Thursday, October 11, 2007

Ravelry Anonymous




Ravelry is an organizational tool for individual members and groups, as well as a forum for exchange of information, among other things. It's a huge cross-reference library. It's a meeting of the minds and hands and fibers and colors. Sounds straight forward and innocuous.


I now have my very own place at Ravelry, my own little display booth I am hurrying to fill with projects only I have knitted. I have an online library already containing many of my knitting books. I have a space to place photos of my stash detailing yarn colors, weights and lengths if I so desire (I'd be certifiable if I attempted this); and a space for me to enter my needles and my patterns. I have a brand new Yahoo account and a new Flickr account, already 55% filled with mega-pixel pics of knitted blankets, drawstring pouches and throws. My mind is swirling with all the possibilities inherent in this new venture, and I have been rushing non-stop since receiving my invitation.

Why am I in such a rush? In a rush to post my projects and link them to my blog? To link them to my groups? To answer my Ravelry mail? To look at all 219 Log Cabin projects posted thus far? To see all the Nina Shawls? To feast my eyes on the fabulous entrelac, the Lady Eleanors that abound there? To read the profiles of knitters in my geographic area? To check out the details of the Heartbreakingly Cute Kimonos made by someone across the country? To find out who likes my Log Cabins? To learn what else is being knitted with Mission Falls 1824 Cotton? To join those special groups?


Maybe I can shed some light on this. Imagine tourists who have disembarked their cruise ships in a fabulous port that has every conceivable shop and restaurant they have ever dreamed of, with all their favorite items and all in their price range, and just one day to take it all in - wouldn't they be scurrying? Ever see wide-eyed tykes on the lawn at the Easter Egg Hunt, little straw baskets swinging from tender arms, patent MaryJanes ready to go? What about those TV shows where folks in the supermarket have their buggies and 5 minutes to load up? That is how I feel when I am in that place!




It is as if windows and opportunities have suddenly opened and everything I see is something I want to explore; as if I spent my entire life in Squirrel Hollow and suddenly find myself in NYC; every street I walk down has shops I want to enter. Each shop I enter has people with ideas and yarns and projects and smiles and answers and questions! Each person has her own booth with all her projects and her own blog. She has a life she is willing to share and tons of friends. She belongs to groups of people who share her passions and they talk freely, day and night... and they just invited me... me! (from Squirrel Hollow!) to the party!

So now you know... I can't get out of there! It's a huge labyrinth, a maze, growing exponentially, mushrooming, filling with people and projects and colors and faces and words and groups and ... and... and....well, gosh, it's...it's addictive!

OK. There you have it.

My name is Beth and I'm a Ravelry Addict.


Beth

5 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Hi Beth,

Too funny....and I'm right there with you. Those 'outsiders' (who don't knit) just don't get us. Yeah for Ravelry!

Bess said...

:D

I know just how you feel. Welcome to A Place of My Own, btw. And what gorgeous knitting you have here on your blog.

Life's a Stitch said...

Oooh, me, too. That darned Ravelry has put a couple of more UFO's on my list.

Lovely colours,
Li

Prachi said...

I found you via Ravelry! I totally agree, and those are gorgeous pictures interspersed in your confession. Oh, and my name is Desiknitter (I'm an addict too).

Nana Sadie said...

Me too!
(and I discovered YOU there!)
(((hugs)))