If you’ve clicked through to my blog lately, you might have noticed that I updated my blog format. One day, my old blog seemed fine… the next, I was itching to change it! Does that happen to you too?
Here’s some of the new, improved features:
- A new header, but still made with my wardrobe colour palette
- The floating header bar is perhaps a bit much, but also makes it really easy to find some of my favourite series, like the Better Pictures Project, Lazy Tips for Sewing Knits, and bramaking posts
- Also in the header, I created a page of Tried’N’True patterns, where I’ve gathered all posts about my favourite patterns
- In addition to the search bar and archives, my top 30 tags also show up in the side bar. I hope that makes it easier for people to explore older posts!
I notice lots of blogs (ok, trendy cool blogs, which is not me) moving towards thumbnail formats, where you can see lots of posts at a glance. It is appealing that a new reader could get a quick glance and what I sew, and decide if they care to read on… but the drawback is that it’s a lot of clicking in and out of posts for readers. When I asked on Instagram, most of you seemed pretty against thumbnails, so I’ve tried to compromise with my new format! When you scroll through the blog, you’ll see a picture and the beginning of each blog post – but I promise, if you follow on a blog reader, I won’t make you “click to continue reading”!
(If you don’t follow blogs on a blog reader… I’d really suggest it! I love Feedly for it’s clean interface and ease of use on a phone or computer, but some people prefer Bloglovin’. Either way a big time-saver, and you’ll never miss a post!)
So far, the good news for me is that I see a lot more traffic going to my blog series and old posts. The bad news is I have to go through and tag all my old posts and set featured images! I’d love to get feedback from you – be honest, because nothing is ever set in stone!
Crafting A Rainbow 
Love your new blog format Gillian! It’s very easy to navigate. I found myself wandering around in it much more 🙂 oh and yes of course ordered one of your favourite patterns! The Ultimate Shift dress – I loved your postings on sewing with knits and learned a thing or 2 in there! Thanks for putting all the work you obviously into this great blog 🙂
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Absolutely loving the new header!!!! And isn’t it truly a pain to have to go back and add featured images to old posts?
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I love the new header! 🙂 The thumbnails are fine by me – it’s not a big deal either way. When I click through from Feedly, it takes me right to the individual post, which is great.
I also wanted to second your Feedly suggestion – I love it! Reading posts and organizing your feed are both very straightforward, and there isn’t any “junk” (social media stuff, ads) to deal with like on Bloglovin’. I am a total Feedly convert.
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I really like the new look. Sometimes it seems like you can spend aeons tinkering with the layout on your blog, doesn’t it? A picture + word summary is much preferable to thumbnails for me anyway. I find the new trend in websites and blogs, with a home page with a GIANT header/photo and floating thumbnails for posts very confusing.
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Looks great! I love the header. I’ll have to check out feedly… getting tired of all the ads on bloglovin’!
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I like your blog. I might have to try out feedly rather than bloglovin’ which I currently use (I find it okay so no hurry!)
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I love the look of your blog! I just started my own blog and I’m still trying to figure out how it works. I hope to have a blog as beautiful and streamlined as yours someday!
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Great update! I love the new look 🙂
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Thank you so much for not making me click to continue! I read on Feedly and have unfollowed blogs I had to click through on.
Also, I love your sewing!
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Hey Gillian….I’m just catching up on blogs after my holiday. I love your updated blog as you’ve done it. I too have recently updated my blog. I have the option of thumbnails and a lot of posts showing, or the more traditional format {still having to click through though}. I think it only really affects people going to the home page…..those that follow via bloglovin’ for example are taken directly to your post. I’m fifty-fifty….the thumbnails do allow for a quick perusal to get a feel for your blog, but the pics are usually pretty small…I’m just so tired of making blog decisions and learning wordpress AND setting feature images, LOL….that I barely want to blog. Hopefully, with time, I’ll get over myself…hahahaha.
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