This is going to be a pictureless post. I just had to get this off my chest. Is it me or is Ravelry creating a 'ME TOO! ME TOO! ME WANT!' culture in you?
I could spend hours and hours looking at other people's knitting instead of actually producing any of my own. I spend half of my time trying to talk myself out of favouriting nearly every other knit I see and the other half preventing myself from adding the rest to my queue. If you knew how often I am half way to purchasing some new yarn and a pattern and then have to reason myself into walking away from the yarn. And it's not like I don't have a lot of yarn or have nothing I want to knit. I have loads of yarn and tons of projects that my yarn is destined for.
I am simply suffering from a bad case of knitting envy and have no idea how to get over it. I want one of nearly everything and preferably in more than one colour please. Whilst Ravelry is undoubtedly a source of inspiration and information, corrections to patterns and ideas of what to do with the odd ball of glow in the dark alpaca, it's also a black hole when it comes to my time and the greatest of yarn temptations and I suddenly find myself deciding that I have to have that pair of socks in exactly that yarn and colour. As if I didn't have at least 5 (cough) skeins of green sock yarn in my stash.
So if you find a lot of your favourite or queued items on Ravelry finding their way to my favourites or queued list, forgive me. I am just very weak.
Posted by Amelia at October 10, 2008 08:53 PMAnd I thought it was just me! Only recently got back into knitting after a 10 year or more break and who knew the internet had got there first!? So I found Ravelry and then an American pattern, which uses an American yarn, so then you have to see what others have used, and doesn't that look good!? How much does that cost?! Etc etc etc.
Oh dear.
Posted by: jen at November 13, 2008 08:48 PMYep! Me too. Addictive and it's had a really negative impact on my knitting productivity. Can't stop looking, but I wish I could.
Posted by: Susan at November 7, 2008 12:35 PMAmen to that!! I have to wean myself off ravelry - i.e put the laptop out of harms way!
Posted by: Johanne at October 12, 2008 10:17 PMI totally agree. I have been spending way too much time over at Ravelry - wishing and dreaming and buying rather than knitting. Time to cut down definately for me.
Posted by: Carol at October 12, 2008 07:39 PMI SO agree! Ravelry is dangerous and addictive but I love it too much to stop using it!! And it has proved very useful when parted from my stash to be able to go online and check what I've got...
Posted by: Daisy at October 12, 2008 06:50 PMYou are not the only one! Be positive, be strong, resist the temptation!... says the one who has just ordered 2 pattern books from Amazon...
Ravelry is like my local knitting group where I spend more time chatting and looking at patterns than actually knitting, but it is fun...
I definitely went through that initially but things have calmed down now. If I see things I want to favorite or add to the queue, I just do it. Doesn't cost anything to do that. Then I weed through both periodically to see if I REALLY like them. It's sort of like getting the buzz from buying and then returning the item. I think of it as guilt-free shopping!
Posted by: Carol at October 11, 2008 08:54 PMI totally agree with you, instead of knitting I sit and look at all the beauties on ravelry. I keep printing all the patterns and never seem to get on top of my stash.
Posted by: Desiree at October 11, 2008 05:48 PMi can totally relate to that!! because of ravelry, i bought some malabrigo to make central park hoodie! i have been knitting so much less than i used to, but i still love handknit items (ha, maybe we should swap our handknits). i also buy fabrics, so that's another black hole for money... (thanks for still reading my neglected blog!)
Posted by: blossom at October 11, 2008 02:16 PMI am the same way! I get up in the morning thinking I am going to work on this project all day..........then I look at bloglines and Ravelry and before I know it, it is 11:00 am and I have knit nothing! The next thing I know, I am casting on for something new! :) We need to have a meeting for this problem! :) LOL
Posted by: Nachaele Olson at October 11, 2008 12:56 PMYes, I completely agree. I also worry that everyone ends up with the same things! Certain patterns become faddish even faster than just via blogs, and soon your one-if-a-kind sweater is just one more of the same! I love to see what others are doing, but I try to resist using it to pick a project to make. (Though if I'm thinking of making something, I'll surely check out other versions on Ravelry.)
Posted by: Mary de B at October 11, 2008 12:51 PMYou are absolutely right Amelia. But something I have realised today is that Ravelry also makes it easier to frog when a project is just not going well. Which is why I don't feel quite so awful that after a few months but only 3 repeats, my lily of the valley shawl is never going to be.
Oh I am so with you on this, in actual fact I could have written this post also lol! Ravelry!!! My chap's eye's roll whenever I am on the computer, as he knows it's going to involve spending money I've lost count of how many times I have had to empty my virtual shopping basket crammed full of yarn to make a fairisle sweater or a lace shawl or a cable jacket .... as I have just in time managed to reason with myself that I am going well beyond my capability. Trouble is I want it right now or for the weekend and my head seems to forget that once I have all the yarn, I do still have to knit it all up etc..... and then of course by the time I cast on low and behold something else as caught my eye. Oh dear, decisions, decisions. So no don't worry I assure you, you are not alone when it comes to Ravelry :)
Posted by: Tracy at October 11, 2008 08:08 AMIn a way Ravelry looks like a giant knitting (shop) window. Sometimes I just shut the browser window, sometimes I give in. I definitely agree with your post. Temptation is Ravelry's middle name.
Philellene (long time reader, commenting here for the first time)
This could have been exactly the words to describe my Ravelry behaviour. So many beautiful knittings there, so many great yarns and colours. I often am thinking I must be kind of weird to spend hours watching other peoples knittings. My to-knit-list is now as long as the lifetime of several generations, sweaters and cardigans, bags and shawls, not to forget dozens of afghans and pillows, several coats and skirts. And you´ve forgot to mention all the groups, the discussions with 137 posts about a yarn quality or a certain design, which I have to read all.
But do you know what - you´ve made me very happy with this post! Happy because now I know I am not the only one, that I am not alone with my obsession.
I would also love to thank you very very much for your comment and your lovely words about Chicago. I have the same difficulties at finding gauge with Felted Tweed, my current knitting, which makes me really frustrated. A Cashmere DK would be a perfect substitute for Calmer, especially now in autumn and winter.
Have a great weekend, shall we decide and promise to stay away from Ravelry over it and knit instead?
Lots of best wishes, Suzi
I don't think you're alone. I find I obsess far more before starting a project and even when I'm working on a project I distracted by all the other pretties out there.
With respect to buying more yarn because of Ravelry, I tend to feel that buying from other people's stashes is more justifiable than from some store. When in it comes right now it, my pocket book doesn't care where it came from!
All said though, its an amazing source of inspiration!
Posted by: loriz at October 10, 2008 09:29 PM