Ravelry Can Be Your Go-To Crochet/Knit Friend

Are you a Ravelry member?

Screen grab from Ravelry

Well, if you aren't, you should be!

Ravelry is a social networking and resource site for crocheters and knitters. Oh yes, there is such a site! This was introduced to me by crochet designer and blogger, Mimi Alelis. 

For me, Ravelry is a big-time database. This is where you can log in all your projects with all the details (yarn, hook/needle, pattern, etc.). You can also show off all the yarn that you have by logging in all your yarn in the "stash" feature of your page. So imagine thousands of crocheters and knitters doing the same and you are able to access all of that - wow :p

So why the wow?

You get to find projects and patterns for any yarn. 

Screen grab from the Baby TLC Ravelry page

If you have a yarn in your stash you don't know what to do with or want to find out what to do with the yarn you are planning to buy, just hit the "Search" button and put in the yarn's name and you get to see the various projects other crocheters or knitters are working on with the same yarn. If you click on the project, it will show where the crocheter/knitter got the pattern for the project.

Screen grab of projects that can be used with Baby TLC from Ravelry

You get to see different versions of a pattern using different kinds of yarn.

Every pattern source logged in to Ravelry is linked. So when you see a project you like and click on the pattern source for it, you will be directed to the pattern's page.

Scree grab of "Hermione Hearts Ron" pattern by Christy Aylesworth from Ravelry

The page will show the different versions/adaptations of the same pattern by different crocheters/knitters using different yarn. It's a great tool for yarn subsitution!  

You can get in touch with many crocheters and knitters!

Like Facebook, you get to add friends. You can also join various groups and fora on particular crochet/knitting interests.

Screen grab of Groups Page from Ravelry

I haven't been active in Ravelry but I always log in to get great ideas. I think it's the most extensive social networking site for crocheters and knitters. It knows how we work and what we need. It's definitely worth joining!

Gantsilyo.com Now Open To Serve You!

It's time to come home to some yarn :)

My online yarn store is finally open! I hope there's something in this store for each and every crocheter and knitter out there - in the Philippines, at least :)

You will also be redirected to my store if you click the tab, "Online Store" on my blog.

The products you will see in my online store right now are just my initial offerings. We will be adding more as we try to source the items you need for your crochet and knitting - locally and internationally!

As mentioned in my website's "About" page, it is my hope that what you have bought or will buy from this store will inspire you even more to create and be creative :)

It Must Be The Time For Bedspreads

It's August and I just realized that around the same time last year, I started making the African Flower Bedspread. It's a combination of Cannon and Monaco mercerised cotton yarn. Just single strands.  If I chose to make it with double strands, it would have been heavy and chunky. 500+ pieces all handmade.

Now, I'm about to make another one, in a different design. Less colors, but the pattern has more dimension to it. I will be using total of 6 colors of Red Heart Baby Sheen yarn, but will play with those colors per round (I am trying to justify that this project will require the same amount of work I put into the African Flower bedspread - but really, it's not the same amount of work :p). The yarn is thicker than mercerised cotton, so I get a bigger size per motif (thus making it "faster" for me to get wider coverage per piece).

This is the first cluster. I usually make a first batch of motifs before making the rest of the required pieces. I like seeing how the pieces look like together, and it helps me figure out the color combinations for each row.

I went for the typical white border. It also feels fulfilling when you see the alignment of the spaces in the motifs. I'm talking about the "X" pattern of spaces crossing over from one motif to the other.

Each motif is around 4 in. x 4 in.

I'm planning to make a bedspread for a double size bed. It should be around 4.5 ft. x 6 ft. Based on my estimate, I would need 280 pieces (max.) to make the bedspread. Wusha. It took me 2-3 months to make last year's bedspread. I hope I can finish this one within the same time frame - or else it will fall into that void called WIP until next year. I have this thing with WIPs. If their shelf life goes beyond 3 months, they just stay there...forever! :p

This bedspread isn't meant for anyone actually (unlike last year's when a friend asked me to make it for her), so there's no pressure to finish right away. Let's see!