Fiber Friday- Ravelry is Awesome

I this week I want to tell you all about Ravelry. If you Knit or Crochet, chances are you already know about it, but for those of you who are not in the fibery know, it is a social networking site for fiber enthusiasts. It brings together designers and makers, stores and customers, and people from all over the world that have a similar love of fiber craft. Knitters, Crocheters, Spinners, Dyers, Weavers, Lace Makers, and Needle Felters are all represented on the site now. You can find groups to join, either virtual or face to face, local or international.

But better than the social networking is the organizational offerings. A place to list and store your pattern books and patterns, needle sizes, favorite patterns, a queue of things to do, and finished objects (or even in progress objects). Have a yarn and you don't know what to make with it? Search other peoples finished objects to get ideas of what they made with the same yarn. Need help on a pattern, there is a forum for that. Have a pattern to sell, this is the place. Need a single skein of an out of production yarn to finish a project- bet you can find it here.

One of my favorite things is the groups. I have met wonderful people from all over the world in the groups I belong to. In one we swap monthly and I have received Valentines from New Zealand, and Christmas Stockings from Great Britain, as well as buttons from Atlanta Georgia, just to name a few. And now I have found local knitting groups. There is one tonight I plan on going to and one on Monday. A great way to get out of the house, meet new people, make new friends, and chill. I am often very nervous around new people and going to things like this ramps up my anxiety levels. Luckily, I have met a few members face to face in the past, so I think I am less nervous than just going in blind and new.

Tonight I am knitting a heart shaped dish cloth, to send to my mystery Valentine. Well she is no mystery to me, but she doesn't know who she is getting a card, candy, and fun thing from. It is my monthly swap partner and this month's theme is Valentines. I can't wait :)