Mo' Mo

One of the most read entries I've written on this blog was about Mo Rocca's uncomplimentary comments about handmade sweaters and the Ravelers who made him a sweater. If hell is knitters scorned, at least you'll get a nice garment out of saying something negative about the handcraft.

It's been almost a year since knitters set out to prove him wrong about itchy handmade sweaters. Now Rocca has done a reevaluation about knitting.



Whether he sticks with knitting or not, it looks like everyone turned out a winner. Rocca got a sweater and new appreciation for knitting, knitters get recognition for their hard work, and Ravelry gets some great PR.

Marked

Checkered Dishcloth

Yarn: Lily The Original Sugar'n Cream (100% cotton; worsted weight)
Colorway: Swimming Pool
Needles: US 7s
Stitches: 40

I wasn't trying to knit something with a big Z or an N across it, but it's kind of cool that the variegated yarn knit up this way. I like to think of it as something Team Zissou would have on their ship.

I finished this at knit night, newly moved to Wednesdays, and cast on a new project: a Homer Simpson dishcloth. I have a friend who will love it, and I can see myself making a couple more for my brothers. Another dishcloth may not be a test of my knitting skills, but you know, I like making dishcloths and need projects to get me knitting regularly again.

Since I had two FOs and a WIP to add to my Ravelry page, I finally updated it. Apparently I'm approaching the limit of 200 free Flickr uploads. I don't really want to shell out money to have a hosted place for my Ravelry pictures if I can help it. (I don't use Flick for anything else.) I've been so out of the loop with that site that maybe there's an alternative to Flickr?

Radio, Rocca, and Ravelry

On the way home from an exasperating trip to two grocery stores--remind me not to do that shopping on a Saturday morning again--I was listening to the NPR quiz show Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! What should I hear but talk of knitting and a mention of Ravelry.

It seems that panelist Mo Rocca said something uncomplimentary about handmade sweaters a couple weeks ago on the show. You can imagine how knitters might respond to such a comment.

The healing began with the episode that aired today. (To hear the segment in question, click on "Panel Round Two".) Some Ravelers made the comedian a sweater and presented it to him after the taping. For a full rundown on the brouhaha, check out this Chicago Public Radio blog entry.

(And yes, yet again a non-knitter writing about knitting uses the term crochet interchangeably.)

Contents

I'm off to an Oscars party. Knowing that show I'll be getting back late, so I'm dropping a quick post to get my daily minimum allowance of blogging.

Above you see what came in the Sticks N Stitches goody bag.

In last night's entry I neglected to mention that I enjoyed speaking with the fellow knitter next to me and her husband. After asking if everyone there was a knitter, her next question was what my Ravelry screen name is.

I'm sure there are plenty of knitters who've never used Ravelry and have no idea what it is, but how indicative of the site's popularity and influence is it that Ravelry is taken for granted as just another tool in the knitter's bag (so to speak)? And that site is still in beta.

Tidbits

Cold enough for you? It was in the single digits for a decent part of the day and "warmed up" to the low teens. At least there's no snow and ice. If that could stay away for the next few days, I'll be ever so thankful.

Speaking of freezing of another kind, I'd like to put everything on pause as I've realized that there's a lot to do before Christmas (and the end of the year) and not a lot of time for it. If I thought I was a blur today, tomorrow is really going to be something.

Nothing to report knitting-wise. I have a couple of quick things I'd like to get done in the next day-plus, but I better prioritize my sister-in-law's scarf. I may be knitting it until her flight arrives late on the 26th at the rate I'm going.

I already had a designer listing on Ravelry for my Reds design experiment, but I feel like the designation is more legitimate now that my A.V. Club Hipster Dishrag is in the pattern database. If/when I take that experiment into project form, I think I'll have to delete (or request the removal) of the trial design because, honestly, it's just clogging it up.

Cheap as free

I've not spent a lot of time perusing the Ravelry message boards, but I'm certainly aware that copyright is a primary, if not the, hot button issue. Some will not abide xeroxing a pattern from a library book or even loaning books or patterns to friends. While such stances verge on the extreme, if not downright ludicrous, in my mind, I suppose one could make the case that those actions are no different than ripping a borrowed CD to one's hard drive.

Suffice it to say that it's a complicated matter. This article details one solution for knitting pattern writers who get compensated for their work but don't necessarily benefit as much as their publishers. (This tends to be the argument employed by the most active music and movie downloaders. They're not hurting the artists but the corporation raking in voluminous profits.)

Twist Collective's idea seems like a good, sensible one to me. I've never checked out the site, but one of the founders designed the famed Clapotis. It's interesting to read how she made out for writing that exceptionally fared pattern.

A rose by any other name

The Columbus Blue Jackets had their home opener tonight, so I utilized some of the time before doors opened to do some knitting at the North Market. Can't say that I got a lot done, but I took advantage of the good light to take a picture that more accurately reflects the scarf's colors. You don't get much of the green, but at least I know that if I shoot this in natural light, the colors show up correctly in the photograph.

Maybe it's worth mentioning that I'm naming this 1x1 ribbed scarf The Purple Rose of Cairo. Typically I just slap the pattern name in the project name box on my Ravelry page. It's kind of antiseptic, but there has to be some art movement from which I can claim inspiration for this naming method.

Since I'm not working from any written pattern--and really, there's no need for one--I'm given a blank slate for which to name the scarf. I suppose if I wanted to stay true to form, I could put 1x1 Ribbed Scarf in the name box, but what fun is that?

Let's be honest. Naming stuff is fun. I've chosen The Purple Rose of Cairo because the green could conceivably be thought of, in abstract terms, as a stem. The purple then speaks for itself. And, oh yeah, it's also the title of a Woody Allen movie I like.

Ravelversary

Today marks a year for me on Ravelry. It might seem weird to bother making mention of such an occasion. Do people on other social networking sites notice when they have used those services for a year? Of course, I don't--and I suspect you don't--think of Ravelry first and foremost as a social networking site but as a one-stop shop for all things knitting, so that may explain the difference.

My Ravelversary seems like a good time, though, to heap praise on a site that plays a significant role in developing who I am as a knitter. I am an organized person, but sometimes my organization is in theoretical mode rather than in application. Ravelry makes it very easy to keep track of my projects, which makes it easy to find when I blogged about an FO and need some of the information from those posts. Really, it serves one of the purposes that this blog was semi-intended for.

Ravelry has also made it exponentially easier to find patterns that might interest me and direct me to knitting information. Remember the days of using search engines to find patterns and the like? Does anyone still do that outside of Ravelry?

It's also connected me with other knitters. I don't quite remember how I found out about the Wednesday knit night at the local LYS, but I suspect it was through a Ravelry forum. Later on I found another knitting group I'm more comfortable with and which fits my schedule better. It too came to my attention through Ravelry.

I've been attending fairly regularly for a few months now and don't feel so much like the odd man out (although I am, literally, the only male) now. I imagine my mostly quiet presence still befuddles many, but I've been welcomed in. I may feel like an interloper from time to time, but that's coming from me, not them.

Ravelry has helped me set goals, whether through site activities like Ravelympics or that nagging need to complete something because of the progress bars. I might finish the blanket I started making for myself if I would only add it to my project page.

Finally, I get a nice feeling of accomplishment when seeing the little hearts underneath my projects. Shallow but true. I don't know what draws these (mostly) strangers to look and leave their seals of approval or why this hat has been showered with far more love than this hat. (I prefer the way the kettle-dyed yarn knitted up in the latter.) Whatever the case, I'm pleased to receive such positive feedback.

Jess and Casey have done a remarkable job of filling a niche. The response must have exceeded their expectations. Ravelry may still be in beta a year after I joined the club, yet in my mind it is the definitive knitting site. If you aren't part of it, what's the hold-up?

Bell lap sprint

Everlasting Bagstopper

Yarn: Lily The Original Sugar'n Cream (100% cotton; worsted weight)
Color: Bright Navy and Early American Ombre
Needles: US 5 and 10 1/2 circulars; US 5 dpns
Stitches: 44 for base, 116 for body

Per my understanding of the Ravelympics rules, I needed to have this project finished by the time the closing ceremony came to a conclusion in Beijing if I wanted it to count. Considering the Chinese city is twelve hours ahead, that didn't leave much time for Sunday knitting. Wisely or not, I stayed up until 4 a.m. putting the last touches on this market bag. I definitely wouldn't have done so without a deadline, but all that matters is that I'm done.

Having finished my first Everlasting Bagstopper a week ago, I knew that finishing (binding off, handle making, weaving in ends) was tedious, so it's a good thing that the Olympics were on to provide background accompaniment. Staying up through the late coverage even meant getting to see snippets of the javelin competition. Catching highlights of a classic but television-marginalized Olympic event was one bonus of burning the midnight oil.

As I plodded through the sewn bind off, I discovered what produced an extra stitch last time I was finishing the edge. The circular needle not being used would sometimes find its way into a stitch or the long tail of the yarn being used to bind off. If I hadn't noticed it getting in the way, I might have had a couple unwanted extra stitches again. In my effort to guard against any additional or loose stitches, I probably bound off too tightly, but I expect that some flexibility around the bound off edge will come as the bag gets used.

I-cord wasn't hard, although it was hard on my wrists. Trying to make sure that the stitches, particularly the first one, were tight meant keeping a lot of tension in the yarn and my hands. The three I-cords I knit turned out fine and took about an hour each to make them twenty inches long. That amount of time is in line, if not less overall, with what it took to do the linen stitch handle on the previous bag. The progress felt faster at least.

Accidentally dropping just knit stitches on the cords, a problem that arose more frequently as night bled into morning, presented a dilemma of its own. The cotton's splitty nature could make it tough to tell what had been a stitch and what wasn't.

I only had two stitch holders, so I kept the live stitches at the end of the I-cords on dpns. It wasn't the most elegant or manageable solution but one that met my needs. When it came time for the braiding of the I-cords, including one still attached to its ball of yarn, I had quite a mess on my hands. Tails tangled. Dpns dangled and fell out. I didn't have a clue how to braid the three cords, so I stuck with what seemed to be producing a sufficient result. By the time I'd nearly run out of cord length to braid and wrangled the live stitches onto a holder, good enough was acceptable for the handle.

There is some space between the braids on each side where the handle is attached. It seems like it's probably "wrong", but I think it looks all right and will be OK from a support standpoint. I might have made each I-cord longer--this handle might be a little short--but in the dead of the night, the thought of knitting more was not one to be followed.

I tried the suggestion to weave in the ends and then splitt the plies and knot them to keep the ends from reappearing. The process was time-consuming but provided relief that the whole bag won't fall apart when carrying something with a little weight.

Overall, I'm satisfied with this project's final result. After adding the upper border in navy the preponderance of white in the variegated yarn bothered me less. The overall effect is pleasing to the eye. (For some reason it reminds me of a sweater.) Because it won't stretch as much, I prefer this handle to the one I made on the first market bag. My novice attempt at braiding isn't bad considering I didn't know what I was doing and was bleary-eyed. (Note to Karen, per her comment: I don't have any nieces--or nephews, for that matter--so there are no cool uncle points to be earned.)

So, Ravelympics comes to an end and were quite successful on my end. I made two FOs and learned some new techniques that I can use. And, oh yeah, I'm ready to knit something that doesn't use cotton.

Citius, Altius, Fortius?

I've placed no expectations upon myself regarding my second Everlasting Bagstopper and the Ravelympics. I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to finish it by Sunday night, and anyway, I've already marched to the top of the podium. Completing this market bag in the next few days would be all bonus.

After ripping through one skein during knit night, though, I'm inclined to believe that I might be able to get it done by the deadline. A quick measurement shows that the body of the bag is halfway finished, although I'm not sure how accurate my measuring is. Regardless, I made terrific progress tonight.

I have a love/hate relationship with deadlines, which I suppose is the same for most people. I know that my motivation is stronger when deadlines are in place, even if that motivation sometimes doesn't kick in until near the zero hour. One of the reasons I wanted to participate in Ravelympics was the extra incentive it provides to accomplish a task. It pushes me a little more to discover what I can do. Will I be up to the challenge over the next three days? We'll see.

Cotton matters

In a gesture of magnanimity, those on Mount Ravelry decided to permit sign-up slackers like me to participate in the Ravelympics fun after all. This afternoon I strode to the podium and received my medal for completing the Bag-n-Tote Backstroke. Scroll down the sidebar to see what Bobicus Maximus honored me with.

Obviously I was going to knit the bag despite not making the initial cut in time for the knit-along, yet there's something about being allowed in after the fact that pleases me a great deal. I can't explain it. It's like being a grade school kid who does well on an assignment but is more in thrall of the scratch-and-sniff sticker the teacher put on it than the grade.

Fresh off the podium, I was energized to find a new project. I was tempted to aim for a better result on the Everlasting Bagstopper, but the thought of entering a different Ravelympics event was enticing as well. I debated trying my hand at the 4-Corners Dishcloth, but learning the invisible cast on, using waste yarn, and grafting like mad seems slightly too dangerous to attempt for now.

For now I'm going to turn my attention to making another market bag. If I get it done in time for the end of Ravelympics, fantastic. If not, that's OK too. I left the apartment in pursuit of yarn and color inspiration for the second bag. The closest JoAnn's had a limited selection of Sugar'n Cream that didn't do anything for me. Michael's had even less. Hobby Lobby came through again as the best stocker of cotton brand, although at first I was sure if any of the colors were jumping out at me.

I settled on Early American Ombre for the bag's body and Bright Navy for the base, garter stitch edging, and handle. I'm considering doing something crazy and knitting the half of the top edging and handle in Bright Navy and half in Wine. (And when I say half, I mean half of each row, not half of the rounds.) Wine doesn't exactly match up with the similar color in the yarn, so I'm undetermined on that stylistic component for now.

I thought that the balls of variegated yarn were lighter than the single color balls, and sure enough, there's only two ounces versus two and a half. There's probably a good reason why the variegated is more expensive--you get less for the same cost--but it's beyond me. Anyway, I'm restocked and ready to start knitting again.

A contest featuring human beings

So I think I have finally figured out what the deal is with Ravelympics 2008. I'm still not entirely sure if it's a competition or a friendly game promoting knitting and community or both, and I certainly don't know what event to enter. But no matter...

I'll have plenty of time to knit as, except for a day or two to prep and tape my show, I intend to be on vacation for the duration of the Beijing Olympics. That said, I don't want to obligate myself to doing something that will take a lot of work as I want to watch the Summer Games. As you know, I'm pretty much incapable of knitting without looking at the project.

Although I recently purchased more cotton for dishcloths to make and give away, I will admit that I'm getting really tired of knitting items to be used for wiping dirty things. Decisions will be need to be made. If only inspiration would strike and resolve it all.

Oops

With all of Thursday's fireworks I didn't feel like going to knit night. To add insult to the day's injury, I missed...

...the Ravelry gang in attendance.

Blergh.

Umm, but on the plus side, I got some needed apartment cleaning done...

The next step

Design experiment #1 was declared a success--and grants me the absurd, self-bestowed status of "designer" on Ravelry--but where do I go from there? The answer: learning intarsia, double knitting, or mosaic knitting.

I suppose this is when the realization comes that it can often be best not to know what one is getting into. When I decided to take a stab at figuring out the pattern for the logo, I didn't expect that the challenge was going to stretch my knowledge or abilities much. It seemed cut and dried that you trace the logo in a grid, convert the shape into knits and purls, and then knit it. I had a vague notion of how gauge factored into the equation, but it wasn't worried about it.

Now here I am on the precipice of learning a new technique or more. I watched a couple videos at Knitting Help.com to help with choosing the best way (translation: most comprehensible to me) to proceed in making the dishcloth I envisioned. I should be intimidated, but I've come this far that I might as well knuckle down and try to learn something that I've doubted I can do. The long weekend will be good for this.

Thanks for your comments and encouragement regarding my foray into pattern writing. It might not seem like much to write down a few positive words of praise, but they've made me feel good. Taking satisfaction in one's achievements is nice; receiving compliments from others is equally wonderful.

I've said many times that I held no illusions about what I could do when I started knitting. Truthfully, I set the bar pretty low. The support and kindness you all have provided to me, even if via brief blog comments, are responsible in part for me attempting to do what I wouldn't have thought possible. Sometimes it helps when others have more faith in us. Let me try to repay it in kind. If I can design something and learn these new techniques, so can you.

Sticks N Stitches

Tonight the knitters were let loose in Nationwide Arena for Sticks N Stitches at the Blue Jackets game. If ever there was a a good night for appreciating handknits, this was it. The frigid air and whipping wind made walking to the arena and waiting to get in quite the ordeal. Suffice it to say that I was very glad to have the scarf and hat I made myself.

Although it would have been appropriate for me to bring my knitting with me tonight, I chose not to do so because I'm not working on something small. Plus, I figured the seating area would be cramped enough.

The goodie bag made up for my lack of needles and yarn. Two US 8 straights and skeins of Lion Brad Wool-Ease, Valley Yarns-Amherst, and unidentified yarn were provided, along with some other treats (the latest issue of Interweave Knits, needle inventory sheet, a "Bob" sticker from Ravelry, two pens, a red bag from South West Trading Co., a 20% off coupon for a yarn shop in Troy, and a WEBS tape measure).

As if that wasn't enough, door prizes were given away, and the ticket to the game included a voucher for a free small soda, hot dog, popcorn, and Blue Jackets hat. (Since I don't eat hot dogs or popcorn, I didn't bother with the frank and gave the popcorn to a father and son behind me in the concession line.)

I'm not sure what the final count was, but I believe that more than one hundred turned out for the event. I'd say the Sticks 'n Stitches crew took up about four rows in section 206. When I took my seat there were already knitters doing their thing in the stands.

I was by myself in a three-seat island in the next-to-last row. The two aisle seats to my right were unoccupied. On my left was a step up to the top row. (I was sitting in front of a column that broke up the last row.) I could have kicked myself for not bringing any knitting because I had all the room in the world to knit. I probably looked like a poor soul who had accidentally been put in the section with the knitters.

The section seemed to be into the game, but it was a different experience. When the Jackets tied the game at a goal apiece, I jumped up and started clapping, which is usually what everyone else does. Not this group, probably because their laps had yarn and projects in them. (Yes, many knitted during the game.) I don't yell a lot at sporting events, but I "interact" with the players and officials from time to time. I kept a little quieter since there weren't many nearby who were shouting.

Don't get me wrong. I had a good time and am glad I went, even if the rapidly cooling team, which lost in a shootout, is starting to get on my nerves. The previous paragraph is intended to convey the differences, not to criticize.

A big thank you to LittleWit for all of the organizing she did to make this happen. Just look at the goodie bag preparation she and her family did. I might be wrong, but I think one of the reasons this gathering got off the ground was because of Ravelry's ability to connect knitters. The idea was floated a few months ago, enough people responded with interest, and tonight was the culmination of it all.

Congregation

The single digit temperature must have brought out some hibernation gene in me because all I wanted to do today was sleep. The more I slept, the more tired I became, although I'm beginning to feel an energy surge that may keep me up into the wee hours.

It happened yesterday too, which ended up fueling a late night blogging binge in response to How to Read the Bible. The post is at my other site--a gateway to it can be found here--if you're curious. Depending when you go there, it may no longer be the top entry. (If not, scroll down or search for the book's title.) If the post is disjointed, well, that's what happens when I'm up writing until nearly 4 a.m.

So time is running out for my daily entry, and here I am looking for something to write about. I did what I normally do if I'm short on ideas: go to Ravelry. Doing so rarely helps me come up with a topic, but I found something tonight.

I haven't done any knit-alongs, so I thought maybe I could find one that would fit my skills and interests. That's when I came upon Knit 4 Lent: 4000 Hats in 40 Days (Ravelry membership required to view link). The idea is to knit a hat during Lent that the Seamen's Church Institute will give to mariners away from home at Christmas.

If ever there was a KAL made for me, this is the one. I've made six seaman's caps and have another waiting to go on the needles. I might as well put my talent to use where it is needed. A little charity knitting should be good for me too.

For non-Ravelry members interested in participating, the project's official blog should be up and running soon.

Knit night

The fates conspired against me to finish the hat today. Lunchtime interruptions thwarted my knitting behind my closed office door. A pal instant messaged me. I was perfectly happy to chat, so that's a knitting discontinuation I don't mind at all. One of my brothers called me, which happens almost never, especially at work. He wanted to talk about my holiday flight options when he could have replied to my simple e-mailed question. (Getting a straight answer out of my family members can be quite a chore.) Before I knew it, lunch was over, and I needed to advise a student about her future.

Almost as soon as I got home from work I sat down to finish the first skein of yarn for the hat. I figured I could knit one more round before needing to join another. Midway through the round I was having a little trouble moving the stitches around on the needle. I then proceeded to pull several stitches off the needle on accident. I thought that I salvaged most of them--not the best assumption when working in the dark with black yarn--and took out a crochet hook to deal with the others. I managed to undo the damage except for two stitches. Defeated, I decided that I would suck up my pride and and let my request for help be my introduction at knit night.

Yes, this secret knitter went to a knit night at a LYS. It had been mentioned in a discussion thread on a local Ravelry group's forum. I thought it might be interesting to check out. Making my entrance with a messed up project was not what I had in mind, but you know what they say about the best laid plans.

The main area was filling up quickly, so the owner had me go to another room for more space to clean up my knitting mistakes. Another Raveler recognized me--needless to say, I tend to stand out in these crowds--and joined us in this side room. The knit shop's owner got everything straightened out, including some of the stitches I thought I had saved but hadn't quite. Additionally, one of my Options needles was coming loose and snagging the yarn. Might that have been the instigator for this temporary knitting tragedy?

I finished the skein and tried the hat on because I was fearful that the blasted thing wouldn't fit. It might be a smidgen on the tight side, but that's for reassessing later. Best to put the hat aside and work on it another day.

I was smart enough to bring the scarf, my other WIP of the moment, so I still had something to work on. By this time the three of us in the side room joined everyone else in the main area. It was nice to be in the company of other knitters. I didn't feel too awkward or get the impression that I was imposing. That being said, I stayed relatively quiet, which is how I am in unfamiliar surroundings or until I'm drawn out. I was content to listen and knit the scarf. Before I knew it, almost two and a half hours had passed.

The screening schedule is due for an awards season steroid injection, so it's hard to say how often I'll be able to make it to this knit night. I'd like to go back regularly if I can. Although knitting is a solitary activity, it is very much about community. My knitting community has been mostly virtual, so it would be nice to have a little of that offline too.

One track mind

Knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit.

I didn't get a lot of knitting done this week, but I've dedicated myself to working on the blanket with the hope of finishing it Monday. I'm on the fourth skein of yarn and have decreased to 126 stitches. With an aggressive push for the rest of tonight, tomorrow, and the Monday holiday, I think I can finish the blanket in the next couple days.

Surprisingly I'm not sick of knitting it. Other projects are calling out to me, but I've been content to knit this basic item. I'm pleased that the blanket appears to be the size I am aiming for. The pattern is for a baby blanket. I added 42 increases with the intention of making it 48 inches square. A rough measurement of a completed side has me in the vicinity of what I want.

The third skein slowed me down. Loose fiber was bunching up on the yarn, so I had to keep pushing it down so it wasn't knitted into the project. It slid off when I got to the end of the skein. Lately the stitches seemed tighter on the needle, but I'll attribute that problem to letting the blanket hang and thus pulling on the stitches. Getting the needle where it needs to be is easier now that I'm bunching up the blanket in my lap.The temperature in the mid to high 80s doesn't help with working on something that's better for cooler weather, but I guess it isn't too big of a deal since I've been inside in the air conditioning, crazy as that is for Ohio in October.

The better part of the morning was spent updating my Ravelry profile. I added some books and my May FOs. I still have a lot of work until everything is accounted for, but I'm really enjoying the organizing.

Down the rabbit hole

This week has kept me busy, but I sure don't feel like I have anything to show for it. And then hours disappeared as I found myself in a state of Ravelry. So this is what they mean by Web 2.0.

I forced myself to log out a little while ago. I could spend the rest of the evening adding things to my profile and still have plenty of updating and exploring to do. The site isn't a time suck; it's a black hole. (OK, technically it isn't since one can emerge from Ravelry but cannot escape a black hole. Hey astronomers, it's called a metaphor.)

I hope that those responsible for creating Ravelry are able to make it work financially for them. It's a brilliant idea that provides organization this knitter sorely needs. I've been occupied with adding my FOs, UFOs, and WIPs. I have so much to do to get up to speed. It's a good thing that I've been doing a lot of similar documenting through this blog. I can only imagine what kind of a nightmare it would be to recall all that information from the recesses of my brain. I haven't even started looking for patterns. Guess what I'm going to be doing over the long weekend Columbus Day is giving me?

The irony of Ravelry is that the hours I've spent playing around there have taken away from actual knitting. Note to self: step back from the computer and pick up the needles.

Ravelry revelry

I'm in!

Watching the Ravelry invite line ahead of me shrink but not quite reach me was like counting down those long, final hours until Christmas as a child. Only 29 were in front of me when I left for a screening of The Heartbreak Kid. (I usually like the Farrelly brothers' work, but I wasn't feeling this one.) I was tempted to stay home but didn't. Would I get to join all the cool kids when I got home? Yes!

I should have been prepared for my first obstacle--choosing an unchangeable user name--but I hadn't given it any thought. I didn't want to use my real name, for obvious reasons. The thought of coming up with a new, unique name made my head hurt, especially with the knowledge that I'll be stuck with it forever.

I would have used my blog name--the secret knitter (including the article and written in all lowercase, to be specific)--but I was thwarted by space constraints and the inability to have spaces. While I would prefer to have the determiner with the name, I don't like how "thesecretknitter" looks, so I've gone with "secretknitter". (No silly underscores for me, thank you.) I don't foresee changing my nom de blog, so it makes the most sense.

Now that I'm in, I don't know where to begin. Setting up one's profile requires some heavy duty organizing, something I won't mind doing but which I have no patience for this evening. I think I know what I will be spending the better part of Thursday night doing, though.