Joyeux Robert! Happy Bobmas! OhMyBob!



Bob, all decked out for 2010's
Ravlympic doings 



What is “Bobmas,” and just who the heck is Bob? Well, glad you asked.

April 11^th is Bobmas – the date in 2005 that two somewhat unsuspecting suspects – Jess and Casey – initially dreamed up the idea for that yarny online phenomenon known as Ravelry. For any knitter, crocheter, weaver, spinner, yarn dyer or textile artist of any stripe, Ravelry is the place to be. It is, in equal parts, a social media site, a place to keep track of hand-created projects, show your veritable handcraft prowess to the rest of the yarny world, get tips on anything even remotely related to yarn, check out the latest and greatest in knit and crochet design, start a small, fiber-related business … and well, just about anything else you can pretty much think of. For a peek at Ravelry’s genesis, I provide a link to Jess’s old blog entry – frecklegirl on April 12, 2005 – to give you an idea of how it has progressed.

And who is Bob? Their inimitable dog and the best yarny mascot ever. Really.

My second project in 2009, and my
first (and for now only) attempt at intarsia

I joined Ravelry in July, 2009. I only posted two completed projects (one knit, one crocheted) and hardly spent any time on it. Then 2010, and the 10 shawls in 2010 challenge hit, and I haven’t looked back since. Interacting on Ravelry has led me to conversations, insights, laughs, design, and people that would not otherwise have happened. The sight recorded it’s one millionth member late last year, and shows no signs of stopping.

This is an especially wonderful celebration for Jess and Casey (and, well, for Bob too, one can guess), since they are expecting their first child. The child will undoubtedly be born with yarn tightly wound around one perfectly pudgy fist and hooks and sticks in the other.

Happy Bobmas, Jess and Casey! May you enjoy all that this year’s Ravelry season brings. I’m giving you a virtual cache of sleep to be used, at your discretion, in the very near future.

To leave your yarny good wishes on this most auspicious day, simply head on over to Ravelry (you'll need to sign in) and post in the appropriate thread in the For the Love of Ravelry discussion group. And (of course!) feel free to leave your Ravelry thoughts here in the comments section.