KnittingParadise.com
KnittingParadise.com is one of those websites I visit Very often. However, the reason for my first visit is not why I continue to go back. I went there looking for Free patterns .
In fact I discovered KnittingParadise.com while I was doing research for my article, 100 Free Round Loom Projects . I started with my usual search on Google and Google images. Since Adsense banners react to web searches, everywhere I went the banners would show the same thing. Advertisement for FREE Patterns with the website address www.KnittingParadise.com were everywhere. I mean every where . It was crazy. How could I just ignore it? I went on a hunting trip through KnittigParadise.com.
As a Source for Patterns
Please don’t quote me because unfortunately I can’t remember exactly, word for word, what the banner ads said. All I remember was that I got the impression I could find hundreds or even thousands of patterns. Well, are there hundreds or even thousands of Free Patterns at KnittingParadise.com?
Yes, I believe there are thousands if not tens of thousands, I could be exaggerating but I don’t think I am. You will find these in the User Submitted How-tos, Patterns and Tutorials section of the site. But you may have a bit of a hard time finding the one you specifically want. First, you need to know that KP is a forum and not a standard website or blog. It depends on the titles given by the person that uploads or types in the pattern. An example: You crochet or loom knit, and you want a pattern. You type baby blanket in the search bar. The person posting the blanket pattern might not put the words knit, crochet or loom on the title. He/she only puts two words, Baby Blanket. You could find rows and rows that only say Baby Blanket. Oooh no ..
Here is the upside to that dilemma, you can Request a Pattern and you specify in the Pattern Request Forum that you want a Crochet pattern for a Baby Blanket. Doesn’t that notion just tickle you pink? I love it. Wait there’s more, people will respond! The members of this forum will go to work for you. These are some awesome folks.
As a Forum
Whoever made the decision on how to breakup and categorize the site did a really good job. The Forums work well. I believe they fit the needs of most users. You have a place for stuff you’re searching for, a place for fun and a place to share. They’ve even made space for non-sense (General Chit-Chat) which I think is GREAT because sometimes you feel like non-sense.
You can sell your stuff for FREE! They have a Members Buy/Sell forum. Isn’t that just too good ? Considering that every body wants to nickel and dime you to death with fees and after that you have to give a quarter in taxes for selling the stuff, free listing is an awesome deal.
The Pictures Forum
I am big on telling my readers what I like most about what ever I’m reviewing. The Pictures forum is my favorite spot on this site. It is so much fun. I discovered yarn bombing here !
Like all humans, I also love pictures of babies and pets. You will find a lot of those where ever you find knitters. I think that’s part of the law of nature.
Email Alerts After Comments
I think I should also share something small but irritating. If you comment on any post you will begin getting emails every time someone else post a comments. Most of the comments are: wow, great, so cute, love it. Very annoying. But this can be fixed. After you post a comment go to the My Watch Topics and click Unwatch. Unless you like the emails than just leave it alone.
Note to Bloggers
They have an issue with what they call ” Self-Promotion “.Look I understand that if someone comes to my site and leaves a link about their shoe shop I will need to delete it because it’s irrelevant. However if Beverly from Bev’s Country Cottage, Brenda from LoomLore or Kristen from Good Knit Kisses wants to drop a link here – NO Problem. I invite that because it is relevent. I think the allowance of Self-Promotion is what has made Ralvery such a great place for knitters that blog
So bloggers, be aware that KP is not friendly grounds.
Note to Loom Knitters
The party van never made it to this Forum. This bunch is the most quiet. I have posted in the Loom Knit forum a few times but the response is not at the scale of the general community. I don’t know why. Maybe they need YOU.
General Conclusion
The forum overall has a great layout. Navigation is a breeze. I have been to many knitting forums and right now in 2013 , this is the best. If you’re looking for free patterns, I think you could do better with a Google or Google Image Search. What Google can not give you are the people who make themselves available to you at KnittingParadise.com. It’s a community of lovely people who share a common love of yarn art and are willing to help you, guide you and share with you. I think that beats any FREE pattern offer anywhere.
My Personal Conclusion
I enjoy my time at KnittingParadise.com. I have cut back because I am an initiator. I like to create topics instead of just participating and I am to often accused of Self-Promotion for it so I don’t frequent as often as I would. But I love the people there and that’s what takes me back. They know each other, care that someone’s husband is suffering from cancer and someone elses daughter doesn’t like school. I love the pictures people share. Some are professional looking but most are down home sweet. It’s like going for a virtual visit to the nice neighbors house. How can I not go back?
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The member of KP that was banned has moved to Ravelry (user Anneliese), and if anything has gotten worse. She trolls KP, and starts special project pages on Ravelry for the sole purpose of belittling, bullying, and degrading people. She has been reported but Ravelry has yet to take steps to stop her. So much for their community standards. Ravelry has become another KP. Ravelry’s solution to the problem? Block those she rants about from viewing her pages, but still giving her full access to theirs. Hardly seems fair does it? I am one of those Annelisse devoted an entire project page to. Is it still there, who knows since I reported it, and was immediately blocked from her content.
Knitting Paradise is not a forum to go to….it is a bully session. I have never met so much animosity and self centerness…..
I used to love KP….It was always the highlight of my evenings. But something happened that turned a lot of nice people into nasty bullies. I left the forum, but came back in a new profile so that I wouldn’t be recognized. I still go in to look at projects and general info. But the hate has ruined this web stie for me… So very sad. Wish Admin would get rid of the troublemakers, and we could all go back to knitting, crocheting and crafting… 🙁
The venom and hate postings have only gotten worse. There is one member that is “queen” of all things knitting related, and takes great pleasure in pointing out on a daily basis how stupid others are if they don’t do things her way. She’s even taken to posting items that are store bought and claiming them as her own hand knit items.
Be aware that once you sign up for K.P. you’re a member forever. Even death doesn’t get you removed from the user list.
Oh man – this made me laugh – You are too funny…. and yes they do get funky on KP 🙂
I have been watching on KP for awhile, seems the queen of mean has been banned, hopefully the forum will be a happier place for everyone now!
Hi
I have been a member for several years but want out and dont know how I have just asked admin to get me off asap there are some horrible people on there now !
In my humble opinion, the KP site has degraded into a group of about 30- 40 people who have become the “gang” of the site. If you disagree with them on a given thread, they call in their “friends” and attack the one who disagreed with their group visions of the world they live in. It is pathetic, and the KnittingParadise management is absent while all of this goes on. I have pulled myself away from this site because of all of this hatred. Who needs it – there are so many other places to find nice, respectful people to interact with.
Yes Cheryl I dared to disagree with someone and they all came out of the Attic bit of KP to attack me it was horrible I had the whole gang after me ! I came off it but didnt log out that way I can pop in and use just a couple of things such as the “search” bar I really do miss it also a friend I made there who lives in the US also came off the same time as me Admin should watch all these bullies and get rid of them or else all will go and they will only have the bullies left !
I agree about the abuse and hate (my words) on knittingparadise.com. I left it, too, for that reason. Tried to go back and saw that the nastiness is still happening.
I miss the daily emails from knitting paradise.com….
most of the ‘vocal’ members of this site are actively hostile to innovation, modern fashion, or attempt to making a living at handwork. one really has to sort through too many hateful and/or jealous comments to find supportive or helpfully critical responses.
I’ve been loom knitting for about 2 months and I’m very interested in making clothing. If love to try new techniques and patterns x
You came to the right place. We’re on a Stitch a Week Series.. so comeback every Sunday
P.S. If anyone has had any luck with avoiding this situation, let me know — thanks!
The major reason why I will likely not be revisiting KP is because of the pop-ups that (I’m certain) if clicked on will welcome a nasty virus onto your hard drive. This is happening with increasing frequency and I would guess it occurs because that some among the huge number of users have no anti-virus protection and thus let the little demons onto the site for others to “enjoy.” Had this happen a great deal when I was teaching and the kids would bring in their flash drives….
Too bad, because there were occasional good posts with advice or patterns. But I can most definitely live without it. Much prefer Ravelry, anyway.
Some of us have taken to recommending adblocker for use especially with KP and have been told by the admin that we need to stop telling people about it.
I have to agree wholeheartedly this is Jan 13th 2015 and the venom still is spewing and it is usually the same 3 or 4 over and over again.
I used to be a regular too, but I was bullied unmercifully by a person there that I had to change my name and now just peek in once and a while because I am afraid to post or comment anymore because this one person in particular had become a “post” stalker .
Reported this person to Admin but they don’t care at all.
They are there to only to your email, so they can show advertisers how many members there are thus getting $$ for YOUR email.
I used to visit KP almost daily and was also (and still am) a regular on Ravelry. Of the two sites, I vastly prefer Ravelry. Mainly because the forums are closely moderated and hatefulness isn’t allowed. I don’t think KP is moderated much at all. I’ve seen so many nasty replies to a simple question or request for help. Others take delight in pointing out misspelled words and typos. There are some nice kind people there, of course, and it’s only a few who cause trouble. I know of several who have been reported to the site administrator but are still allowed to spew their venom. After a while I logged out permanently.
I get the message when I click on the website: Internet Explorer has stopped working,
there is a problem with the website. Why is that? What do I need to do to be able to access the forum page, etc?
Hi Gladys – click the first red words on the page. I don’t know what happened – I tested the link – it works fine. Try it again – the site is worth it. Really nice people. Especially the loom knitters.
denise
[…] met Sonia Cataquet aka SCAT9019 on the Loom Knitting section of the KnittingParadise.com forum. I go there on a regular basis to engage with knitters, help when I can, and find interesting […]