Ravelry is billed as a knit and crochet community and so far, even in Beta, the web site is living up to and beyond all expectations as a fun place to meet other knitters and crocheters on-line and discuss yarn, patterns tools, techniques, tips, trials and triumphs. The first time I visited the site a long time ago it seemed to be just about keeping track of your own projects; the site has expanded dramatically since then. Along with a notebook that links to a gallery that shows other people doing the same projects that you are working on, the site features sections with links to patterns, yarns, friends, forums, and special interest groups.
Do you wield a flaming crochet of justice, demanding equal rights as a hooker? Join the Crochet Liberation Front and get help with projects, find book suggestions and ROTFL at some of the posts and antics of the more active members of the group. Have a favorite LYS? There's probably a group of fans to join. Is your favorite show The Family Guy? There's a group for those that watch and knit. Name it and there's probably a group, or you can start a group yourself and send messages to prospective members.
The organization of the notebook for your projects is easy and does a good job of arranging the information. There's an option to include pictures of your progress and finished object and you can link to your blog posts about your projects. You can also send pictures and blog posts to your groups. Then there is a section to arrange and parade your stash of yarn. I haven't done much with this yet, since most of my stash is fleece and fiber. It would be simple to expand the site to include spinning and spinning fibers, and I'm holding off on adding spinning projects hoping that someday the developers will include spinning.
You are also provided with a place to queue the projects you find that you are interested in making next. Another useful tool is a place to list the needles and hooks that you own; with Internet access while you are shopping this feature will do away with the "Do I have that one?" question we all have when we visit our LYS! Catalog your books and you'll have that information at hand even when the shelves are cluttered and titles are hidden!
There is a good help section and there are a host of volunteer editors working with Jessica and Casey Forbes, who are developing the site. Access to the site is still by invitation; sign up and eventually you'll receive an email telling you that you're in. No one is denied membership; the site is still in Beta and the invitations are being issued as quickly as the numbers can be accommodated.
Membership is free, although donations are accepted and I'm now seeing advertising appear on a few pages. The ads so far have been so interesting I certainly don't mind them.
There is much more to Ravelry; I'm discovering new features every day. Get thee over to the site and apply for membership; you'll be glad you did!
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