Reveling in Ravelry

I was checking in with my favorite knitting blogs this morning. What happened to MagKnits? Googling didn't help beyond a few tantalizing blog hints, so I went to Ravelry. Sure enough, there was an extensive forum devoted to the demise of MagKnits and the impact on designers who'd contributed to the four-year-old web site as well as knitters who were caught in medias res on many projects. MagKnits gave me Jaywalker and Lemonade, two free patterns I really enjoyed working. (Thankfully, the designers retained ownership of their work, which is now showing up on Ravelry.) There may yet be another rendition of MagKnits in the future, but for now, the "closed" sign is up via an error message.

Well, darn.

Just like the local yarn shop (LYS), knitting web sites open and close with the vagaries of supply and demand as well as the business acumen and personal flexibility of their owners.

We knitters have grown amazingly dependent on the internet for knitting info, patterns, and chat. Just ten years ago, a few knitting magazines, flyers from individual yarn makers, and a LYS were the best (and only) resources for patterns. Now we can consult Ravelry, Knitting Pattern Central, DROPS, KnittyChick, and Daily Knitter . . . these and more place vast libraries of patterns at our fingertips via the internet. If we live miles away from a well stocked and imaginative LYS like Knitch, we can still converse, learn, and share with kindred spirits via blogs, Ravelry, and knitting rings.

Who says knitting is old school? Our craft bridges the old and new worlds with breathtaking flexibility.

I have an extensive library of patterns purchased at LYS in the area as well as downloaded for a fee from ChicKnits and Ravelry. To "pay it forward" to the knitting community, I have placed a few free patterns on this blog and plan to add several more in the near future.

Back to the White Hot Cardigan. Just one sleeve to go!