No one wanks as hard as knitters do. Except maybe spinners.
Blogger Sharon Pelletier writes a satirical post about a local spinning event at her library.

Not everyone is impressed.

At this point, I don't feel that you are a decent person because you failed in being mature enough to go outside your comfort zone, and instead chose to call names.

Though there is still some disagreement in the ranks:

Knitting "networking" sites like Ravelry have congealed knitters into a writhing, slimy glob of Bitch that ooze across the internet wielding knitting needles and a smug sense of superiority.

76 mostly angry comments later, she posts a follow-up explaining that no, she was trying to be funny, she does not think PETA needed to be informed, and she really does not think spinners are witches, either.

Reaction so far is mostly positive, though you never know with knitters, spinners and even those rebellious crocheters.

ETA a verb. Verbs are important.

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seasleepy
2009-08-24 11:38 pm UTC (link)

Ravelry's forums: Poor moderation + (some) people who aren't used to the internet + people who take their hobbies wayyyyyy too seriously + it's not meant to be seen by "norms" = Wank wank wank wank wank. Too bad they're behind a wall, there is so much stuff on there. And I'm missing the lion's share of it because I hardly even look at the forums. (For instance, I completely missed this Mo Rocca thing. Poor Mo Rocca.) I mean, it's not as bad as some places on the internet, but it's pretty obnoxious.

(On the other hand, if you ignore the forums, there's a hell of a lot of nice information for yarn-related crafts there. $RANDOM_PATTERN has awful/no pictures? Here's pictures of 50 different people's results, and their notes on errors or modifications! Can't remember what gauge $RANDOM_YARN is? Here's a page with all that info along with varying projects people have made with it! It's a shame that their forums are often crazytown.)

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	pandonkey 2009-08-25 02:41 am UTC (link)
	This, 100%. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lady_ganesh 2009-08-25 02:45 am UTC (link)
	Mostly I read the Rubberneckers. There's some damn juicy stuff on there. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	miss_padfoot 2009-08-25 06:39 am UTC (link)
	it's not meant to be seen by "norms" What are "norms"? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	seasleepy 2009-08-25 06:48 am UTC (link)
	"Norms" as in "normal people" (as in "people who are not knitters"). (This isn't like knitter slang or anything, it's just a word for "someone outside X subculture." No clue where I picked it up.) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	dragonfangirl 2009-08-28 12:00 am UTC (link)
	I do think it's kind of funny that they consider such a mundane habit to be, well, abnormal. (Reply to this)(Parent)

melyanna
2009-08-26 03:27 am UTC (link)

The problem with Ravelry is that the guy who built the site believes that people on the internet don't need to be moderated. Obviously, he has not spent much time in the real ~~world~~ internet.

Ravelry is a great site, by and large. Like you say, the bulk of the site is tremendously useful. I like being able to see a finished garment made by a variety of people before I commit to it, for example. But as with many sites on the internet, it's better if you just avoid the forums. (Although the HipKnits/MagKnits implosion and the MCY scam were fun to view from afar, as one who didn't have money in either dyer.)

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