Are you wondering what that little RSS icon on the EmbroiderThis.com Blog is all about? Well here is the rundown on this nifty function. 

RSS stands for Real Simple Syndication. It is a method of delivering digital content from websites or blogs directly to you without you having to remember to go out to the website or blog to get it!   It’s sort of like having your mail delivered rather than having to go to the post office to pick it up.

RSS is great to use with content rich websites or blogs where the information (content) is updated frequently.   In the beginning, RSS feeds were  used mostly on  news websites, but now, this function is standard on a wide variety of blogs and websites.  This “set it and forget it” technology can make your life much easier while making sure you don’t miss a single thing from the Embroider This Blog!

Have you ever read a great article only to forget the name of the source the next time you want to find it?    Bookmarks can help you remember, but with today’s busy lifestyle it is sometimes difficult to stay organized and remember all the places you want to  gather information.

An RSS feed can help! When you sign up for the RSS feed of the Embroider This! Blog, our blog posts will be automatically delivered to you without you having to come and get them from the blog. You will use a “newsreader” to gather, read, store, and organize the RSS feed being sent to you.  The “feed” is simply the posts containing information that you requested from the blog or website where you signed up for the RSS feed.

You may ask “What is an RSS reader and where do I get one?”   It’s easy!   All web browsers now come standard with a “newsreader” (also known as an RSS reader) so you probably already have one and just didn’t know it.   If you have a personalized page on a search engine like an iGoogle page or a  MyYahoo page, it  will also contain an RSS reader.  You can use a stand-alone RSS reader if you prefer.  There are web based readers or ones you can download and install on your computer’s desktop. Some are free and others are available for a cost. The free ones will be pretty basic where the paid versions have more functionality like the ability to read RSS feeds from several different sources in a single view, hiding the posts you have already read, and provide great ways to categorize the information contained in the feed. Just do a search on Yahoo or Google for “RSS Reader” and you will find one that is right for you.

Once you have set up your reader and chosen your preferences, click the RSS button on the top of the EmbroiderThis! Blog and subscribe to our RSS feed. You will probably be asked to name the folder where you want the feed information saved so something like EmbroiderThis! Blog would be appropriate.  You can also set the frequency with which you would like the content delivered to you. Some like it daily, others weekly or longer. The “set it and forget it” RSS reader will collect  all our new blog entries and deliver them right  to your reader, giving you more time for other pursuits like say… stitching some great gift items from Embroider This! on your embroidery machine, without missing any of the new information as it becomes available!

Happy Stitching! 

Sarah  www.embroiderthis.com