Ravelry

While at one point in time ravelry was a great sadly that is no longer the case. The site has been out dated for sometime. It is not easy for newcomers to use. When searching for a pattern I often got results that didn't even match my query. Then ravelry had to go all political and ban one certain group of people because their opinion differs. All this combined just doesn't make for a very good website platform anymore.

I will start with the positives. A huge library of both pay for patterns and free patterns. I place to store your project notes. Forums to communicate with groups of people who have the same interests.
I will now move on to the negatives. Over the years, Ravelry has practiced its free speech by posting very polarizing content. I believe this encouraged strife, though most (not all) stayed silent. Ravelry then decided that it could dish it out but could not take it. Ravelry updated their policy. It basically said that if you are not on their side then you either keep your mouth shut or be banned. Though many had kept their mouth shut, for the sake of peace, have decided that this was going too far. I deleted my account.

I used to buy a ton of patterns and buy from Amazon through their link. Now I don't. Their supposed motto is "Be excellent to each other" but if you dare ask a question, be prepared to be attacked and possibly become fodder for a bunch of horrible, mean people with zero lives. Some of these "mean girls" will follow everything you do on Ravelry and make nasty comments. Ravelry lost all the money I was sending their way because apparently only a few people should be excellent; everyone else gets a free pass to be nasty and mean. Until it cleans house of all of the constant bullying and negativity, they won't see another penny from me.

I was part of the Ravelry community for years. While there, I overlooked groups, statements, projects, and profile pictures that I found offensive or vulgar. Choosing instead to utilize their pattern database and mind my own business. Unfortunately, their move to censor and ban certain groups who did not agree with their ideology, while ignoring the vitriol of those who did was too much. Therein lies a slippery slope that I want no part of. Of note: This site claims to be inclusive but they have a management staff that is 100% white. How is that "inclusive"?

Does anyone else get an introduction about "the size of the human assh**e and how a racoon could fit up inside it when they access the Ravelry thread "Lazy, stupid, and godless"? I was thrashed by one of the moderators for "thread $#*!*ing" and just wonder if this what everyone else sees when they check out this forum on Ravelry. Is it funny or clever? I don't think so. Seems offensive and posted by someone who is strangely preoccupied. Lazy,... is billed as a sometimes wild forum but is primarily woke and conformist.

Let's focus on what ravelry is there for. Yarn arts! It has, since its inception, been THE site to find patterns, many free, to sell patterns of your own design, to research yarns, and to find literally any information you could ask for about yarn, knitting, and crochet. The site is as politically neutral as you will ever find. Been on it for about eight years and never bumped into anything political. Not one time. Enjoy Ravelry 100% and completely support their enforcement of their longstanding rules against hate. <3.

I think you can tell by reading the recent rash of one star reviews that it's just a bunch of disgruntled people who did not like being restricted from expressing support of white supremacy.

If you're wondering, I suggest you go to ravelry and read the part where they have expressly completely welcomed everyone of any and all political persuasions as long as they simply don't post their hate. Seems a small and abundantly fair ask.

This site is an amazing place to meet friends and learn about fiber arts. It has some pretty great patterns, both free and paid. The forums can give you a place to find help when you are having trouble with a pattern. As well the project page is a wonderful resource to keep track of your fiber arts projects. You can list what pattern you used, needles or hooks, yarn and there is a section for pictures and your own notes. You can search other peoples projects and see what trouble they ran across on a patter, as well as what yarn they used and how it looks in that pattern. I've found this site to be very helpful.

Ravelry is a fantastic site. Thousands of patterns, groups for every interest under the sun, forums where you can get help with projects, and chat, and make friends... Ravelry is excellent. Please don't let the recent barrage of negative "reviews" sway you -- a white supremacist Facebook group has directed their users to harass the site's owners Hopefully these false reviews will be deleted soon, but in the meantime, I will be spending more time on Ravelry!

Once my go-to site for all things knitting and crochet... now an unwelcoming and even hostile site to anyone who does not agree with the political leanings of the owners. Anti-America projects are allowed to remain and be prominently displayed on the front page. While Christian and Pro-America items are labeled and removed as Hate Speech. It is from my personal experience and from their own publicly published statements that this review has been written.

I deleted my Ravelry account when I was called a white supremacist and racist by the owners. I'm a crocheter of Puerto Rican heritage who walked away from the Democratic Party and voted for Trump (after voting for Obama in his first term). Don't know why this is even an issue on a craft site, but the people who claim to be so tolerant only tolerate people who are part of the same group think. This website is an unfriendly place and will only add stress to your life. Don't bother with it!