I started to answer this question in response to a comment I received yesterday but I thought that it might warrant it’s own post. I know I’ve been linking to a site called Ravelry a lot lately in conjunction with all my knitting projects. But if you are not already a member there, you might be asking yourself, what is Ravelry?

Ravelry is a social networking site dedicated to the yarn arts (knitting, crocheting, spinning). The base features are all free to use (store front pro and some advanced user features do have a cost). Within your profile you maintain a database of all the projects you are currently working on or have completed including notes, pictures and yarn details. The best part of all is that the projects are all linked to the original patterns. This means that you can peruse everyone else’s notes and photos to see how a pattern works up in different yarns/sizes. Follow someone else modifications to customize your project. You can also keep records of your yarn stash both store bought or homespun. Just bought a couple skeins of a cool yarn but don’t have an exact pattern in mind, search by the yarn and see what projects other members worked up with that yarn. Or run out of a yarn mid-project and need more of the same dye lot, search for it and you might find someone willing to sell it or trade you for it.  In fact you can use the database features to search for just about anything… free, knit, child, sweater, cables… brings up 179 patterns in clothing. Thinking of purchasing a new pattern book (especially when shopping online), look it up and see all the patterns offered before you buy. You can also link to patterns you have wrote or record projects you have improvised. There are also forums that feature groups dedicated to everything from your local yarn shop to fans of a tv show to completing service projects to using a specific technique… which is where the Wee Folk Art Knits group is located. Basically whether you are a new yarn lover or a dedicated fiber artist Ravelry is kinda “the place to be” for yarnies on the web.

In order to check out all the cool features you will have to set up your free account. And just so you know, we do not get anything… at all… by sending you to Ravelry. There is no affiliation… I just LOVE all the features it offers. BTW when I’m hanging out on Ravelry I go by the name WeeFolkMom and my mother (who I generally have to post her knitting pics for her because she is so busy here) goes by the name of KimaraWeeFolkArt. Wee Folk Art Knits is the group forum for Friends and Fans of Wee Folk Art… which is pretty quiet atm since it is new but stop in and say hi.