the ravelry gallery
Avatar Blanket by kimby77 (Kim) http://kimby77.blogspot.com
Spiral Freeform Pillow, above, by stringamajig (Lisa) is a feast of inventiveness. stringamajig.blogspot.com.
Technical prowess is displayed in the Tunisian Short Row Dischcloth, right, by1crafty boy (Khebin Gibbons) crochetingboy.wordpress.com.
Technical prowess is displayed in the Tunisian Short Row Dischcloth, right, by1crafty boy (Khebin Gibbons) crochetingboy.wordpress.com.
I recently posted a rant in my blog that whined about how crocheters have to get themselves together, stop making crap and, like good little artists, start exploiting the qualities inherent in the crocheted stitch. Knits drape, I said. Crochet sculpts. And it does so beautifully. It bends to your will. It makes some of the most gorgeous lace imaginable that cannot be duplicated by any other means. It can create fabrics rigid enough to withstand a lot of abuse or delicate enough to appear like angel wings. If you try to make it behave like a knit, you will fail. But if you coax it into a beautiful sculptural form or tease it into lacey confections, you, my friend, will be rewarded. Although it’s getting easier by the day to find beautiful patterns that use the qualities inherent to crochet, until recently there hasn’t been a forum that appeals to the cross section of the crochet world and satisfies the many interests of crocheters everywhere.
Hollywood Starlet Purse is as pretty as can be, with sophisticated shaping by crafkitten (Jennifer) craftkitten.etsy.com
Enter ravelry. What is it about this site that seems to raise the bar? Is everyone young and fresh-faced, unjaded by years of cozies? No, there are cozies there, too. And yet, the thousands of crocheters on this site seem to allow the cream to rise to the top. The site is full to the brim with talented crochet artists, and you and I are the lucky ones who get to take an armchair trip through ravelry-world.
Could there be one or two of you who have not dipped a toe into ravelry yet, or more astonishingly, have not even heard of it (is that even possible?). Briefly, ravelry is an amazing forum with tons of touchpoints, depending on your interests. It’s a social network, yarn and tool organizer, pattern resource, library, and incredible source of inspiration for both knitters and crocheters. Hookers from all over the world are there, posting their projects, patterns and WIPs.
One of many cute tricks this puppy performs is the “faves” button. As you wile away many happy hours checking out everyone’s work, you can add the project to your faves list so you can find and remember it, add it to your queue, or simply flatter the artist. (And it is flattering indeed to have one of your projects faved by someone, let me tell ya.) After all those hours looking and fave-ing, you start to get an interesting collection of projects marinating in your fave box.
So your lovely (and exceptionally talented) Crochet Insider host and I took our own armchair tours of this amazing site and compared faves. And here, we present to you a heavily personal and edited trip through ravelry faves. While all these pictures are worth a thousand words and need no help from the likes of me, I ‘d like to call out a few of these extremely talented artists and give them their due.
Could there be one or two of you who have not dipped a toe into ravelry yet, or more astonishingly, have not even heard of it (is that even possible?). Briefly, ravelry is an amazing forum with tons of touchpoints, depending on your interests. It’s a social network, yarn and tool organizer, pattern resource, library, and incredible source of inspiration for both knitters and crocheters. Hookers from all over the world are there, posting their projects, patterns and WIPs.
One of many cute tricks this puppy performs is the “faves” button. As you wile away many happy hours checking out everyone’s work, you can add the project to your faves list so you can find and remember it, add it to your queue, or simply flatter the artist. (And it is flattering indeed to have one of your projects faved by someone, let me tell ya.) After all those hours looking and fave-ing, you start to get an interesting collection of projects marinating in your fave box.
So your lovely (and exceptionally talented) Crochet Insider host and I took our own armchair tours of this amazing site and compared faves. And here, we present to you a heavily personal and edited trip through ravelry faves. While all these pictures are worth a thousand words and need no help from the likes of me, I ‘d like to call out a few of these extremely talented artists and give them their due.
Jengibre’s (Sheldon) Verano Overalls (blog.jengibrewear.com) are astonishing. Cool, with plenty o’ attitude, these rock the house. Incredible design, but he may be one of the very few guys who can carry these off. add text.
Badbadmagpie’s (xylia) crochet curtains prove that crocheted home décor doesn’t have to make you gag. The design is lovely, without being cloying. www.xylia.org/ cloying.
Pyogazel (Carine) is another designer who delivers consistently lovely work. Her Cote d vanille and Panier Pascal, the former a wearable and the latter, functional, show a steady understanding of what crochet can do. Click here to http://port16.free.fr/noncducrochet/blogs/index.php?blog=10
As a jeweler, I appreciate the necklaces by pimpampum. They are bold, yet somehow delicate and wearable. http://bazarpimpampum.blogspot.com.
Laracroft’s socks (and other colorwork items) are technical masterpieces. I don’t know how she does it, but her eye for color and design is unparalleled. Check out her blog to see more of her work – I’m a big fan of her wristwarmers, too, which are also done in jacquard.r add text
Laracroft’s socks (and other colorwork items) are technical masterpieces. I don’t know how she does it, but her eye for color and design is unparalleled. Check out her blog to see more of her work – I’m a big fan of her wristwarmers, too, which are also done in jacquard.r add text
203gow’s amigurumi/sculpture/headgear blows me away. Pulling from sources as diverse as bonsai, zen garden sculpture, surrealism, and the deep blue sea, her designs are consistently gorgeous, filled with humor and beauty.
Fashionista ravelers show their talents in these beautiful designs
Above, Lady Bruce Jacket by brillohead (Kelly)
brillohead.etsy.com
Left, Halter: For Victoria, by proper trappings (Kate)
Below left, Foret de Lorris, by Jocerane (Jocelyn)
pays-de-jocerane.blogspot.com
Below right: Ripple Lace Gown by crochetguy (Ken Jones) thatcrochetguy.blogspotstunning Ripple Lace Gown by Crochetguy (Ken Jones) thatcrochetguy.blogspot
Above, Lady Bruce Jacket by brillohead (Kelly)
brillohead.etsy.com
Left, Halter: For Victoria, by proper trappings (Kate)
Below left, Foret de Lorris, by Jocerane (Jocelyn)
pays-de-jocerane.blogspot.com
Below right: Ripple Lace Gown by crochetguy (Ken Jones) thatcrochetguy.blogspotstunning Ripple Lace Gown by Crochetguy (Ken Jones) thatcrochetguy.blogspot
Breakfast in Bed by mmmfruit (Sharleein Marco) is hilarious. www.mmm-fruit.com.ck here to add text.
