Tuesday, November 09, 2010

5th anniversary = wood (know of any good yarns made of wood?)

Over the weekend I celebrated my five-year blogiversary.

Yes, believe it or not, five years ago this past Saturday, I entered the blogosphere with a post that said simply "Just what the world needs: another knitting blog."

A lot has changed in the five years since I first started writing here. I've tweaked the look of the blog a little, I've started an on-line yarn & fiber business, I've started selling my own patterns, I've written two knitting books, and yet when I look back on all that has happened, the thing I'm most grateful for are the people I've met through the on-line knitting world.

I often say that the ability of the internet to create connections is a magical thing. It helps to erase the constraints of time (I can read this at 6 am when I get up; you can read it at 11 pm after the kids have gone to bed; someone else can read it on their lunch hour or on their Ipad while waiting in line at the DMV). It helps to erase the constraints of space: I've found, much to my delight, that I have readers all over the US and in a bunch of other countries, too. The internet also can help to erase boundaries that we create ourselves: by distilling communication to what's on the page, we don't get bogged down in differences of age or race or religion, and we don't judge each other based on what we look like or how we dress or where we encounter each other.

Over the past five years, I've mellowed a little bit. Once I began really working in the knitting industry, I came to realize how little is accomplished by pointless snark but how much can be done by voicing criticism more kindly. I've come to experience a renewed recognition that there is room in the knitting world for lots of different people, with different goals for their knitting and with different tastes. And I've come to count so many of you out there as friends and colleagues. I've become something of an insider instead of an outsider, which necessarily changes one's take on things.

So let me take this opportunity to, once again, thank you all for reading. Thank you for commenting (because a lot of times, blogging feels like spitting in the wind). Thank you for recommending books for me to read. Thank you for buying my books and yarns and fibers and patterns, which I hope bring you as much joy in using them as I've had in creating them.

And I thank you all for being my friends.

22 comments:

turtlegirl76 said...

Travel down the road and back again. You're heart is true, you're a pal and a confidant....

Thanks. That last line now has me thinking of the Golden Girls.

Happy Blogiversary!

Bonnie said...

Congratulations on your anniversary! I appreciate your blog.

Elizabeth D said...

Thought so, but had to double check: "Tencel® is the registered trade name for Lyocell, which is a biodegradable fabric made from wood pulp cellulose. ..."

Well, you asked!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations. Many thanks for your blog, the book reviews, the monthly book report (I’ve expanded my reading list thanks to you) and especially thanks for your lovely yarns. I look forward to seeing what the next five years brings.

Mary Kay

Luise said...

Congratulations! And thank you for articulating possibly the most important benefit of the Internet -- the blurring of boundaries of all kinds. Our world has been broadened beyond measure -- 24/7! -- and I view anything that helps me communicate with others an asset beyond measure. We are so lucky to live in today's world.

Donna said...

Happy Blogiversary, and thank you for being such a thoughtful writer (and provider of No-Bull Book reviews).

JelliDonut said...

Happy Blogiversary, and here's to many more!

Anonymous said...

Congrats! 5 years is a long time in blog years. :)

(Elizabeth D, I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one taking that title as a challenge.)

Kristi aka Fiber Fool said...

Congrats, Carol on your latest milestone. It was a pleasure working with you!

Anonymous said...

xoxoxoxo

Abigail said...

Congratulations on 5 years and bringing us along for the ride!

Anonymous said...

Hearty Congratulations! I've enjoyed being a reader.

anne marie in philly said...

heh heh heh, you said "wood" (said in a beavis & butthead voice).

congrats! I'm glad to know ya AND have you as a member of my knitting group!

Bridget said...

And yet ... you never hesitate to blame me for things ... :-)

Happy Blogiversary, from the one who encouraged ... er, FORCED me to start my own blog!

ccr in MA said...

Happy blogiversary, and thank you! To celebrate, why not go knit something on wooden needles?

Maryse said...

Happy Bloggiversary! Although I've discovered your blog only recently, I really enjoy visiting and it is good to read your evolution! Congratulations for that!

subliminalrabbit said...

congrats carol! what a thoughtful, lovely post!

Sharripie said...

"If she's made of wood, then she weighs the same as a duck. And therefore.." "She's a witch!"

Congratulations on your blogaversary! You're doing great! As was said upthread, Tecel is made of wood, but so is any rayon. You could also use this anniversary as an excuse to get a nice, new, spinning wheel or other piece of equipment that a manufacturer could send you to evaluate. Or furniture to store your stash in. Or the lumber to build a studio. The possibilities are endless.

Carol said...

Congratulations!!! xx

Gauss said...

Hi Carol,

Happy Blogiversary! I loved your article in the latest VK, it was about time somebody wrote about the whole "soft yarn" nonsense. Thank you, and I hope you will keep writing for the magazine!

Mary Lou said...

Congrats!

jlr said...

Thank YOU, Carol!