Jun 26, 2008

Free Quilt Patterns + How to Add a Widget



(For active image, right click on widget in link)
I have spent hours and hours updating my Free Quilting Patterns list and have now created a widget that links the reader directly to this rather large list of sites that offer free quilt patterns or in the case of specific themes, to the actual pattern.

I began my list several years ago, feeling it was very important that I visit and save site information and not just 'copy' others' lists. Far too many of the 'lists' and 'free patterns' are actually not free or have dead links. As an avid blogger, researcher, and sharer of all things good, I spent an inordinate amount of time doing all of these.

When I visit other's sites and I see copying and pasting of others images or words, I know the blogger probably does not realize that they are infringing on another's bandwidth (which we have finite amounts of for the use of each of our blogs) or posting photos of works that may mislead others into thinking that we made the item, when we did not. The whole idea of copyright rights and the dangers of photo and image hosting, or the whole idea of quilting and copyright law are important ones, but it is also important to respect each artist or blogger's wishes by using good judgment and choices.

It is important to use link backs and public domain photos and not 'borrow' from others without their consent. Most of us are delighted to 'share' but appreciate links back.I can't even begin to tell you what enormous pleasure it gives me when I discover linkages from my posts on websites all over the world. My non-quilting articles have been featured on trend and buzz lists of major markets as have my free coupon links and tutorials. This makes me very happy. I feel like my work has value and my research was worthwhile and beside....I dearly love helping others :)

I am happy to offer you the info for placing the linkage for the "Free Quilt Patterns' logo on the right, as long as you please link it back to this blog. You also need to do this, in order to make it work! The widget used is from an altered image taken from public domain through google images and the image linking simply takes you to my own compiled list of free quilting patterns. At one time I tried to keep track of the number of patterns at each link or site...some made it easy for me by simply telling me their number, but others I tracked. I gave up when the list hit over 2,000. I continually add to this list, so my current 'guesstimate' is 2,500 or more free quilt patterns and I'm leaving it at that!!!

To add the widget and the link back for use by anyone, anytime, you follow these steps:

1. Go to Blogger Dashboard: layout
2. Add a page element: picture or image
3. To configure image, fill in the blanks as follows:

Title: Free Quilt Patterns
Link 1 to Heart and Hands blog free pattern site: http://with-heart-and-hands.blogspot.com/2007/10/free-quilting-patterns.html

Link choice 2 to my Free Quilt Patterns and Free Quilt Block Patterns separate blog: http://freequiltpatterns.blogspot.com/2009/03/free-quilt-patterns-list.html

And finally insert in the appropriate edit box this "Image (from the web":

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_aSMWM9ZrRLA/SlHy9IqGArI/AAAAAAAAOHg/uRl4dzvh658/s144/with%20my%20heart%20and%20my%20hands%20heading.jpg



And then finally click on : SAVE!

IF for any reason, your computer won't load this properly, or your blogger template doesn't work the same as mine does, then instead of using the Image (from the web (right click on my saved graphic first, so that it's on your own computer's desktop in a file, then use the optional linkage command of "from your computer" and link to that saved image, instead.

Allow it appear on your edit box as an image, if it does not, put cursor at end of jpg line and hit 'return' to activate it, manually.
It should appear, click save.

Thanks for the link back, I truly appreciate it!

9 comments:

the ark said...

What an amazing resource you have provided for us quilters out here in blogland! I so appreciate the amount of time and effort that you have put into this project! Thank you for all that you do!
Tricia

Paula, the quilter said...

Thanks, M. I have pinned this post in my Bloglines so I can add this widget to my sidebar later. I'll also mention in my next post about this list. OK?

Anonymous said...

I was so happy to see your link to Free Patterns and was ready to add it to my blog, but the picture link is broken. I hope you can fix it soon. Thanks for your help and all the work you did.

Michele Bilyeu said...

The Picture Link has been fixed! Please do add my list to your blog...each of you has so many wonderful friends and crafter/quilters, that it is my joy to share with as many people as I can!

Judy said...

Hi Michelle. Thanks for visiting my blog, & your comments. I have tried to add your widget MANY times, & it just won't save. I had already tried your links, so knew they worked. I have cut & pasted the URL's in, & typed them in myself...still the same message..Please Specify an Image, then at the bottom, Invalid Image Url...
I've enjoyed your blog. You are much more experienced than I am. I set up my blog as an exercise in a blog class from LearningFA Yahoo group. It was fun, but I still have a lot to learn! I'll keep on trying to connect to your site. Thanks.
Judy in New Brunswick

Chris Dahl said...

It would appear to be a broken or bad url on the link. As I too tried to add this in my sidebar and got the same message, "please specify an image"

Lisa said...

I had the same problem. I had to right click on the pic and "save as" to my computer and then chose the option "from my computer". After I did it I check my blog and it did work and it took me to With Heart and Hands blog. So I did add a Gadget to your site!

Peggy said...

Thanks Michelle, I added your link to my blog. Since I have referred to it many times, I thought others might like to also.

Unknown said...

Thank you for this. I am just playing around and finding out how to do things on my blog. This will be very helpful, thank you so much for this.