Unraveling the games.

28. August 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: 2012, ravelry, ravelympics

I feel like I should put a quick note in here about this year’s Ravelympics — err, Ravellenic Games. It seems this year was destined to doom, from the ridiculously insulting cease-and-desist notification from the USOC, their subsequent apology, yet another apology and, finally, Ravelry’s making peace by changing the Olympic knitting festivities to the Ravellenic Games (the punster in me appreciates Slate’s write up the most). Not like they really had an option, and not like I can’t even understand the need to protect trademarks, but in my opinion, this is old school meets new school in a highly unlikely venue — and the old school bully got a whuppin’ it didn’t expect.

Take that, beyotches.

Now, I had all intentions of participating. I chose projects for a number of categories, I caked a bunch of hanks and had things all aligned. It seemed, however, that life had other plans. I was gone for the first week to Arkansas, where I spoke at one conference and attended a second one. Fabulous learning takeaways, but the push for knitted progress took a backseat (other than during the plane rides). Once I got back, I fully intended to hunker down and knit up, but then came the brother-in-law and his kids for a surprise encampment at my house for the better part of a week. Lovely to see them, but more talk, less knit. By the time the crew departed, TheCop went out to Camp Cadet for a week of leading young men in the fine art of leadership, and I was pushing to get a client ready for a launch date that they seriously weren’t ready for. Then, of course, there was the whirlwind weekend roadtrip to Massachusetts, packing five healthy folk into my Jeep.

And like a puff of smoke into thin air, the 2012 Games (both kinds) had passed me by.

I thought about it and tried to chastise myself about not getting more done, but then I realized there was a bigger truth here: I knit because I love it. I knit because it makes me a kinder, gentler human when I’m otherwise frustrated with waiting. I knit because I like the pretty finished objects. But pushing to get through projects just to move on to other projects without taking the time to appreciate the process? No thank you. Not interested in that anymore — if indeed I ever was. I’m not taking time off of work so I can finish another project before the deadline. I have a life. I want to enjoy it. And I want to enjoy my knitting. I believe, like most things in life, it’s about so much more than the competition. It’s the camaraderie, the friendship, the enjoyment of a pastime that’s fulfilling.

In that sense, I think I’ve already earned my place on the knitting medal podium of life. Knit on, world. Knit on.

Ravelry Repost: That’s right I said it…

10. February 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: humor, knitters, men, ravelry

I’m reposting something that was originally posted on a Ravelry forum, and I cannot begin to itemize the number of ways this boyfriend got it right and made me LOL. So whomever you are, girlfriend, you have indeed trained him well.


I am not a knitter. I joined Ravelry to see where my girlfriend spends her time on the internet lol. In the 10 or so months that she’s been knitting I’ve been secretly/overtly observing and documenting this crazy thing called yarn and what it does to people. These things I know to be true.

  1. Yarn is NOT string and should not be referred to as such.
  2. Knitting needles are not sticks, stix, or styx.
  3. Casting on is NOT a fishing metaphor.
  4. Yarn comes in different weights, colors, styles. Kind of like drugs.
  5. People dye their own yarn with varying degrees of success.
  6. Knitting is taken everywhere. No exceptions are to be made.
  7. Fun fur is frowned on by “real” knitters.
  8. “Lemme just finish this round” is a lot like me saying “Lemme just finish this round of video games.” Fair enough.
  9. A collection of yarn is a “stash” much like drugs.
  10. Yarn barf is actually a thing.
  11. Ravelry has a weird economy of bartering. Yarn can be exchanged for other goods not related to yarn. ????? Weird.
  12. There are knitting groups, where other like minded knitters knit together and (this part is an assumption) talk about how knitters should rule the world.
  13. Do NOT sit on or around yarn left on the sofa. This will cause knitter in the other room to jump up and rescue said ball of yarn from your evil ass.
  14. Thank goodness there are no shows about knitting on Primetime TV.
  15. Stitch markers are NOT earrings.
  16. Lots of knitters have kittehs. You know who also had them? Witches.
  17. If I want something, “Did you want to go to the yarn store?” are the first words out of my mouth.
  18. Yarn stores are populated by alpha knitters. Some stores are better than others. Michaels is not a suitable substitute for a yarn store.
  19. The needles that are attached with wire to each other, do not make good nunchuks.
  20. Kitteh won’t chase a ball of yarn no matter how many balls you throw at his head.

These things I know to be true.