Why I blog

Last week there was a bit of a kerfuffle over why people blog. If you missed it, see these relevant posts, and read the (hundreds of) comments. One of questions being discussed was “why do people keep blogging if no one ever comments?” From that question sprang the larger question: do we blog for ourselves, or for our “audience?”

I started this blog (and became involved in the Knitty Coffeeshop) for one simple, uninspiring reason. Over the winter that I planned my wedding, I started a bunch of knitting projects and didn’t finish anything. Once the wedding was over and the dust had settled, I decided that I wanted to tie up all the loose ends. There was a WIP along going on at the Knittyboard, and I set up my blog to post pictures of my progress. That was it.

At that point (way back in June 2006) I was shockingly ignorant of the knitting blogosphere. I was pretty ignorant of the online knitting world in general, to be honest. I had been using Knitty patterns for years, but I had never tapped into the community. I had never needed to. I graduated from college in 2005, so until relatively recently I had a large “real-life” community of knitters to talk to. I didn’t feel the need to reach out into cyberspace until I was in a new city, with all of my knitting buddies far away.

Once I started my own little blog, I became more aware of the other blogs out there. The first ones I found were, predictably, those belonging to prodigies and beloved designers. I was considered the “knitting sensei” among my college friends, but this level of skill was something new entirely. In new settings, I rarely speak unless spoken to, or unless I have something very important to say. I sincerely doubted that I would ever have anything useful to add to the conversation.

But I kept plugging away. And yes, I was blogging just for myself at that point. I enjoyed keeping a record of my progress, and being able to do “finished object” posts at the Knittyboard. I tied up my loose ends, and began some new projects. I finished those new projects, and I posted about them. I even whipped up a little free pattern, and posted that. What the heck, right?

Then something happened. I noticed that people started to find me by googling things like “Glasgow Lace modifications” and “Clapotis Noro Silver Thaw.” I do have useful things to say on those topics (add waist shaping, and be prepared to fight with the dropped stitches). I became aware of the fact that a couple of people had actually used my pattern. Maybe I am adding a little something to the conversation after all.  I hope that someday when everything is tallied up, I will have contributed some small fraction of what I have gained.

Anyway, now I’ll share with you yet another remarkable thing out there in the knitblog world. Cara of January One mentioned the fascinating color studies that have been featured at Knitting on Impulse.  She uses photo editors to pixellate photos so she can study the colors that the photos contain.  Her examples are totally stunning. While I am still a color-theory novice, it has been a fun thing to play around with.

Look at all those different blues and purples.  This will be addictive.

And finally, I will mention my very  favorite aspect of the knitblog world: the people.  I’ve “met” the most wonderful people in this cozy little world of ours.  I am excited to say that Ruth and Beth and I have started sharing our designs with one another in a private knitting design workshop.  I had been frustrated that I didn’t have anyone to give feedback on the designs I’m working on, because of course once you post about them it is harder to get them published.  Hopefully by sharing with Ruth and Beth and whoever else may join us I can refine some of my stuff and get it out there.  This will be fun.