The recent Facebook debacle...(and Ravelry too)

Over the past few weeks I have been sorting out the number of websites I subscribe to. It was all getting a bit much there for a while and I wanted to take stock and clear out the virtual clutter! You know sometimes when you feel like there's too much going on in your head to cope with? It was bit like that....too much to do, too many log-ins to remember, too many places to go and update profiles, too many message boards and too much time spent in front of a computer!

So, while I was taking stock I left a number of sites, including Ravelry and Facebook. Ravelry was too all-consuming for my liking and after a couple of upsetting spats in the message boards (where, recently, the levels of personal attacks and bitchiness seems to have reached fever pitch) I've decided not to use it any longer. I'm a sensitive soul. The I Knit Ravelry group is still going strong with almost 1500 members, and Gerard is still an avid user, but I haven't been on the site for a month now and it's amazing (and a little sad) how much better I feel for it. I still have my log-in to update anything in the group if need be, but I'm prone to taking things personally and I can do without having to worry about where the next sideswipe is coming from when we've got enough on our plate at the moment as it is.

One of the side effects of leaving Facebook, temporarily, as I sorted some things out was that our Facebook Group was taken over by someone else. With a complete deletion of all of our information, events and message boards, the group is now under the control of someone called Birol Metin and is now an anti-Guantanamo Bay group. Even if you agree with the sentiment, you can't agree with the wholesale hijack of a group with 850 members. If you are in the group please use the 'report this group' link to do so then leave....and join our new Facebook Page instead!

There's little chance of the group being restored. Contacting Facebook in itself was a trial which took about 10 days and I have just had the response that, basically, it's not their problem, the group wasn't hijacked; I left so it's fair game for anyone to come along and message all of our members and change anything they like. You'd think that after the recent debacle over Facebook's change of terms and the backlash they had they would be a little more helpful and responsive. I'm amazed they think it instils any kind of confidence in using the site at all. I'm staying on there as I do find it entertaining and useful to keep up-to-date with friends etc but I'm deleting any photos and personal info as I simply don't trust them to protect it.

It's been a bit of a rant today, but it's better out than in my head. I need all my headspace to remember my online passwords and PIN numbers.

Craig

Lil' Louis' Liverpool mittens, and hedgehogs dressed as postmen...

It's been a very long week. Thanks to everyone who has sent messages to both of us this week, me with my trapped nerve (not getting any better I must say) and Gerard on his new uncledom. G went home to Liverpool at the weekend for his first avuncular cuddle and took with him a bounty of knitted goodies. I couldn't travel so stayed in London, watched films ate pizza and chocolate. Here's some pics of little Louis' first gifts...

The hat has been around for while just waiting for a baby to be honest, but it's so adorable and has three cute little pom-poms on the top that just top it off perfectly. It's in Rooster DK. The mittens are part of a double act along with a pair of similar striped bootees in Liverpool Footbal Club colours - these are in Artesano's Inca Cloud 100% alpaca and are just so soft,

Louis will be snuggling up in them right now! And the second set of bootees... well, how cute? I think G is already on his third set of bootees, and has just bought Zoe Mellor's 50 Bootees to Knit book...so another 49 will be heading up to new nephew in the coming months. I do believe Louis will be the most spoilt (knitting-wise) baby EVER!

Edit - the pattern is Saartje's Bootees, I got the link from Brooklyn Tweed's blog.

Meanwhile, back on home ground we have been enjoying the last (first) of the summer's sunshine. A brilliant knitting group on Wednesday night at the shop, more knitting out in the square a) because it was a balmy summer's eve and b) because there was no room inside. Once again, lots of new faces, lots of cider, lots of banter. And, if we may big ourselves up a bit, we even have a quote for the billboards outside - "This is the only knitting group worth travelling across London for!" - aw, thanks. Honestly, and I know how cheesy this sounds, but, the knitting group only works because of the people who come, and maybe we just get the coolest, friendliest knitters at IKL...who knows? Anyway, I know we love our Wednesday nights and will continue to do so!

Tonight was the film night (we showed the original Hairspray) and, again, it was great. We finally met with Justine too, who has been organising, via the omnipresent Ravelry, a book club for knitters, which we agreed tonight we would host at IKL. Funnily enough we thought of hosting a book group last year just after we opened, but couldn't decide if knitters had time to read (!), and then once all our evenings filled up the idea waned. We were also slightly reticent to take someone's idea away, so it's not an I Knit book club, although it'll be here once a month, and the name will be decided soon. I'm actually really looking forward to getting into it. I haven't read a book in almost two years - shameful. But what with running the shop, full-time job, knitting dos and now Facebook and Ravelry I just don't know when I've got time! So, basically having someone organise for me what I'll read and when is brilliant. The first book is Patricia Highsmith's The Cry of the Owl and the first meeting is on 25th September. Can't wait!

One other thing this week which opened my eyes was the response to the newsletter. Knitters are a funny lot and I try my best to put as much in there as I can without becoming too boring and rattling on (like now). But we've started to feature, each week, one of the most exciting things we've had delivered that week to the shop - honestly, sometimes we even fight over which of us gets to open the parcels! Last week I finally managed to get stock of Jean Greenhowe's knitted dolls/toys books. Well, call me old-fashioned but I think they are genius...and the reputation of IKL was at stake choosing them over, say Rowan Magazine 42 (yawn). But, thankyou to all those who have shared their JG love. We ain't high-end down here in Vauxhall...and how can you resist a hedgehog dressed up as a postman?

Only 63 places to go...and Ravelry is mine all mine!!

G told me the last post was 'a bit gushy' (I was excited!) so this time I'm getting straight down to it. We met, regular as clockwork at the I Knit London knitting group last night, The Freemason's Arms in Covent Garden. G was there from about 5 and the knitters came in droves. When I got there at about 8 we'd already formed three splinter groups because the pub was so packed, but I flitted between them like the social butterfly that I am to say 'hello', and, especially, rob a few chocolate brownies from the table by the door. Thanks for bringing those, and I'm sorry to the many IKL virgins last night - I hope you didn't feel neglected as we were at opposite ends of the pub! But, as always, a great turn-out of knitters and surprisingly knit-friendly staff and clientele - we liked it, and they had some decent ale!

I was a very good boy too, with my knitting. I often find myself embroiled in conversation and beer, rather than stitching, but I revisited an old favourite, my teeny cardy, which was last out of the knitbag over a month ago, and I do believe it may be finished very shortly! With G always on the go, finishing projects left, right and centre the pressure to keep up is overwhelming - at least I admit that as far as knitting goes I'm not great but I'm getting better! I was secretly thrilled when the lovely Elly said, with a hint of admiration, that my cardy was very neatly done (she had had 'a few' glasses by then though I must add). Anyway, here's the pic, which doesn't look much but it feels gorgeous (Rowan Cashsoft DK) and the IKL button badge makes good safety pin substitute for holding stitches! Meanwhile, not to be outdone, G has just finished this pair of socks (his one millionth project so far this week) with some yarn from Easy Knits...you'll be hearing more about him in the next few months, oh yes you will!

The lovely Elly also popped over to Bonnington Square tonight for our Thursday film, Little Miss Sunshine, which I'd never seen, and I loved. Another good turn-out of knitters too, and I now must hold my hands up and say that my choices of films previously may have lacked a certain something. G will be in charge of film choices from now on, after last week's and this week's were more popular than ever! I wouldn't go so far as Steph, who suggested the films I chose were 'bargain basement at Woolies' but maybe a bit more up-to-date would've helped...you can't beat a classic though. Anyways, the best bit about tonight is that Elly stayed on and we played with her Ravelry...and I discovered there are only 63 people in the queue in front of me! I've just got to grips with Facebook (which, by the way, now has an I Knit London group, feel free to join), but I can't wait to get into Ravelry. G, who was a little slower on the uptake than I has about 3000 in front of him - can't believe I got there first!

EDIT....the very next morning, today in fact, I got the email and I'm in the Ravelry club. Hurray. Now I need to take a holiday and spend all my time putting photos and whatnot on there!