For those of you who read Needle ‘n Thread via an RSS feed – and especially via Google Reader – I thought I’d address some technical issues that are coming up in the next month.

I don’t generally like writing about the technical side of blogging because it can be really boring for folks who aren’t interested in that kind of stuff. You’re here for an embroidery fix, after all – not for technical tips on using the internet!

But there’s a changes coming up, especially for those of you who read Needle ‘n Thread and other blogs through Google Reader, so I thought it might be a good time to address those changes.

Now, for those of you who read Needle ‘n Thread directly on the website or via the daily e-mail newsletter, this doesn’t necessarily apply. If you still want to have your morning coffee with me, read on. If not, I understand!

For years, I’ve been keeping up with blogs and news websites using RSS feeds, and Google Reader has been my feed reader of choice for quite a while, because it’s easy and I like the organization.

But as of July of this year (that’s just over a month away), Google Reader will Die the Death. It will be no more, for some mysterious Googley reason.

If you are reading Needle ‘n Thread through Google Reader, then in about a month, you will be left adrift if you haven’t found an alternative. And that would make me sad! We would miss you!

My RSS blog list is pretty important to me – just as it is to anyone who keeps up with a large number of blogs or news sites. It’s how I keep up with what’s going on in the needlework world and with news in general, it’s how I stay connected with other bloggers of like interests, and how I keep informed on technical issues and so forth. So I couldn’t just let my blog list go down the drain come July.

Google Reader Alternatives

After testing other feed reading options, I settled on Feedly. I made the switch several months ago so I could get used to it.

I like Feedly because it has a nice interface, it offers many reading and organizing options, it works beautifully on my iPad, it has a good index feature that I like to use when I’m looking for a particular blog, and the whole transition from Google Reader was very smooth. Like any different application, it did take some getting used to, but now, after a couple months of usage, I can’t imagine using anything else.

Many craft bloggers I know use a reader called Bloglovin and are happy with it, too. Both Feedly and Bloglovin seamlessly import your feeds from Google Reader, so the transition to either is easy.

But there are lots of other feed readers out there – it’s just a matter of testing and finding one you like. Lifehacker has a good list of Google Reader Alternatives that might be helpful for those who want to find a replacement.

Subscribe to Needle ‘n Thread via Email

Then, of course, there’s the option of reading Needle ‘n Thread through your email.

On Needle ‘n Thread, each day’s blog post is broadcast to email subscribers, and it lands right in your inbox so that you don’t miss anything. From tips, techniques, tutorials, projects, book reviews, free patterns, give-aways, online class announcements – they all come straight into your inbox, where you can easily save the ones you want for future reference. And you can print articles straight from your email in a format that is more print-friendly than the website.

Make a Switch!

So, if you’re reading Needle ‘n Thread via Google Reader, now’s the time to switch either to a new reader or to the email newsletter so that, come July when Google Reader fades away, you can continue to keep up with stuff here on Needle ‘n Thread.

What about you? Do you read blogs via a feed reader? If so, which one do you use, and can you make any recommendations or suggestions for others who might be transitioning from Google Reader? Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about how to keep up with your favorite blogs? Feel free to have your say below!