I’m often surprised when I get questions from knitters about patterns, and I discover that they aren’t Ravelry members yet. If you are knitting or crocheting, you need to become a member! It’s free and awesome!

Let me sell you on this idea. First up, it’s a perfect place to store information about the projects you’ve finished, or are currently knitting. You get your own “notebook” page where you can upload photos, add details about the yarn and needles you used, etc. Here is a screen shot of my notebook page:

While you’re uploading information about your projects, other people are doing the same thing. If there is a project you’re interested in starting, you can see how the pattern has worked for other people. What yarn did they use? Did they enjoy knitting it? Was the pattern well written? How does the design look on different body types?

Here is a detail of one of my project pages.

Those are the two main ways that I use Ravelry, but there are lots of other ways to be involved. There are forums and groups where people socialize and help each other. There are knit-alongs and yarn swaps and people looking for test knitters. (Help me out here – leave a comment and tell newbies how you’re using Ravelry!)

Here’s what to do –
1. Go to www.ravelry.com, and sign up
2. Enter at least one project that you’ve finished (or are still knitting) when you’re ready
3. Find me here and “friend” me, I’m happy to be your first friend!
4. Explore! If you like, you can join the conversation in the verypink discussion group

If you have any questions, feel free to leave it in the comments. While I was writing this post, I saw on Facebook that Margaret Atwood just joined Ravelry. 🙂

I wrote several weeks ago about how I’m doing the C25K (Couch to 5K) beginners’ running program, and how much I LOVE running now. I’m seven weeks into the program, and I’m running 25 minutes without walking, which is just under 2.5 miles for me. This program is amazing.

And I’m totally bummed to say that I need to throw in the towel, at least for a while. All because of one square inch of my body.

This is the evil, painful spot, caused by plantar fasciitis. I’ve been limping around for a few weeks now, but my last run was really unbearable, and I had to stop and walk for the first time in the program.

Plantar fasciitis is the swelling and tearing of the fascia (a connective tissue) that runs from the heel to the toes, creating the arch of the foot. As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t seem like an important enough part of the body to make me stop running.

Heart, lungs, brain – these are important parts of the body that one should listen to. Fascia, appendix, wisdom teeth – these are stupid parts of the body that need to shut up.

But I suppose any insignificant part of the body can become painful enough to make me take notice. So now I have to take orders from a stupid fascia.

Today I went for a WALK, which is not a RUN, and not nearly as fun. But hopefully, reducing the impact on my foot will allow it to heal, and let me get running again.

Stupid fascia.

I really, really love what I do for a living, but because I knit for work, I don’t often get to play with yarn in any ol’ way I’d like. I’m usually knitting up a new design, or “piece outs” to use in videos, or samples for in-person classes.

But earlier this month I taught a class (at the request of my close knitting friends) in crocheted granny squares. AND NOW I CAN’T STOP GRANNY SQUARING. I have a new cardigan design that really just needs blocking and a zipper, and I didn’t touch it all weekend. Instead, I did this.

I’m using leftover Knit Picks Palette yarn, which is leftover from two projects from two knitters. My leftovers are from this sweater I knit for my mom a few years ago…

…and the other leftovers are from my friend Steven’s Vaila vest. I picked up his leftovers in a yarn swap earlier this year.

This photo is Steven and his Basenji girl, Kate. Steven and Jeff adopted Kate when they adopted Pona. I highly encourage you to check out Steven’s blog post on his Vaila vest. Awesomest photos ever.

When I met with my knitting friends on Saturday, Steven was pointing out the colors that he recognized in my granny square that were his vest leftovers. I love that.

Okay, back to work for me. If all goes well, we’ll soon have a video tutorial on a ladies’ cardigan sweater/jacket, with a zipper.

Here’s Abe, because he’s cute.