Thursday 13 October 2011

Top 8's 13 Months On

In September 2010 I did a post on the most popular, most favourited and most queued patterns on Ravelry. Time to do a refresher.

As before, it is the top 8 of each and we will start with....

Most Popular

The place in the previous post is shown in brackets. (-) means it was not listed a year ago. Click here to see the same search for yourself on Ravelry.
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1. (1) Ishbel by Ysolda Teague (shawl - £3.75 or as part of a book)
2. (-) Citron by Hilary Smith Callis (shawl - free)
3. (-) Travelling Woman by Liz Abinante (shawl - $6)
4. (8) Turn a Square by Jared Flood (hat - free)
5. (-) Star Cross Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson (hat - free)
6. (-) Haruni by Emily Ross (shawl - free)
7. (-) Multnomah by Kate Elsa (shawl - free)
8.(-) Baktus Scarf by Strikkelise (scarf - free)

Dropped off the list:
  • Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann (baby cardigan)
  • Fetching by Cheryl Niamath (gloves)
  • February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne (cardigan)
  • Monkey by Cookie A (socks)
  • Calorimetry by Kathryn Schoendorf (head band)
  • Clapotis by Kate Gilbert (shawl/scarf)
Any surprises here? Well for a start there are no socks on this list. That shows how the massive sock craze has given over more to shawls and shawlettes. And I should think most knitters have a Clapotis to their name so no suprise that one has passed its peak.


Most Projects

The place in the previous post is shown in brackets. (-) means it was not listed a year ago. Click here to see the same search for yourself on Ravelry.
rav_proj
1. (1) Clapotis by Kate Gilbert (shawl/scarf - free)
2. (2) Fetching by Cheryl Niamath (gloves - free)
3. (3) Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann (baby cardigan - $10)
4. (4) Monkey by Cookie A (socks - listed as $6 but still free on Knitty)
5. (5) Calorimetry by Kathryn Schoendorf (head band - free)
6. (6) February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne (cardigan - free)
7. (7) Saartje's Booties by Saartje de Bruijn (baby booties - free)
8. (-) Ishbel by Ysolda Teague (shawl - £3.50)

Dropped off the list = Jaywalker by Grumperina (socks) which was at number 8. It's now at number 12.

Not really surprised that there is only one change here. Clapotis has been knitted (and this is only those that have been logged on Ravelry) 18,640 times and it is going to take a while for anything else to catch up on that. 

Most Favourites

The place in the previous post is shown in brackets. (-) means it was not listed a year ago. Click here to see the same search for yourself on Ravelry.
rav_fav
1. (3) Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson (hat - free)
2. (1) February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne (cardigan - free)
3. (2) Saartje's Booties by Saartje de Bruijn (baby booties  - free)
4. (3) Owls by Kate Davies (Jumper - £3.95)
5. (5) French Press Felted Slippers by Melynda Bernardi (slippers - $7)
6. (-) Susie's Reading Mitts by Janelle Masters (gloves - free)
7. (7) Shalom Cardigan by Meghan McFarlane (cardigan - free)
8. (8) Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery (scarf - free)

Dropped off the list = Travelling Woman by Liz Abinante (shawl - free) gone from 6th to 11th place.

Not much to say about this since it all depends on how much individuals like the versions others have knit of the pattern.



NEW - Most Queued

It seemed to make sense to include this as well. No comparison with last year since this is the first time I've done it. Click here to see the same search for yourself on Ravelry.

rav_que
1. February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne (cardigan - free)
2. Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson (hat - free)
3. Owls by Kate Davies (Jumper - £3.95)
4. Saartje's Booties by Saartje de Bruijn (baby booties  - free)
5. Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery (scarf - free)
6. Haruni by Emily Ross (shawl - free)
7. Shalom Cardigan by Meghan McFarlane (cardigan - free)
8. Clapotis by Kate Gilbert (shawl/scarf - free)


I like this list because it shows how people are intending to knit over the coming months. It's also the list with the most free patterns in it. It would be easy to say that this is down to the current economic climate but personally I queue patterns much more impulsively if they're free. Even though there's no commitment when you queue if something is eventually going to cost me I will definitely think twice.


In my last post I commented that there were none of the big names featured. Well since then designers such as Ysolda, Jared Flood and Cookie A have firmly established themselves as those big designers and the influence of people such as Debbie Bliss and Kaffe Fasset has waned as they start to look a little bit dated. Whatever your thoughts about these lists, it's certainly true that Ravelry has become a major driving force. The last year has seen a mainstream article highlighting that Ravelry has done what other social networks dream of doing - met the needs of its target group and stayed as a private 'family' business without commercialising despite now being well over a million users strong.

Hopefully the same will continue to be true in another year's time.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Hospital Club


If you are near Covent Garden in London hotfoot it to the Hospital Club on Endell Street. The fabulously talented Louise Riley is in residence in the window creating a beautiful textile piece.



The glare makes it hard to see but it is AMAZING and there is more inside.



This is just a detail from one of the inside pieces. My photos can't do the original justice.