I have had a link to the knitting/crocheting site, Ravelry, on this blog for a few months now, and have been a member of the site for about 1 year. My daughter, Allie, suggested that I join . Allie is a crocheter (she made my fabulous project bag for mother's day in 2010). I have slowly gotten involved in the site.
As a person who grew up without computers, (my first computer exposure was in college where I learned the language Fortran at Notre Dame for an engineering class, we programed on a main frame computer using punch cards), I love computers, I LOVE the Internet, but am sometimes slow and cautious when exploring and understanding new applications. I am finally exploring and using more and more of the offerings on the Ravelry site.
I have joined some groups. Of course, SKA (Sock Knitters Anonymous), but another few sock groups such as Sock Off 2011 (we will commit to making a sock a month, which should coincide nicely with ska), and one dedicated to the 2aat (2 at a time) sock making method. This group seems to be more interested in helping each other with questions and possible errata in the books. I also belong to a "local" group, Pacific Northwest Ravelers. I wish I were more active in this group. I wish somehow this group had monthly "meetings, " or something like that. It would be nice to meet more of my fellow Ravelers who are local. One nice result of belonging to that group was my trip to Bainbridge Island and the visit to the Churchmouse Yarn and Teashop.
Just this month, I have joined 2 more groups. One is called "Cover to Cover Quest." This is a group of people who want to knit or crochet every project in a book. I am usually the type of person who buys a recipe book, then makes 2 things from it. I am really intrigued by this idea, and am busy trying to decide which book I will knit through. I will probably do one of my many sock books. There are a few people using
by Cookie A. I own that book and will probably try it first.
I am seriously tempted to do something crazy, however. I have been looking at a book of knitting patterns,
My husband, the Doc, gave me this book more than 5 years ago, when I started knitting again after a long absence. I loved the designs which range from lace to cables to color patterns like brocade. However, they were all given as charts, and wow, that was GREEK to me. I now understand how to read charts, and prefer them to written instructions, and am giving this book another look. I want to try these patterns! I was thinking that it would be amazing to make a square of each pattern, and simply sew them into afghans. Or perhaps make them into socks? I did say that my idea was crazy.
The final group I have joined is Sharing Our Gifts Across America. This is a group that takes up a need in each state, and knits or crochets to fill that need. The latest request is for warm solid color sweaters for low income intercity kids in Connecticut. What could be more worthy? I have downloaded a sweater pattern, and am planning to hit my LYS (probably JoAnns), to look for yarn. I have made 1 sweater EVER, and that was right after I was married, like 25 years ago, and living in St. Louis. Not sure if I can actually knit a sweater. Not sure if I will have time to knit a sweater on top of all the socks I have planned. But O! what a great project.
So, if any of you reading this blog are NOT members of Ravelry.com already, please give it a look. Free patterns, encouragement, community, ideas, organization, really it is an amazing site.
C. A. Losi
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