Claire123

Sometimes I've noticed people use acronyms so much, they don't realized not everyone is sure of the meaning... I found this website... Hope it helps if, like me, you can be acronym-challenged. http://quiltinggallery.com/2009/04/2...ters-acronyms/

PaperPrincess

We have a pretty good list on the board too:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t178507.html

maviskw

I just wish people wouldn't use them so much. A few are OK, as RST, WOF, or some that are used a lot. But people get carried away, and over-use such stuff.

julia k

I agree about the overuse. While trying to figure what each acronym stands for sometimes lose interest in what is being posted.

Sewslow

Thanks for the list. However, I discovered I have the dreaded SABLE.. Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy.

IBQUILTIN

I agree with the overuse. Sometimes for me, it would be easier to just type out the words. They can be so confusing.

JanieH

Thanks Claire and Paper Princess - I know most of them but every so often see one that I have no idea what it means. These are handy lists to have for reference!

Manalto

Heavy use of acronyms or initialisms (strictly speaking, an acronym is a combination of letters pronounced as a word [NATO] and the letters of an initialism are read individually [FMQ - just try to pronounce that as a word]) can be intimidating or alienating to a newbie. One useful technique to avoid this, particularly when the abbreviation is going to be used repeatedly, is spell it out the first time, with the abbreviated form in parenthesis. Subsequent occurrences needn't be spelled out, since the explanation has already been given.

M.Elizabeth

This is actually correct form for all writing!
former language arts teacher

maviskw

[QUOTE=Manalto - One useful technique to avoid this, particularly when the abbreviation is going to be used repeatedly, is spell it out the first time, with the abbreviated form in parenthesis. Subsequent occurrences needn't be spelled out, since the explanation has already been given.[/QUOTE]

I think this should be put forth as a rule for all writing, especially in newspaper stories. Sometimes they are back there somewhere in all small letters, and it takes really long to find out what they are talking about. The first use should always be in caps and even in bold would be better.