You know, we are, as a whole, a very nice people. A very kind people. A very generous, loving, giving people. I love being a knitter, because I love the group of which it makes me a proud part. I'm a fan of all of you, and I get so much wonderfully positive feedback from knitters, both out there in the real world and here on the webses.
But seriously, what is going on with the sourpuss misery that's starting to take a vested minority interest in Ravelry?? Every time I open up even the most innocent-looking thread, there's at least a handful of miserable bitches on there ruining the fun for the rest of us. Bitching about a photograph, a pattern, a person, a project, a copyright issue, a snack, someone's goals and ideals, whatever - ANYTHING they can find to bitch about. Well, hey, remember us? We're real people. If you tell us our photographs suck, we SEE THAT. If you say a designer is a talentless hack, she SEES THAT. I know that meanness and negativity have been discussed in one way or another at great and boring exhaustive length by just about everyone other than me, but it's especially on Ravelry - which is totally my happy place, DAMMIT - that I'm getting tired of all the mean spirited natures. There's still a lot more happy than unhappy there, of course - but every forum has someone pissing in everyone else's Cheerios, and I. Don't. Like. It. That's why I think I tend to stick to my happy little Piddleloop forum - most everyone is pretty chipper there, no one tells anyone else that they suck.
I know the easy solution is "stay off the message boards," but then again I think my solution is even easier: Don't be an asshole. Like, you may want to be an asshole. Stop. Type out what you're wanting to say. Read and think, "Does this make me look like an asshole?" If it does, hey, don't click "Post". That's not hard, is it? Not being an asshole? I'm not saying you can't go home and tell your friends/husband/cat/refrigerator exactly how you feel about that pattern/person/issue, but do you have to demonstrate to many thousands of people what an asshole you are? Seriously, THOUSANDS of people are going to read your festering turd of a miserable post, and all but maybe four other people (they're assholes too) are going to think you're kind of a jerk.
And besides, there are boards that are specifically DESIGNED for everyone to go and debate (and scream and disagree and argue at times,) and they're really a lot of fun in their own way, so go get into fights there and stay out of the harmless "This pattern is pretty" threads.
(Uh, I'm certain I'm not referring to any of you. And this isn't any direct slight on me that leads to this. Just making general observations. I'm not linking to anyone specifically or giving examples because that would be something an asshole would do. See how easy it is to not do that?)
Not what you were expecting from me today, huh? I know, I'm usually pretty cream puff. I'm sorry.
So I'm having a contest, dammit. Because it's (kind of) my blogiversary - yeah, I blew right by that, two years on March 17th - and you just had to listen to me gripe, and you should be rewarded. But you have to do something for me. I know, I'm usually pretty easy about the contests, but this time I want you to do a little something. Post something happy somewhere. On your blog, on a forum, wherever. Compliment someone - find something nice to say about something they did/said/designed/showed off. Do that, and then let me know about it - just email me that you were nice to someone today. Or if you consider that too much like tooting your own horn, just send an email that says nothing. I'll know what you mean. I don't expect you to prove it - like I said, I already know that you're all nice people, I don't need an affidavit. I just want to know that people are out there, being cool.
Please do send an email, though - comments are kinda tougher for me to track.
Prizes? Yes, there will be some of those. Probably decent ones, if my history is any indication. I have some books, yarn, handspun, fiber - all sorts of things lying around, so I'll pick a winner or two and we'll see what you get. ;-)
We now return you to your regularly-scheduled daffy YoYo post!
I do have an FO! I'm really excited about this one - I loved the pattern, and I loved how it turned out.
The Avery Baby Sweater is fini!
Would you believe this is the first time I've ever knit anything with a button?? And I love seed stitch. Mmm. Seed stitch.
Project Details:
Pattern: Avery Baby Sweater by Kristi Geraci
Yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight in Bella Coola (from the 2007 club)
Needle: US4 (16", 20", and DPN)
Size: Dunno, maybe 3-6 month? Bigger? What's a baby look like?
Start: March 13, 2008
Finish: March 28, 2008
Mods: None really, other than to make it work for sportweight yarn rather than worsted. Oh, and knitting the chart backward so I got a mirror-image version of the sweater. Let's call that a mod - sounds nicer than "big ol' screw-up".
In other news: Well, yeah, I'm gonna be dyeing more yarn. Yeah. I know. (Yikes.) I'm pretty excited - how fun is it going to be to get those first huge boxes of yarn and fiber and fluffy things to play with? Whee!
Okay, enter the contest!
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