Finding Patterns on Ravelry

Someone asked the other day how I find patterns. That’s a great question because I think I find some amazing patterns!

Here are the methods I use and it really isn’t as “methodical” as this post will make it seem. I may be sitting down waiting for a pot to boil and I’ll click on Ravelry and find something I want to make. Or I may be sitting in the car while Vince is shopping in Walmart and I’ll be reading through Ravelry. Someone will post something they’ve made or they sound like an interesting person and I’ll click their profile and look at their projects and I’ll see something there that I like.

There are several designers that I love and I want to make everything they design. These favorites change as my tastes change or as I get tired of making particular items. Right now, my favorite designers are Anna Victoria, Joji Locatelli, Andrea Mowry.

All that said . . here’s how I find patterns.

When I go to Ravelry, several times a day, I’ll click on “Patterns” at the top. You can have those sorted by newest, hot right now, all kinds of parameters.

I usually keep it on “Hot Right Now” because really . . if everyone else wants it, I probably do too, right?

Next most productive way for me to find patterns is clicking on Ravelry project links for people I come across in forums. Did y’all look at Hound Knitter’s shawls? Lacy shawls are about my favorite thing to knit because they’re so wearable. I can throw them around my shoulders on a cool evening; I can roll one up and stick it in my bag for a chilly restaurant. I don’t care if I’m in McDonald’s and have on a beaded shawl. They’re so pretty. Other people look at them. Of course, they may be thinking . . look at that granny . . jeans, flip flops and a beaded shawl . . something isn’t right with her! That’s ok . . it was fun to make and it’s fun to wear.

Then I’m in forums for yarn and designers. People buy the yarn and show what they’ve made or they make the patterns and show the finished projects.

Everything looks good on tall, thin people so for anything that needs to fit, I always go to the projects, look for someone about my size and see how the sweater or whatever looks on them.

For me, it’s just like quilting, I like the process of knitting as much, if not more, than wearing it so if I make it and don’t ever wear it, that’s ok too . . I had fun making it. I also feel like following the charts and directions and having to think and do some amount of math may keep my brain healthier . . it has to be better than sitting and watching TV all day and half the night. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.