How to Resize an Embedded Video

I was recently inspired to share a trick on embedding and resizing videos in blog posts and I thought I would share for anyone interested in doing the same. 

Most of you are probably familiar with YouTube.com but if not, check it out. I have found all sorts of free video tutorials for quilting techniques, sewing clothing, editing photos, etc. I have noticed that sometimes embedded videos don't exactly fit in the "body" area of a blog web page and hang over into the sidebar or "gadget" area. This is based on the type of template you are using on your blog and the size of the tables the template is coded for.

For example, this is the video the Missouri Star Quilt Company posted on YouTube to announce a giveaway which I won! However, the default size of the video exceeds the width of the content area of my blog. I would really like to re-design my blog so that I better utilize the space but that is a project for another day. For now, I just resize the embedded video! Here it is directly from YouTube:



Wow...that's a big video! It totally covers up my sidebar area where you can see my previous posts, followers, flicker photos, etc. and I really don't want that so I am going to resize it. There are a couple of different ways to do this. You can copy the embed code directly from YouTube and paste it into the body of your post. When you do this you will see the HTML text and you can edit it from there. The code starts with something like this:

object width="640" height="385"

That little bit of code defines the size of the video but it's not the only culprit. Towards the end of that code you will see that the width and height are defined again. To change the size of the video you will need to change the values in both places. I changed this video so that the width is 400 and the height is 285:



Much better right? You can play around with these numbers a bit and preview your post to see how it will look to get just the right size for your post on your blog. However, be careful to only replace the numbers in the code and to not remove any of the spaces or punctuation because they are both part of the HTML "language" and without them your code will be "broken". If you accidentally do this, delete the entire bit of code for the video (not the text you have written though--that should still be ok), paste a fresh version, and make your changes. Simple right?

If you don't see the code text (you will probably see your embedded video there instead) there is another way to see and edit it. You'll notice as you are creating a Blogger post (I am not sure about other blogs) that there are two tabs above the area where you type: "Edit HTML" and "Compose". Blogger is set up to automatically start you on the Compose tab but as you write text, make certain words bold, change the font, etc. you are actually writing HTML. Blogger automatically "writes" the HTML for you as you type but you can see the HTML code at any time by clicking the Edit HTML tab. Click over to the Edit HTML tab, look for the section where your video is embedded, change the values from that screen, and then switch back over to the Compose tab. It's that easy!

Hopefully this information will be helpful to you. I use Blogger but I know there are other blog hosting sites out there that are likely set up very differently. If you have a question about how to do this on the blog host you use just send me an email and I will do my best to help you figure it out.

Now go out there and resize some embedded videos!

UPDATE: I have checked this post out on a couple of different computers and realized that in some cases, the video doesn't "hang" over the content area. Instead, part of the video display is hidden. You can tell if this is the case if any of the 4 sides of the video aren't visible.

Someday I'll have Hate Comments Too!

Today I announced my blog to my facebook friends. I am hoping that this will lead to more people reading my blog and potentially more followers. I have to be honest though...I feel a bit exposed.

My fear is that someday, probably not anytime soon, my casual announcement to my facebook friends that I have a blog will lead to some random reader not liking something I have to say who will then leave a comment that will totally throw me off guard. Don't get me wrong...I would love to have readers and followers. I want you to do both! I want you to tell your friends and link to my pages and use the information I put up. Why else would I go to the trouble? But becoming that popular may also mean that I will potentially have "haters" too....I guess that's the price I can only hope I will pay.

For example: The Bitchy Sticher's Speaking of Crack post

If you read down to the comment section on that post you will see that Megan has reached a status level that has inevitably led to a "hater" comment. (see her comments from "Anonymous" but not "Anonymous Deborah")


I think "Anonymous" must have been suffering from a Sneaky Hate Spiral. It's hard for me to imagine any other explanation for her sudden outburst of negativity. Why that post? Why that blog? To paraphrase Allie Brosh, the Sneaky Hate Spiral is a series of unfortunate annoyances and incidents exceeding the maximum threshold someone can handle that culminates in an irrational, random outburst of anger.

(picture from Allie's post on Hyperbole and a Half)

Allie describes this condition in humorous detail on her blog making me LOL several times. She has long surpassed the status level necessary to start receiving hater comments and (for the most part I think) beyond the point of caring.

About this blog....

This blog is a glorified journal. Sometimes it's about quilting, sewing, and/or crafting. Sometimes it's not.

I'm not a professional writer and I don't claim to be. Is "crafter" a word? I think it is but the spelling checker tells me it's not. When I see letters in all caps, underlined, italicized, etc. I infer (if I am reading) or am attempting to convey (if I am writing) that word is meant to be "said" differently: loud, angry, excited, secretive, etc. The spelling checker may want me to type "OK" rather than "ok" but to me (and I would assume my generation)...."OK" and "ok" mean something different. We grew up using AOL instant messenger and text. We use what I like to call "geek speak":

LOL = laughing out loud (or if it's my Aunt Marta it means "lots of love" -- but only for her!)
ROFL = rolling on the floor laughing
QQ = someone crying
RTM = read the mannual

I could go on but I won't. 

I'm not a professional quilter. I have a million ideas in my head for my own artistic creations but little experience and few skills I can use to execute them. Until I have learned all I need to know about the basics, I am going to keep trying out tutorials and patterns created by others. I always try to give credit to the original creator or warn in advance that I am shooting from the hip, going it alone, making it up as I go, or some other way to say "I don't know what I am doing".

I am human and I make mistakes. I'd love to know about them so I can correct them. Thank you in advance.

I appreciate you reading my blog. I would love suggestions for improvement, comments, reassurance, anything! I would love to get to the point where I have readers/followers who interact with me through my blog and help me become a better quilter/blogger/person.

I am hoping that Matt and I can someday reach a point financially where I can stay home with our kids and have a small business on the side where I make.....something. I don't know what that will end up being but I know if I keep trying new things out I will find something I am great at. When I do figure out what that something is, you will most certainly hear about it from me on my blog! I consider this glorified journal to be a long term investment in a potential outlet for marketing myself/my products. You've been warned.

To wrap things up because I know this post is getting really long....I am not so vain that I expect everyone will like me and what I have to say, but I am naive and sensitive enough to hope that you will so if you don't, break it to me gently please! I would like to avoid Sneaky Hate Spiral comments if at all possible.

And become a follower of my blog....That would make me really happy.

About Me...

I thought I would make my first post about getting to know me a little. My hope is that other people out there will be inspired to create their own threaded mess! It's so easy to go and buy something you like but it's an incredible and rewarding experience to create something yourself!

Fact 1: I have a very busy life and get easily distracted. I have a tendency to start projects and not finish them so I am hoping that this blog will keep me motivated to stay focused. Update: You'll notice from the dates on the posts that I am still working on this.

Fact 2: My favorite drink to have after a long day at work is rum and cherry coke zero.  

Fact 3: I am a bit of a goober at times. I love sewing but hate the way thimbles feel so I often find myself looking for a band-aid after I've pricked myself on accident. I occasionally stumble over flat surfaces and find bruises for injuries I don't remember. Don't worry, this has nothing to do with rum and coke.

Fact 4: I am very attached to my friends and family. I would do anything for them and love being able to make things with my own hands to give them as gifts.

Fact 5: I LOVE my dog. I have owned dogs in the past and they have been great--no dog can ever replace another and I love all of them. That being said, Lucy (my Boo) is a wonderful companion and she's so eager to please. In the year and few months that we've owned her, she has learned to not pull on walks, not chew on socks, towels, book bags, and coach purses, and how to behave around other dogs (thanks Cesar Milan). Who would have thought that only a year and half ago she was well known as "Lucifer". Now she's just our Lucy.

Fact 6: I am inspired to create because of my love for my family and friends. I love being a daughter, a sister, a grand-daughter, a fiance, a soon to be daughter-in-law and sister-in-law, a niece, a cousin, an aunt, a friend. The memories I cherish most are those I've shared with others I care about and who care about me. I love being able to make things with my own hands for family and friends.

Fact 7: My Etsy shop Lovie and Boo was named after two of the loves of my life: my fiance Matt (Lovie) and my dog Lucy (Boo).

Fact 8: I first started sewing as a young girl. I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas and Santa was happy to help. I sewed clothing for my dolls out of scrap fabric and was quite the fashion designer. Unfortunately my hobby was pushed to the side and eventually forgotten as school and work took over my life. I am by no means trained or experienced but hopefully with time I will be able to improve my skills. Please feel free to leave comments with suggestions or tips for any of my blunders I share with you!

Fact 9: My passion for sewing was re-ignited when I started dating Matt and got to know his mother Ann. Ann loves to quilt and we proudly display several of her artful creations in our home. Ann made me a quilt for college graduation and it is a treasure I will always cherish. It's imbued with her love and care and feels like a hug when I wrap it around myself. She also inspired me to create a quilt for my sister.

Fact 10: My first quilt was for my sister Leslie. I knew how meaningful it was for me to receive a quilt from Ann and wanted to share that same love with my sister. Her favorite color is pink and her second favorite color is pink. With that in mind, I created a quilt with all sorts of pinks and touches of black and white to make it pop. Needless to say, it was perfect for her and she loves it. Even though it was a simple nine patch, when I finished making Leslie's quilt I felt like I had done something monumental like climbing a major mountain peak or running a marathon. Here's a picture of Leslie's Quilt:

Fact 11: I was first introduced to Etsy by my other sister who was looking for unique baby items. She shared her favorites with me and then I started looking around for myself. I ended up buying some patterns for shoes and a pattern for a pillowcase dress.

Fact 12: My first Etsy inspired creation was a yellow and white pillow case dress with matching shoes. My mom loved them so much that she asked to buy them to give my cousin's daughter as an Easter gift. She told me I should start my own business, so I did! http://www.lovieandboo.etsy.com/

Fact 13: I stumbled upon covered buttons as a solution to completing the yo-yo flowers I sewed to those first shoes I made. The yellow center and the white flower looked so cute with the yellow and white shoes.

Fact 14: Making covered button jewelry is a labor of love. Believe it or not, it sorta hurts to make the buttons but I love the finished products and so do people who wear them.

Fact 15: Matt and I are getting married in May. I am looking forward to being a "Mrs" and starting a family with Matt. I can't wait to make baby clothes and booties for my own babies.

Fact 16: I work as a consultant to the government and it's great for now. I am really appreciative to have a job in this economy. That being said, I would love to be able to quit my day job someday and be a Mom with an Etsy business on the side. This blog is a start in that direction. Hopefully with a solid readership and more crafting and sewing experience I will be able to turn my hobby into a business of my own!

I hope you enjoyed reading my bio! Follow my blog if you would like to hear about my adventures in the world of sewing and crafting...