ravelry 101 | 3 steps to choosing an alternative yarn

Do you suffer from yarn-lock? Like when you've found the most divine pattern, can't get it out of your head...but the choices of yarn are so overwhelming that your brain is in 24hour yarn-lock. Or maybe you just head for the recommended yarn on the pattern and that's that. I could say lucky you, you would certainly sleep better at night...but I hate to be the one to tell you this, you are seriously missing out, or dare I say it, in a yarn-rut!

Choice is everywhere and we are all suffering from information overload, and more than that, life is just too short not to try out as many exquisite yarns as you can. I'm not wanting to be presumptuous here, but most of you have heard of Ravelry right? Think Facebook with a purpose for knitters and crochet folk? Now, if you have, don't go laughing at me. Because every time I do a pop up shop or market it's obvious that there are still lots of people missing out on what is singularly THE BEST RESOURCE for yarn tragics! Full stop, exclamation mark, exclamation mark again.

So today is the first in a series I'm calling Ravelry 101. A how-to-guide, how to get the best out of THE BEST RESOURCE for yarn tragics...and today's topic is how to navigate through Ravelry to help you overcome yarn-lock or yarn-rut, and choose an alternative yarn for that project.

Let's begin...

1.  When you belong to Ravelry (btw it's free), you can begin to add potential projects to your queue. Here is my queue and today I want to find an alternative yarn for project #298. Spring cloud by Sachiko Uemera.

2.  When I click on that project it brings up the front page full of information about the pattern and details of the yarn suggested. But I don't (yet) have Louet Gems yarn in my store and well call me crazy but suzy likes to shop at suzy hausfrau. So I click on yarn ideas.

3.  Bringing up yarn ideas I strike gold. Two people have used Shibui Knits Staccato (a yarn that I stock).  I can then click on the 'used 2 times' link and check out their projects - pictures of the finished project, what rating they give that yarn, what needle size they use,  any relevant blog posts and so much more.

It's that easy. If this post has introduced you to Ravelry, don't be afraid, three million members can't be wrong! But be warned, it's addictive and hours will go by as you begin to unravel all the possibilities out there.

Have a great (long) weekend and a Happy Easter,
suzy xoxo