger Beta should find Jo's achievement very reassuring.

Great job Jo.

Bernie

Blogger Beta & Progress Bars (Update)

2006-12-11T05:20:00.000Z

Thanks to Jo, for sharing a fix for the progress bars in Blogger Beta.

If you are a Blogger Beta user and want to add the bars to your blog , visit akittenknits blog and check out her progress bars - they're working! ~~You'll also find a link to the 'fix' below the bars.~~

EDIT: 28/2/07 I've been informed that the link about fixing the progress bars appears to be redirecting to an adult content website. So please proceed with caution.

=^.^=

blog counters

2006-12-09T16:55:00.000Z

Hi,

I'm trying out this new blog counter NeoCounter. It displays visitors by country and flag. Looks cool. If any of you have tried this before, let me know if you like it.

Blogger Beta Resources

2006-12-08T17:52:00.000Z

I've added a handful of links about Blogger Beta to the left-hand sidebar. If you have a link you want to share with the ring e-mail me and I will add it to the blog. Happy reading!

Christmas & Knit1BlogToo

2006-12-08T01:41:00.000Z

Ok you blogaholics out there. Although I'll be checking my mail over the holidays on a regular basis, please be patient if you don't hear back from me immediately. Gotta get busy with Christmas and all that!

Best wishes to all of you for a safe, enjoyable and merry Christmas!

*<]; { )

Bernie

Blogger Beta & Progress Bars

2006-12-01T06:43:00.000Z

Thanks G-girl for your comment re the Progress Bars and how they've been reported not to work properly in Blogger Beta.

This was the kind of stuff I was referring to in my first post. A lot of the blogger 'hacks' and add-ons that we've put in our templates on 'classic' Blogger are written in code that may not translate or work over in Blogger Beta.

And as the whole purpose of Knit1BlogToo was to provide access to links, resources and tutorials on how to do things in 'classic' blogger, I'm working on finding out as much as I can about Blogger Beta to ensure that the Knit1BlogToo Blog can continue to be a useful resource.

Having said that, there's no need to worry too much about add-ons at this stage. Yes, it's going to be an inconvenience, initially. And I do appreciate that the Progress Bars are a very useful tool but they're not necessarily a necessity in order to have a blog that works efficiently. No doubt some clever person(s) out there will re-write Beta friendly codes for these sort of things.

In the meantime, I'll be learning all I can about Blogger Beta. It's my intention to continue to share with you guys by posting the useful links and tutorials here on the Knit1BlogToo blog. That's why this blog was created - to share knowledge and resources.

Blogger Beta & Knit1BlogToo

2006-11-30T11:02:00.000Z

I'm hoping to keep the Knit1BlogToo ring running along the same lines when we changeover to the new version of Blogger. When I started this ring it was a way of sharing everything I learned over the past 6 months on (classic) Blogger. Kinda like you great knitters out there who share your patterns, techniques and knowledge.

I would hate for the ring to be come redundant after all the work put in to it. However, I don't know that much about Blogger Beta - yet - and I'm not sure how it is going to work in the future. For now the ring is very much operational and regardless of the format of the ring on the new version of Blogger, I'm sure it will still be worthwhile to remain linked to eachother.

If you have any comments or feedback you want to share then please feel free to comment.

Many thanks guys! Bernie

EDIT 30.11.06 - I just want to clarify that my concerns are with the content of the Knit1BlogToo Blog. All of the tutorials, How To's and links will basically be out of date or of no use in blogger beta. Having said this, I'm going to work through the blog and learn how to do the same things in blogger beta. That way when we all change over, if you need pointing in the right direction or support, you'll be able to find it (or at least a link to it) on the K1B2 ring. Please don't panic. Our personal blogs will be ok - it's my information on the K1B2 blog that needs to be 'brought up to code', so to speak! :)

Ego surfing

2006-11-26T06:52:00.000Z

Have any of you heard of this site? It lists the sites that link to your blog.

Who Links To Me.

Back up your blogger template

2006-11-24T09:51:00.000Z

Don't forget to make a back up of your Blogger template before making any changes. I can't stress this enough. Trust me, I made quite a few mistakes since I started blogging and even now I can forget.

To make a backup of the template, you need to:

1) Log in to Blogger
2) Select the blog you wish to back up from the DASHBOARD
3) Open the TEMPLATE
4) Right click your mouse over the template and SELECT ALL
5) Right click your mouse again and COPY the highlighted text
6) Open NOTEPAD on your PC
7) Paste the copied text into the Notepad document
8) Save

This will now be your back up document. If you accidentally muck up the live template in blogger, you can simply retrieve the copied template from Notepad and paste it back into your blogger blog. Please don't paste the text into WORD. It will change parts of the coding within the template and basically cause more problems. Stick with a text editor such as Notepad. I'm sure there are other similar products out there if you don't have Notepad.

If you have more than one blog, I would suggest that when you save the backup, you identify which blog it is. For example:

1) backup - 050506 CUB
2) backup - 050506 K1B2

When I back up my 'Coming up Blank' blog I type the initials next to the date. The same goes for the 'Knit1BlogToo' blog. It's probably a bit anal but it's basic file maintenance, and if you're going to save a copy you might as well be able to find it quickly.

Ringsurf login for members

2006-11-22T21:45:00.000Z

Hi guys!

Do any of you log in to Ringsurf using the Members login in the sidebar?

Please leave a comment on this post if you do.

Thanks!

How to: Modify Ring Navigation Code (easy)

2006-11-22T16:33:00.000Z

Thanks to a conversation I had with Nora this morning about making the Knit1BlogToo box on her blog smaller, it occurred to me that some of the other ring members may also want to do the same.

Here are a few ways to make it smaller. These simple changes won't actually harm the integrity of the navigation code as it doesn't affect the code itself:

1) Reduce the size of the font

2) Change the 'PREVIOUS' and 'NEXT' options to '<' and '>'

3) Change the 'RANDOM' option to '?'

This screenshot is of the Knit1BlogToo box before editing/formatting:
And this screenshot is of the Knit1BlogToo box as it appears on Nora's blog now that she has made the changes: If you want to learn more about formatting the actual navigation code itself, please visit this link.

How to: Add a Title to your posts

2006-11-21T08:52:00.000Z

In reply to Carol's query re Titles in her posts.

If I have understood correctly, I think that Carol needs to edit the settings on her blog to show the TITLE FIELD.

Here's how to do it:

Go into your blogger DASHBOARD and select the BLOG you wish to edit.

Select the SETTINGS tab.

Click on FORMATTING and scrol down the page to SHOW TITLE FIELD. In the drop down box, choose YES.

SAVE.

Republish your blog.

From this point on, when you create a new post, a blank TITLE field should display above your post.

Hope this helps! Bernie

perhaps the stupidest question

2006-11-20T00:15:00.000Z

how do I put a title on my entries. I've been just bold facing what I'd really like to use as a title. When I go to create a new entry I don't see the title and link spots in my stuff... maybe I'm just being blind AND stupid.

TIA

Beta Blogger

2006-11-10T09:45:00.000Z

If you are interested in learning a bit about beta blogger (the new version of blogger) I have collated a list of helpful links which outline the new features available.

Although I haven't spent much time playing on beta blogger (and it's not for the lack of trying), I can say that it has been set up in such a way that you don't actually need to know much (if any) HTML. It is much more user friendly and many changes and modifications to your blog template can be done via the new Dashboard.

For example, if you wanted to add a link to the sidebar in the new blogger, you can do it in just a few clicks directly on the Dashboard rather than going through the kerfuffle of editing the template, saving it and then republishing.

And for those of us who covet a nice 3 column template, some clever people out there have already created 3 column templates specifically for beta blogger. If you haven't yet switched over to a 3 column template on this version of blogger you might consider waiting until we move over to the new version. Having said that, I don't know when the move will be so if anybody has any info re this then perhaps you could let us know.

Disclaimer: This information is provided after a very brief tour of a few beta blogs and based on my own understanding. If you find anything that contradicts the above or you want to share anything with the rest of us then please do so.

How to: Add a link to a button or photo

2006-11-08T10:49:00.000Z

Upload the picture or button to your blog. You could also use an external picture host such as Photobucket, Flickr, or Picassa. But for this scenario we are going to assume you have loaded the picture in Blogger.

This is how the HTML looks when you upload the Knit1BlogToo button to Blogger:

<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7556/2731/1600/knit1blogtoo%20button%20re%20tutorial.0.jpg"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7556/2731/320/knit1blogtoo%20button%20re%20tutorial.jpg"></a>

And this is what the world would see when viewing the post:

To change this to a button that links directly to a website, you need to add the website URL to the above HTML. Replace the red text...

<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7556/2731/1600/knit1blogtoo%20button%20re%20tutorial.0.jpg"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7556/2731/320/knit1blogtoo%20button%20re%20tutorial.jpg"></a>

... with the URL www.knit1blogtoo.blogspot.com.

The HTML would then look like this:

<a href="http://www.knit1blogtoo.blogspot.com"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7556/2731/320/knit1blogtoo%20button%20re%20tutorial.jpg"></a>

And the button will link to the website. To check, hover your mouse over the button on the PREVIEW screen and look in the status bar at the bottom of your screen. You should see the web address of the link appear.

Hope this helps. If you want to learn more HTML or what each piece of HTML means, do a search on Blogger Help or in the Blogger Help Group on Google.

How to: Add a link to your blog

2006-11-08T04:49:00.000Z

In response to Kylie's e-mail asking how to add a link to a blog post, when you want people to see specific text rather than the website URL that you're linking to.

Here is a LINK to Blogger Help concerning this topic. When you open this help topic, scroll down to the heading 'Here's an example scenario' and follow the instructions.

It is a very clear and concise explanation and better than any one I could provide!

Good luck!

How to: Make a button for your blog

2006-11-04T12:59:00.000Z

Most of the fancy buttons you see on blogs and sites are made using Photoshop. I'm sure there are dozens of similar packages out there that will enable you to do this.

But for those of us who don't have Photoshop (or a friend with Photoshop), there are always the free button makers out there. They offer a generic button which you can personalise. Here are a few links to keep you busy:

Lucazappa.com

kalsey.com

netdenizen.com

feedforall.com

Alternatively, there's always MS Office PAINT. If you want to make something more personal take a photo or picture from your blog or your gallery and crop it in PAINT. This is what I did with the fairy button on my blog.

If you don't want to use a photo or picture, you could consider making a 'screenshot' of your blog like I have done on my beta blog.

To turn a screenshot into a button for your blog, you need to:

1) View your blog on screen;

2) Hit the Print Screen (Prt Scr) button on your keypad (this makes a copy or screenshot of the website or image on screen);

3) Open PAINT;

4) Paste the screenshot of your blog into a new PAINT document by selecting EDIT, PASTE;

5) Resize the picture by clicking on IMAGE and STRETCH/SKEW.

It's best to reduce the % of the horizontal and the vertical stretch in incriments of 25-50%. Keep doing this until you get down to the size you require. I reduced my picture to 120px by 90px. To check the pixels, click on IMAGE, scroll down to ATTRIBUTES, and you will see the WIDTH and HEIGHT of the picture displayed in either inches, centimetres or pixels. Select Pixels. If it's still too big, go back into IMAGE and resize the image.

Alternatively the image should be small enough to resize by hovering your cursor over one of the corners of the image and dragging the margin.

Have fun and play!

PS I've added these links to the sidebar! :)

How to: Change the header on your blog

2006-11-04T08:49:00.000Z

In reply to G-girl's post and other requests, here's a couple of cool links explaining how to change your blog header:

bloggerforum.com

bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com

There are loads of good tutorials out there so there's not much point in me creating a new one. It's worth Googling the phrase 'change blog header' and that should pull up other tutorials/examples of how to do it!

If you have any problems actually doing it, let me know and I'll lend a hand.

Toodles!!

Some questions!

2006-11-04T01:01:00.000Z

I wasn't sure if I should post a blog or not but here goes. I want to know two things. How does one create their own button when one doesn't have photoshop or any kind of program similar to that (@ least I don't think I do!) and how does one change their banner on their blog! I've been trying to change mine and I seriously think mine is unchangeable! :( I'm here, procrastinating and finally sitting down to do both of these things and I can't do either one!! Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer their assistance! :)

How to: Widen Columns Part II

2006-11-02T18:35:00.000Z

A question came up when I was speaking with Randi regarding the margins on her template. I think it would be beneficial to those of you who wish to change your margins, to understand the purpose of 'padding' in your blogger template.

What is 'padding' I hear you ask? In technical terms, 'padding' is referred to as the 'white space' between elements on your style sheet. However in plain English for us non techies out there (and I am one of them), I would explain padding as a way to add distance between one section in your template and another.

Padding can be added to any or all of the four sides of an object in your template. This screenshot from Blogger Help shows the difference between a margin and padding.

Now that we know the difference between a margin and padding (ha!), let's assume that the yellow portion of the box below represents the content or posts on your blog, and the pink portion of the box represents the sidebar. The lines around each box represent the margins.

Now in this picture I've added a some distance or padding between the content and the sidebar. The padding is represented by the turquoise portion of the box.

To change this in the template, I would need to add padding to the right of the content (yellow) section of the template. This would be portrayed as:

padding-right:4px;

or

padding:0px 4px 0px 0px;

Both of these statements give the same result but the padding-right is a kind of shorthand. You can apply the shorthand to other sides too, for example:

padding-top:0px;
padding-right:4px;
padding-bottom:0px;
padding-left:0px;

And there you go. That's padding for you. At least, an idea of what padding is. Maybe it's helpful. Maybe not. But what the hey. If you're going to play with fire, you need to know how to light matches!!!

To learn more, please check Blogger Help.

Remember to always make a back up copy of your template before making any changes. Do this by copying the template and pasting it into Notepad. Save as your back up and away you go.

Have fun!

How to: Widen columns

2006-11-02T07:59:00.000Z

Randi has asked how to increase the width of the columns on her template:

I would have liked to have a little more space in between the two columns on my page. Between the main "bar" and the (right) side bar. And how would I add a left side bar? Anyone? ... Randi

Increasing the width of the columns on your Blogger template couldn't be easier. Before making any changes, it is recommended to make a copy of your template and paste it into Notepad. Save this as your backup in case you make a mistake with the live template.

From the Dashboard, select the blog you wish to edit and click on the TEMPLATE tab. The formatting for your template can be found between the <style type="text/css"> tag and the </style> tag. You're looking for something like this:-

/* Content
----------------------------------------------- */
@media all {
#content {
width:660px;
margin:0 auto;
padding:0;
text-align:left;
}
#main {
width:410px;
float:left;
}
#sidebar {
width:220px;
float:right;
}

One thing you need to keep in mind is that the sum of the width of the #main (column) and the #sidebar (column) cannot be greater than the #content. For example, the width of your whole page is 660px, 410px of which is allocated to the #main and 220px is allocated to the #sidebar.

Try changing these figures as follows: 800px for the #content; 570px for the #main and 220px for the #sidebar:-

/* Content
----------------------------------------------- */
@media all {
#content {
width:800px;
margin:0 auto;
padding:0;
text-align:left;
}
#main {
width:570px;
float:left;
}
#sidebar {
width:220px;
float:right;
}

I think it is safe to say that you could increase your #content width to 1000px comfortably.

If you want to learn more about formatting your template then please check out Blogger Tricks. There are some wonderful tutorials there.

Remember to also check out the Blogger Help Group for hints & tips. There is a forum where you can post your questions and lots of very helpful bloggers from different levels willing to help newbies and experienced users alike!

In answer to your question re a 2nd sidebar on the left, you need to consider changing your template to a 3 column template. There are links for these in the left-hand sidebar under the heading "2 & 3 Column Layouts" on the Knit1BlogToo homepage. If you need assistance for this let me know and I will point you in the right direction

Regards...Bernie

Publishing problems on Blogger

2006-11-01T13:31:00.000Z

I've been having trouble publishing my blogs the past couple of days or so.

I've just checked out the Blogger Help Group over at Google Groups and it seems to be a common problem with all bloggers at the moment. I guess we have to sit tight till it's resolved.

FYI, when I publish my blog the following appears on screen:

THERE WERE ERRORS (DETAILS)...

When I click on DETAILS, this is the error message I get:

001 java.net.ConnectException: Connection
refusedblog/56/40/6/craftybernie/archives/

2006_12_01_craftybernie_archive.html

I keep republishing and republishing my blog until the changes show up. It's probably not the best thing to do. But I'm going to avoid any major changes to my blog at the moment. I wonder how many times I'll have to republish my blog for this post to show up???

Blog on folks!

Edit: Ha! First time lucky. Sod's law (or Murphy's - depending on where you live!) :)

"Hallo"

2006-10-31T13:30:00.000Z

That would be Hello in Norwegian, a language that's spoken in a country called Norge, Norway, Norwegen, whatever you like.
Someone sent me this web site, and it has some incredible pictures: http://www.noorwegen.tv/
Four million people live there. Minus one, because I am now her in Texas. After 9 years here, I feel more like a Texwegian.

Blogging is new to me. I have been on the net for about two months, but if you visit my blog, http://in-my-mothers-name.blogspot.com
you'll see I have been pretty busy. It's fun. Have to admit I use the spell check quite a bit, but I am sure mistakes still happens...
This is where I post my knitting projects, or write about whatever occupies my mind at the moment of posting. I have this counting devise, and think it is soooo fun to see who is visiting me, individuals from many different countries! And I love getting comments.
There are so many talented people out there, willing to share there experiences.

A small "problem" though: I would have liked to have a little more space in between the two columns on my page. Between the main "bar" and the (right) side bar. And how would I add a left side bar? Anyone?
Thanks for adding me to your ring,
Randi

New Member Added

2006-10-31T11:18:00.000Z

I will announce new members on this post. As usual, I will continue to update the full members list.

Date Added / Name / Blog

14.12.06 / Kate / http://www.bluemountainsknit.blogspot.com
14.12.06 / Michelle / http://www.michelle..knit.blogspot.com
14.12.06 / carrie / http://www.thebarefootcobbler.blogspot.com
14.12.06 / Amy / http://www.osbornz.net/amy
14.12.06 / Theresa / http://www.tjknits.blogspot.com
14.12.06/ Anne / http://www.eweknittoo.blogspot.com

29.11.06 / Kimberly / http://www.roavings.blogspot.com/
23.11.06 / KnottyKnitty / http://www.knottykittyknits.blogspot.com
21.11.06 / Shannon / http://midnight2sticks.blogspot.com
21.11.06 / Heather / http://overbrewed.org/blog
14.11.06 / Capng / http://www.capngcrafts.blogspot.com
14.11.06 / Lydia / http://www.droppedastitch.blogspot.com
14.11.06 / Mieke / http://www.knittymommy.blogspot.com
11.11.06 / Carole / http://www.craftycarole.blogspot.com
11.11.06 / Anne / http://www.anniesknit.blogspot.com
02.11.06 / Patty / http://yarnsneedleslife.blogspot.com
29.10.06 / Randi / http://in-my-mothers-name.blogspot.com
24.10.06 / Abby / www.barefoot-knitter.blogspot.com
24.10.06 / Marie / http://wild-n-wooly.blogspot.com
23.10.06 / Lisa / www.pegsandneedles.blogspot.com
23.10.06 / Ulrika / www.medoue.com
23.10.06 / Lindsey-Jane / www.myknittingandme.blogspot.com
19.10.06 / Brooke / http://unwantedlittlesister.blogspot.com/
15.10.06 / Lisa / www.saratogaknitting.blogspot.com/
14.10.06 / Kathie / www.kathiesknittingkwips.blogspot.com
13.10.06 / Lin / http://queenofthefroggers.blogspot.com/
11.10.06 / Robin / www.perkyknits.blogspot.com
11.10.06 / Jane / http://roseredshoes.blogspot.com/
06.10.06 / Jo / http://joknits.blogspot.com/
02.10.06 / Cathy / http://tryintaknit.blogspot.com/
29.09.06 / Zeeppo / http://zeeppoville.blogspot.com/
25.09.06 / Deborah / http://deedeenetblog.blogspot.com/
24.09.06 / Arleta / http://arletasmotleywool.blogspot.com/
19.09.06 / Stephanie / http://sharkypurl.blogspot.com
19.09.06 / Jan / http://quietknitter.blogspot.com/

That brings us up to 64 active members!

(There is a complete list of members here. Alternatively click on the MEMBERS tab in the header or in the right-hand sidebar.

Thanks...Bernie

How To: Edit or Remove Image Borders

2006-10-29T01:43:00.000Z

Ever load up a button or image in your sidebar, only to get a thick ugly border in some generic colour that doesn't fit in with your blog?

If you're happy with this then fine. But did you know you can change the width, thickness, colour and type of border for images on your blog?

In my blog, for example, the border 'style' is located in the Links part of the style sheet:

/* Links
----------------------------------------------- */
a:hover {
color:#fff;
}
a img {
border-width:0;
}
#main a:link {
color:#347;
}

Here is an example from another template of where the border style was located in the Layout part of the style sheet:

/* Layout Divs
----------------------------------------------- */
main {
padding: 1px 0px;
margin: 0px 200px;
border: 5px solid #fff;
}

In order to format the border, you will need to open your blog template and edit the border style - which is located in your template style sheet somewhere after the <style type="text/css"> tag but before the </style> closing tag.

Here are some examples of border styles which should hopefully explain how it works:

no borders => {border-width:0;}

border 1px wide => {border: 1px;}

solid border, 1px wide => {border: 1px solid;}

dotted border, 5px wide => {border: 5px dotted;}

solid border, 8px wide, white => {border: 8px solid #fff;}

I hope some of you will find this helpful and not too confusing. Any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Coming soon, how to post pictures/photos to blogger (I promise!)

REMEMBER: Before making any changes or modifications to your blog template, make a back up copy of your template. Do this by copying the template and pasting it into Notepad, and save it as your backup.

Help! blogger has eaten my pictures

2006-10-04T22:56:00.000Z

Has anyone experienced random pictures on your blog disappearing?? I saw this today with some of the blogs I visit then it happened to me!

When I go to the edit Html screen, the picture codes are still there but the picture doesn't appear. It was fine this morning. Can anyone answer this riddle??

Signed,
Confused in Jersey

Members List Update:

2006-10-02T11:39:00.000Z

I have made a few changes to the members list today.

There is a complete list of the K1B2 members' blogs here. This list can also be accessed by clicking on the MEMBERS link in the header above.

Finally, I have added a list of direct links to each blog in the right-hand sidebar. Let me know if you're not listed or if anything is incorrect and I'll fix it straight away.

Hope you find this helpful!

Toodles...Bernie

How to: Strike Through Text

2006-10-02T07:39:00.000Z

Q: At 1/10/06, BLACK DOG KNITS said... How do u strike out a word or phrase but still keep it visible with a line through it?

A: To strike out text you can either use the <s> </s> tags or the <strike> </strike> tags.

So <s>strikethrough this text</s> would become ~~strikethrough this text~~

And <strike>strikethrough this text</strike> would also become ~~strikethrough this text.~~

Enjoy

Hello People

2006-10-02T03:43:00.000Z

Hello the good people of this blog. I am Zeeppo and I have been allowed to join your ring and blog (talk about light security). Any way I have been knitting since I was a young lad. I learned to knit in the Circus (your ring leader was not joking) where everyone learned to knit. Well at least in my Circus they did. I learned to knit from a man and knit with men until I entered the real world and discovered that was not how it really was.

Oh and I have a tendency to ramble on about everything and go off in strange tangents, but I digress. I started off by joining male and clown knitting web rings. Only to find out there was only one male ring and no clown rings for knitting. So now I am joining the rings that will have me.

I live in Pittsburgh, PA with my wife, her dog Sally and Sally’s cat Zoltan. I don’t understand it either. The cat thinks the dog is his mother. The dog was even more disturbed to learn this when the cat started nursing on her. By the way we are looking for a good pet therapist if anyone knows one.

Well I have rambled on enough. Visit me at my blog http://zeeppoville.blogspot.com/ it is one heck of a ride on the days I am reasonable coherent.

WIP Tracker - with links!

2006-09-29T15:13:00.000Z

If you have sussed the WIP tracker from Matthew Harvey, and you're feeling really clever, how about adding a link in the project title.

That way when you (or visitors) want to check out any info about the project you're working on, you can simply click on the project name and it will take you to either the pattern you're working on, or perhaps an article you wrote on your blog about that project.

This is how the code would look with just the name of the project:

<p>Fat-Bottomed-Bag (SnB)</p>
<script language="javascript">drawPercentBar(100, 66, 'yellow', 'white'); </script>

and this is how it would look on your blog:

This is how the code would look with the name of the project and a link to the pattern/blog article etc...:

<p><a href="http://craftybernie.blogspot.com/2006/09/september-bag-me-kal-grannys-no-square.html">Granny's No Square Bag (SnB)</a></p>
<script language="javascript">drawPercentBar(100, 25, 'turquoise', 'white'); </script>

and this is how it would look on your blog:

To check out how the links work, visit my blog and scroll down to the right-sidebar to the WIP list.

Hope you find this helpful. Any problems then let me know!

Toodles!

Group e-mail re WIP trackers

2006-09-28T17:15:00.000Z

OK guys. I scre**d up earlier. I send you all a group e-mail and in the heat of the moment I accidentally sent it so that all the e-mail addresses were visible. Ordinarily I would have sent the e-mail with all the addresses hidden but as I said before, I scre**d up!!! DOH!

How to: Add WIP trackers to your blog

2006-09-28T08:56:00.000Z

There are different percentage tracking bars out there but IMHO this one is by far the easiest one to set up and use. It was designed by Matthew Harvey at unlikelywords.com/html-morsels. Although the code was taken down from the site a few months ago, I'm sure it will be ok if I share it with you.

Please remember to link back to Matthew's page. REMEMBER: Before making any changes to your blog template you should make a copy of it and save it in Notepad. This will serve as a back up in the event of an emergency.

1) Open your blogger template.

2) Scroll down to these tags </style> </head> <body> in your template.

3) Next, select and copy the Javascript below from the tag < script> to < /script>.

<script language="javascript">
// drawPercentBar()
// Written by Matthew Harvey (matt AT unlikelywords DOT com)
// (http://www.unlikelywords.com/html-morsels/)
// Distributed under the Creative Commons
// "Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0" License
// (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/)
function drawPercentBar(width, percent, color, background)
{
var pixels = width * (percent / 100);
if (!background) { background = "none"; }

document.write("<div style=\"position: relative; line-height: 1em; background-color: "
+ background + "; border: 1px solid black; width: "
+ width + "px\">");
document.write("<div style=\"height: 1.5em; width: " + pixels + "px; background-color: "
+ color + ";\"></div>");
document.write("<div style=\"position: absolute; text-align: center; padding-top: .25em; width: "
+ width + "px; top: 0; left: 0\">" + percent + "%</div>");
document.write("</div>");
}
</script>

4) Paste it between the <style> tag and the </head> tag on your template. You'll find these tags about 1/3 of the way down your template.

5) Next, scroll down to the sidebar, where you want the tracker bars to be seen.

6) Copy the following code/tags:

<h2 class="sidebar-title">WIP</h2>

<ul>

<p>INSERT-PROJECT-NAME-HERE</p>
<script language="javascript">drawPercentBar(100, 50, 'yellow', 'white'); </script>

<p>INSERT-PROJECT-NAME-HERE</p>
<script language="javascript">drawPercentBar(100, 50, 'yellow', 'white'); </script>

</ul>

and paste into your sidebar where you want the percentage bar to be displayed.

7) If you want to add more percentage bars, simply copy the code from <p> to </script> and paste it where you want additional bars to appear.

8) Now to format the code for the code - you can change any of these variables:

The number '100' above represents the width of the bar;
The number '50' represents the percentage completed;
The colour 'YELLOW' is the colour displayed, representing percentage completed;
The colour 'WHITE' is the background colour in the bar.

When you want to change the percentage of the project completed, simply open your template, and change the number e.g. if your project is 75% completed then change the number 50 (50%) to 75. You can also change the width of the bar and the colours to match your blog.

8) Save and republish your blog.

Let me know if you have any problems.

Good luck! Bernie

WIP Tracker

2006-09-27T09:37:00.002Z

We all love to keep track of our WIPs, and some of you may have already installed these rectangular animated percentage bars on your blog.

However, if you love those little clothes drawings which some bloggers use to track their WIPS, here's a link to the relevant code and instructions. You can also dowload additional images from the Knit Tracker Gallery if you need to expand your 'tracker wardrobe'. Yay! I'm easily pleased.

And if that is not enough for you to be getting on with, here's a list of a few more tracker options. Visit here.

Leave us a comment here if you add the trackers to your blog so we can check them out and go ooooh, aaaaah and shower you with praise for being so clever!

Don't forget to set up a reciprocal link back to the designer if you use any of these tools.

Enjoy!

EDITED: 280906 - here's another one for you. Simple but pretty! YarnTomato Pecentbar Maker

How to: Post Photos to Blogger

2006-09-26T20:19:00.000Z

I recently promised one of the members that I would post a tutorial on how to post pictures to blogger (I'm not going to mention who it was as I'm sooo embarrassed that I haven't done it yet).

Some of you will probably be thinking "what the heck - that's easy - we're not stupid". I know it's straightforward but what do you do when blogger is misbehaving and won't allow you to load the piccies? Did you know there are ways round this?

They're coming soon. I Promise. I just need to type up the instructions and tips.

Hi - I'm new here.

2006-09-25T15:30:00.000Z

Hi, everybody! I'm Arleta, and I'm so glad to be part of this blogging stuff. It's fun, and exciting. Thanks for welcoming me aboard!

Glad I found you!

2006-09-25T13:14:00.000Z

While I am delighted to have just found you, I sure wish I learned about you a month ago. I should have taken a picture of the pile of hair I pulled out when I got started with my blog!

Hi There...I'm new!

2006-09-20T00:32:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I'm one of the latest additions to Knit 1 Blog Too. I've been knitting for a few years now...but am new to the world of blogging.

I began my blog a few weeks ago, and am having fun meeting lots of people in the online community. I have already picked up a couple tips/tricks looking through this blog!

If anyone has any comments or tips for my blog or projects I'm workin' on, bring it on. I welcome constructive criticism :)

All the best,

Stephanie

Get the Button

2006-09-19T00:25:00.000Z

If you want to add the Knit1BlogToo (K1B2) button to your blog, here it is.

Please save it to your PC. Don't direct link. If you need any assistance, let me know. Bernie

Knit1BlogToo members as at 6 Oct 2006

2006-09-18T12:04:00.000Z

Here is an up-to-date list of all the Knit1BlogToo members as of today, ~~29th September 2006~~ 11th October 2006. My haven't we grown - we are now 32 37 strong.

Blog Owner & Blog URL

Craftybernie - http://www.craftybernie.blogspot.com/
Pam - http://www.roddyknit.blogspot.com
Sharon - http://www.shazknit.blogspot.com/
Terri D - http://offjumpsjack.blogspot.com
Sibtigre2 - http://sibtigre2.blogspot.com
Sibtigre2 - http://www.b4bagkal2006.blogspot.com/
Maniacal Multitasker - http://www.designsbyhuileng.blogspot.com/
Indywoman - http://www.stitchesinpink.blogspot.com/
Whimsicalknitter - http://www.whimsicalknitting.blogspot.com/
Kim - http://www.sanityknit.blogspot.com/
Piglottie - http://www.piglottie.blogspot.com/
Joan - http://www.thejoyofsocks.typepad.com/
Allie - http://www.Allieknitsaway.blogspot.com/
Nora Z - http://www.black-dog-knits.blogspot.com/
Brea - http://www.theprocrastiknitter.blogspot.com/
Anne - http://www.artis-anne.blogspot.com/
Wanda - http://www.gwtreece.blogspot.com/
Mindy -http://www.swimmomknits.blogspot.com/
AJ - http://downwithknittygritty.blogspot.com/
Nan - http://msnanknits.blogspot.com/
Catsmum - http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/
G-Girl - http://g-girl-knittingadventures.blogspot.com/
Laura - http://knitalife-laura.blogspot.com/
Kylie - http://thelazyknitter.blogspot.com/
Craftybernie (host) - http://knit1blogtoo.blogspot.com/
AnaBanana - http://bananaknits.blogspot.com/
JAG Knits - http://waldenknits.blogspot.com/
Linda - http://clickertyclick.blogspot.com/
Stephanie - http://sharkypurl.blogspot.com (added 190906)
Jan - http://quietknitter.blogspot.com/ (added 190906)
Arleta - http://arletasmotleywool.blogspot.com/ (added 240906)
Deborah - http://deedeenetblog.blogspot.com/ (added 250906)
Zeeppo - http://www.zeeppoville.blogspot.com (added 290906)
Cathy - http://www.tryintaknit.blogspot.com/ (added 021006)
Cheryl - http://www.hither-n-yarn.blogspot.com/ (added 021006)
Jo - http://joknits.blogspot.com/ (added 061006)
Jane - http://www.roseredshoes.blogspot.com (added 111006)

Let me know if there are any probs. Many thanks...Bernie

EDITED 02 Oct 2006 - Please visit the complete members list here or click on MEMBERS in the header at the top of the screen.