Ravelry in this day and age

i was thinking about my recent share/not share post.  i thought about how i learned about new knitting patterns and techniques.

before ravelry, i googled "free knitting patterns" and several knitting websites popped up.  i acquired quite a few patterns from lion brand yarns.  i learned about bev's country cottage and knitting on the net from my teacher.  of course, i found lots of patterns sort of "free" by visiting my local libraries.

ravelry opened up a world of patterns to me:

i had a fabulous tool at my fingertips!  i can choose from a gazillion patterns, from baby blankets to sweaters to toys.  there are tons of dishcloth patterns out there.  best yet - just type the magic word "free" before whatever you're looking for - and there's usually a pattern for that.  i can find a pattern based on yarn weight, ability, even type or color of yarn.  excellent.  

i also do a backward search of patterns via the yarn i use.  this search method has been valuable to me for my PSOTMC.  i may not find a pattern that i fancy, but i do see a lot of beautiful FOs that way.

occasionally i'll find an interesting pattern through the "recently shared projects" block located on the main page of a group.  there are a lot of talented knitters out there!  (incidentally, those are my haggis socks in the block, until someone else's fabulous project edges it out.  :)  )

would you believe in this day and age, there are knitters who don't know what ravelry is?  none of the ladies in my knitting group are on ravelry, despite the fact that many of them are techno savvy.  my teacher is on ravelry, but she explained that she had no interest in it.

oh, there is so much to do on ravelry other than the groups!  the pattern and yarn searches, for one thing.  before i start a new pattern, i check for errata.  i stash my knitting books and magazines in the library.  my yarns are cataloged, as well as my needles.  for the first 6 months or so on ravelry, i really didn't participate in groups?  if memory serves me, i joined the knitty gritty tv show group, inquired about entrelac patterns in the entrelac group, and visited the SAI group on occasion.  it was only after i got pregnant, and lost that pregnancy, that i started participating in groups.  i belong to 58 groups currently.  i'm active in maybe half a dozen or so.  some people play farmville and computer games.  my time suckage is ravelry.

ravelry is a wonderful tool for a knitter, as valuable as a darning needle or crochet hook for picking up stitches.