No need to be an avid reader of this blog, to have already read/seen/heard about Ravelry. This little magic word is spoken at least once a month, what am I saying a week, and in reality every day at home:
RAVELRY !
Some exclaim, others smile but there is a small group at the bottom a little behind who looks at his feet and wonders what is this site, looking like a Bible ès Knitting/Crochet, to which I refer so often.
Don't be ashamed, you are not alone. Most even knowledgeable, seasoned knitters and not only from Montlhéry do not know the Ravelry website.
Please note, I am mainly talking about French-speaking knitters (and crocheters, don't get offended there) because the Ravelry site is in fact exclusively in English . And we know how little talent French speakers have for languages (to be learned of course). That certainly explains that.
I do not pretend to give you a ravelresque training, as the site is full of sections, subsections, tools and possibilities and in addition they do not pay me… But I can give you a Prévert-style inventory of its usefulness.
It's a bit like summing it up with Ravelry explained to my mother (if you have a Quebec accent, it's even prettier to say) or even Ravelry explained to my boyfriend/boyfriend/guy/husband. And that he finally understands that the page open non stop on the site has a utility Yes and that No I haven't finished watching….
Ariane pointed this out to me and it is indeed a pity. Before my arrival in North America, I actually did not know; since it's a page open daily and substantial savings in catalog purchases, I'll explain why!
Ravelry what is it?
- a website sectarian community where you create a KNITTER PROFILE (without being over 78) and build up a network of "friends". It's like Facebook but you're not looking for your ex… (well not me…).
– an immmmmense DATABASE OF knitting and crochet PATTERNS . Free patterns online, links to sites that offer them, paid patterns online, patterns from books, etc. You enter keywords for example: Harry potter and you find patterns (514 people are crazy), I swear ! (You can enter naughtier words too, there is a “mature” section…)
– an immmmmense DATABASE OF YARN and yarn. You can thus see for each thread, its weight, the length of the skein, which needles are necessary, the opinions of the users, the projects for which it was used, etc…
– a way to keep track of the models made. Indeed, you can indicate WHAT PROJECT YOU are doing, the THREAD YOU HAVE chosen, your needles, put photos of the result and notes on your opinion during its realization. It is not only useful for others but also for yourself if you end up offering the model or if you do not want to repeat mistakes made and noted the first time.
– you can too, but here we are appealing to a dark and slightly psychopathic side: stasher/reference all YOUR YARN STOCK .
Thus, with each project carried out, the length or the weight of yarn used is deducted from your list and you always know the reality of your stock.
– you can find DISCUSSION GROUPS on just about anything related to knitting/crocheting and sometimes even something else, INVITATIONS TO tests/kal of certain patterns, KNITTING GROUPS FROM YOUR region, etc…
Worse, I assure you that even the non-bilingual knitter is able to navigate it, everyone is free to use the tool as they wish.
Warning : if you put your finger in the Ravelry gear you risk losing your hand, your arm and your whole brain in the end, until you contaminate the Duke who shares your life.
To the point of overhearing a conversation or two, where he gently imitates you talking to your friends: “yes, you don't know Smorup? it's a great pattern on Ravelry, there's Iznogoud59 who made it, but his yarn was all rotten in 90% acrylic, 10% beaver hair…”
It's a fact, Le Duc bitches/doesn't care about me… but is able to find his next sweater pattern on Ravelry on his own, without help… (if he could then go and buy the yarn, that would be even better).
You too can do it!
NB: the feminine is used in this article for convenience and also a little because it is the reality… Gentlemen knitters, you are still a species threatened rare.
Perrine
Perrin is a puxineuse... A puxineuse is someone who tinkers, who searches, who snoops, who cuts, who sews, who knits, who crochets, who paints things, who drives nails without ever getting hurt, who plays with words, who always thinks of 1000 things at the same time, who is determined, who is curious… in short, I am someone who is never bored! Find Perrine on the web: HOMEMADE PERRIN PIMPIM , on her FACEBOOK page, on INSTAGRAM , and of course on RAVELRY !