Ravelry: How controversy divided the popular knitting website

Today we're taking a look back at how Ravelry made headlines and found themselves deep in controversy in 2019 and 2020 over decisions made that effected the whole community.
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[@Liz.Green789]

I love having a digital library at my disposal. I don't use the forums or groups. For me, Ravelry is a resource meant for pattern searches, purchases, and safekeeping. I'm fine with that.

[@kandykate163]

I also use the yarn search to come up with ideas on what to make with that yarn and for any info about that yarn

[@SydMountaineer]

Yes, my main use is for pattern searches too. And, I like to look up yarns, to see what projects made with certain yarns look like. When I used the forums a few times, even though I’ve been using the web since it began, so I’m familiar with every type/ form of forum, message board, & social media that exists, and I have an excellent understanding of computers and how file systems are set up, I found it *very, very confusing & difficult* to navigate, and to understand how the forums & boards are set up. To this day I can’t explain it. The general way it’s set up is odd, it’s hard to picture how the forums are organized, it’s something to do with the structure. Even if you find the different forums, it’s like pulling teeth to find them again - you can’t see how they’re structured. Like I said, it’s hard to explain.

[@ohdearnadia5369]

I'm new to knitting. I've seen people be apologetic on their knitting podcasts about using Ravelry due to accessibility issues. I asked someone in my knitting group about it and she briefly explained the reformatting issues. Thank you for this more detailed explanation. I find the pattern database very useful on Ravelry but don't find community on it.

[@DebbieHQ]

It's under either Forums or Community, and has tons of topics, many separated out by a specific Pattern Designer or Action, like KALS, Annual Get Togethers, etc. Go searching! Play around. That's how I found them. Rav is much stronger and has many more searching capabilities than most of us even know.

[@suelowther5104]

I dropped off of Ravelry when it became political. It seems to be a given not to talk about religion or politics during knit nights! We should have continued this policy without mentioning specifically Trump supporters! This alienated so many users

[@jla110661]

I was never ever political on ravelry. To me it was strictly knitting and that's what I wanted to be there for. I found the forums to be very opinionated, catty, and curse so I stayed away from those conversations and mainly had specific designer groups or the techniques forum on my radar when I wasn't looking at patterns. The 2019 ban of the mention of President Trump and the blanket statement made about it being white supremacy and then the censorship that was all in one direction just really grated on me. Seeing people silenced is not the American way at all. I felt the ship was being captained by a very unstable person and I left. After the second controversy also championed by Cassidy that again confirmed in my mind that she shouldn't be in charge of anything. I do go there now and then for my patterns and the designers that I follow but they are also on Instagram so it's really about the patterns.

[@nancycalhoun3702]

It's there. Believe me.

[@mxmissy]

I've been using the Internet since the early 2000s, so I'm used to "old" websites. I've been using Raverly before the change, but ngl, I prefer the new version. It's much more easy for me to understand things. But I do agree whole heatedly, that accessibility needs to be at the forefront of every website, it'd be weird of me, a disabled person, to think that accessibility shouldn't be. I'm lucky my disabilities are only hearing issues. But yeah.

[@knittedwarbler]

I love escaping from reality with my knitting, and to see all this political drama in ravelry is draining to me. I distanced myself from the community when creators were taking down their own work because some individuals were claiming that harry potter inspired designs were transphobic. It seems that things have only escalated since.

[@lynndukes6069]

Thank you for explaining the situation in a non-biased manner. I joined Ravelry when you had to request a membership. In the beginning I used Ravelry extensively and exclusively. With the controversies and banning of members I pretty much quit posting projects, participating in forums. I also quit byluying patterns on ravelry and only purchase from designers' websites, etc. I have a problem with a small group of people labeling others and only banning or sensoring those they did not agree with. Some of the posts by the team were offensive in what was posted, but it's their site and they have the ability to post whatever as I have the ability to leave if I was offended. Some of patterns offended me by attacking our duly elected president. I do not believe there is any place for this type of content. Personally, that applies no matter who the president is. He or she deserves our respect for the office they hold even if I don't agree with their policies. As far as the changes, I had no issues with it, but feel the team should have been more responsive to those who did have problems. I miss the community of Ravelry. It was a website for and about all things fiber related. When politics intruded, changes occurred that cannot be undone or unsaid. It's sad.

[@wampler7]

I rarely go to Ravelry anymore. I didn’t care for the political remarks. I don’t need religion or politics to knit and crochet. I tend to go to Pinterest, the internet and KZbin for my patterns now.

[@SickOfIt19]

I use raverly for the pattern database and don’t care for any drama. I just want to knit in peace and don’t care much about any issues that you mention in this video. I stay away from forums and don’t have any contacts on raverly. I only want to knit.

[@kathleenmccann3120]

Thanks for explaining the issues and providing details. I have used Ravelry since about 2010. I find it incredibly useful to research and purchase patterns and yarns. I have also had migraines since I was 8 years old and my vision is 20/100 in one eye and 20/200 in the other with corrective lenses. I honestly have never had an issue with migraines or in seeing the new site any more than any other website. If I experienced a migraine days after using a website or even after eating chocolate I would look for triggers closer to the onset. I am not minimizing other people’s experiences and have always been an advocate for inclusive web design. But as you pointed out Ravelry is a very small organization that provides a very useful set of features to me free of charge. There are many larger companies that deserve to be targeted for failing to provide and support adaptive technologies. It’s a shame that the community has been disrupted over this. But that seems to be true of the current situation in general. People are not perfect. We need to cut each other more slack.

[@star_athena]

I got migraines after using the new Ravelry and then after a long session a had a seizure. What bothered me was that they identified as inclusive but really weren’t. They gaslighted anyone who criticized them. I joined in 2008. I was a big supporter over the years. I started the Tour de Fleece on my blog and moved it over there. I can’t use Ravelry for more than a minute or two. I don’t understand why any web based company wouldn’t want to make their site more accessible. I did find a sort-of fix. I use the Ravit app. It’s not perfect but it’s better. I can search patterns longer than a few minutes on my phone. On a more general note, as a disabled person, I get tired of others feeling like there’s not many of us so our issues aren’t important. This isn’t directed at any one person or organization. Just a vibe. Just something I live with.

[@recreationalknittingpodcast]

You do know you can use the old design.

[@star_athena]

@@recreationalknittingpodcast How? I know for a limited time they made the old design available but then it went away. Please share how to get access to the old design! Thanks!

[@LadyLooRoll]

Me too (disabled person), even this comment section is filled with thinly veiled hate towards us.

[@snickerbuckle]

Seems like they are inclusive to the LGBT crowd and no one else.

[@Saitaina]

No. More than fifty percent of the people did NOT vote for Trump, that isn't how US elections work. Clinton won the popular vote. There are MANY videos that explain it, but we have an electoral college, meaning x thousand votes for y converts to one official vote for y and that number varies by state. It's assanine and really should be changed to one vote for y equals one vote for y but you try convincing politicians who only get seats because of it to change it. 🙄. (Actually I would prefer ranked voting to first past the post but we can't even have that so...).

[@debrasusan73]

I had no idea about any of this. I go to Ravelry for patterns and never went into any message boards. It disgusts me to think that things were taken down and people were banned because of their political preferences. ??? What?! Just unbelievable in our free United States of America. So offensive.

[@darla123]

I have been on Ravelry since 2009. I wish they had banned all politics to be fair. The website changes did not trigger my migraines, but did cause eye strain. I think the biggest thing is since the controversies, management is no longer part of the site, and Ravelry has lost all sense of community. I miss the old Ravelry. The new Ravelry is just a tool to keep track of my projects, and to look for new ones.

[@DebbieHQ]

If you want the older Rav back - we have to do our part!

[@kathryncarter7005]

​@@DebbieHQLike how? The management has the site they want.

[@katenoke1571]

That's fine. I love Ravelry, personally

[@quil10it]

I’m a long time ravelry user and really love the new version! Totally think the negative hype is overblown and believe it was all timing when our country was fighting for inclusivity and equality. As a privately held company ravelry has every right to do what they want.

[@Lismarie33]

Politics has ruined so many good things. shame on ravelry.

[@veradoling79]

I use Ravlery pretty exclusively. I dont have any issues with the format or discussion boards.

[@rianaeiren]

I only go to Ravelry now to check my library and rarely to check on a pattern. I had to set the site to dark mode in order to avoid light reflection headache, but I have found the fonts in the menus to be much more difficult to read, so I keep my sessions very short. I believe the difficulty may be due to a difference in the type of white background used-in most sites I see, there is an off-white or warm-ish white background that doesn’t create too much glare. The new default Ravelry background is blue-white, very high reflection and glare. I did stop much (but not all) social engagement after the political events, and I didn’t get directly involved in any of it. I recognize and respect the rights of private companies, but I also felt very uncomfortable in a space that essentially didn’t protect free speech (as practiced respectfully and responsibly, according to community rules, not as an excuse to say anything). I feel this same way in other private spaces, like various churches or other spaces where speech and political alignments (and possibly even diets) are proscribed. To me, it feels the same as saying that only certain people are welcome, and everyone will be defined according to specific criteria whether they fit or not. I felt conflicted then and am still deeply thinking on this issue without having reached any satisfactory conclusions. But after the political upheaval, I still continued to log into Ravelry every day in order to update my library, stash, and pattern notes. That only stopped when it became physically uncomfortable or painful for me. It was a source of great sorrow for me, especially amidst the pandemic and all of the other concurrent loss. I found myself wondering if everyone else’s negative reaction to the change, besides the physical problems, might have also stemmed from psychological overload from being timed during so much other change, upheaval, and loss.

[@janeybeasley9525]

I joined Ravelry back in the days when numbers were limited and you had to wait to join, so a long time. The changes didn’t really make any difference to me, in fact I just thought it looked a bit better, but I did hear a lot of people were concerned and felt unable to use the new format. I was not involved in any debate as it didn’t affect me but I was concerned at the apparent lack of adequate response form the Ravelry team, it didn’t feel right for what had essentially been mostly supportive and friendly in previous times. I know it was a huge website but somehow it always felt personal, like we all belonged to the same knit n natter! So this split in the community did then affect me, I felt like some people no longer felt welcome and that left a nasty taste in my mouth. So I did stand back from Ravelry and stopped using it as much. I do use it again now as a resource for patterns and looking other projects and what yarn works etc but I’m not active on forums or groups anymore. I did join a group last winter about a knitalong but it didn’t feel the same as before, I think because other social media is used at the same time for the same knitalong, frankly who has time to post in different places, or even the will to do that! I liked that while Ravelry was inclusive of all people but was exclusive to fibre lovers, I’m not a Facebook lover so when I get interested in a project or designer and they say join my Facebook group my heart sinks but that didn’t happened on Ravelry, cos I knew it was largely all about the knitting! So yes I agree it has changed but I’m 65 and I’ve learnt things change over time and sometimes that’s for the better and sometimes even then you lose a good stuff on the way, you can’t stop change you just have to adapt and grow through it. I do acknowledge that none of that is helpful to people who health was affected by the changes and probably still feel shut out and that does make me sad. Sorry this has been so long and waffly and thank you for bringing this up and giving us such a clear time line of all that happened. Happy knitting all!

[@DebbieHQ]

Sometimes, as a Developer for a large I/T Community, I can tell you that it's hard to separate what's a TRUE/REAL complaint or issue, and what is mealy a (Mtc) Ticket opened in support of a group of people! it must have been confusing and hard. As a disabled person myself - I think people took it very personally, rather than TRYING to understand what may have been involved. No one is going to roll back - but they can fix certain things. No company rolls back after ALL that work to change/update, unless the entire site is down and unusable - and even then, the tendency is repair it. I'm sure the Dev Team thought people would love it and felt horrible when the community turned against them. I'm not taking any side, and I wasn't there, just trying to explain how heartbroken MY Dev Team would feel when their normally supportive community turns against them and bashes all their hard work (and it is HARD to do this big of redesign!). It is sad this happened. I'm glad it didn't shut down totally! That is always an option, too.

[@edinacole6382]

Whoops you made an error. The US Democratic process of putting a president into office can occur without the majority vote.

[@brittfox9038]

I only joined Ravelry shortly before the switch over so really didn't notice a huge difference. A lot of white screen bothers me that's why I have mine set to black, totally fixed any Ravelry visual issues. I am all in favor of companies/corporations being political helps me decide where to spend my $$ and time. A little note.... Trump did not win the popular vote in in 2016 but because our elctoral college system favors conservative states his did win the electoral college. Not the first time this has happened.

[@Thenerdinyourclass]

Im pretty sure that Trump didn’t get the majority vote he got the electoral college votes which is a very different thing.

[@laurelhaight]

You are correct, Trump didn't get the majority vote. Hillary Clinton received 48.2% (65,853,514 votes) of the popular vote, while Donald Trump received 46.1% (62,984,828 votes). However, Trump won the presidency due to the Electoral College.

[@Saitaina]

​@@laurelhaightWe really need to do away with it in the modern age when we can see and understand vote tallies so much better and faster. I really don't care what side wins so long as we hold true to a one person, one vote system with each vote BEING a vote, not a number in a bucket to maybe get a vote

[@annafdd]

Unfortunately he did get the majority of the popular vote this time. By a razor thin margin, and of course all the disenfranchisement helped a lot. But he did.

[@chillwithmaddie]

Thanks for this great video! I have heard people talking about Raverly’s past and accessibility issues, but I had no firm grasp on what those issues were. Appreciate it! 😊

[@MS-hc1ei]

I love and need Ravelry. Easy to use. All my projects and patterns collected in one place. Easy to search for patterns/language/yarn/age/needles etc. The pictures and comments from other peoples using a pattern helps me see the pro's and con's on a pattern design/yarn choice. I rarely join the community pages, since I have my favorite pages on Facebook and Instagram. But I have had help there when having an issue with a pattern design. Easy to reach the designer direct.

[@recreationalknittingpodcast]

I fully supported Rav then and now. Their company, their rules.

[@kellicoffman8440]

Why when it discriminated against me

[@recreationalknittingpodcast]

@@kellicoffman8440 What happened?

[@kellicoffman8440]

@@recreationalknittingpodcast the whole no trump support thing

[@recreationalknittingpodcast]

@@kellicoffman8440 I fail to see how that is discrimination. Their business. Their rules.

[@kellicoffman8440]

@@recreationalknittingpodcast because all are welcome accept conservatives

[@lateformyownbirth]

More than fifty percent of the population didn't vote for Trump, though. He lost the popular vote. Ravelry's behaviour on the matter was wrong, but Trump did not win over half the votes in the 2016 election.

[@Eli_Skipjack]

Also a thing about the US voting system you got wrong: Trump lost the popular vote, only getting around 46% of votes. The US electoral college is a state based "winner take all" vote system and it makes people in populous states like California have their votes count for less than people in smaller states like Wyoming. That means the majority can vote for one candidate and still not have them win. If it sounds dumb and unfair its because it kind of is ooof

[@bjrudin]

I've used Ravelry for a long time, but was a less frequent user until the last 3 years. I wish they'd upgrade the site further and would be happy to pay a small subscription fee to support accessibility, an app for better mobile use and easier search functions. Thanks for explaining what happened!

[@DebbieHQ]

Me, too! But it does explain WHY there's not updates that are going on. I think people felt burned-out on the Dev Team after all this.

[@Carols_BooksandFibers]

Thank you for taking the time to explain this. I was never quite sure. I knew people left but was unclear as to why. I have used Ravelry from it's beginnings, mainly for pattern research and keeping track of my own knitting. I don't like politics mixed with my making, groups, or otherwise. I think free speech was interferred with when the trump thing occured. Answer to that issue I think should have been either allow the trump knitting or ban all political knitting. A side was taken and it was obvious. Ravelry was suppose to be a knitting site for all, not a place to support or reject agendas. Just knit/crochet. And for clarity sake, I am an Independent voter.

[@katenoke1571]

I am also an Independent, and I agree with Ravelry on this one. I think about it this way - it wouldn't be acceptable for swastika or Hitler patterns to be published on the site, and that's how Trump patterns should be viewed. He promoted hate, was responsible for harmful misinformation during the pandemic and his followers stormed the Capitol Building, defecating and urinating in the hallways because they believed the lies that he told about a "stolen election." Simple as that

[@VultureSkins]

Generally, Free speech protects you from being persecuted by the *government* for something you have said. Free speech does not mean private companies can’t establish and enforce terms of service or rules regarding political content. This does *not* violate free speech. Additionally, Trump represents a hateful and harmful ideology, so I think by discouraging patterns referencing him, it actually enforces the idea that Ravelry should be/is a knitting site for all. For example, if they allowed patterns with racist/nazi dogwhistles, that would alienate a lot of people. I would not feel safe interacting with the community, and I would not want to support a site that allowed hateful and harmful content. Same with trump iconography.

[@juliecullen413]

I really appreciate you taking the time to research and share all of this information. You were very informative, while being objective and sharing both sides. I am fairly new to knitting (taking it up as my “quarantine hobby” but then sticking with it as I find it both addictive and very therapeutic), so I joined Ravelry right after all the excitement, apparently. I find it an excellent resource for patterns and storing my project information, but I guess missed the sense of community from before, finding that more on FaceBook. Again, thank you for sharing the history and background information; it helps some things to make more sense for a relative “newbie.” :)

[@katedavy6272]

Long time user here but with limited access and health. I knew a mess had happened. I could not find previous connections and groups but was not there for the biggest part of the mess. After 2021 I went back and my old id was still there but everything had changed. Now it's more like browsing in a department store among unrelated and disinterested parties. I go there much less than before I got sick, now. I agree in principle however, I think they either jumped the gun or didn't act soon enough. With the understanding Raveley is company owned, I think groups and patterns, yarns and such should be separate with separate rules and disciplines 14:33 . Patterns that could be offensive to some should be available with a tag stating: the opinions stated here are not... You get the idea. I really do miss the comradery, tho. There is no trust and fun that I can see. Perhaps I'm not looking in the right place...?

[@nikkiminkinow1378]

It’ll never be the same. I use it out of necessity but no longer enjoy the site. Most new and edgy designers don’t even bother now to sell on Ravelry. They sell through Etsy or their newsletter. I formerly looked at the “Hot Right Now” list daily. Now it barely changes. Same old patterns in the top spots. The leadership offended half the country. Knitting, like sports, should be a place to unite. They should have banned ALL political slogans. That’s what really killed Ravelry. The stuff that followed was an easy excuse to verbalize grief without mentioning the unspeakable name that cancels anyone who dares.

[@Jerez-k8u]

Well, remember you asked for opinions. Let’s go with some facts first. When Ravelry came on the scene in 2007, it was a whole new world to which there is no equal to this day. It is a huge data base to find and organize patterns, yarns, fibers, etc… It started out with a bang to great applause, where people waited for days to weeks to be approved through the initial beta phase. Today you can join within a moment. The initial ‘staff’ was 2 people. And if you want to present yourself as a historian/ reporter of it’s history, it would show respect to the staff and company to not use their dead name. Names matter to people. When the events led up to the news organizations getting wind of Ravelry you have left out a LOT of information. You failed to mention how people were harassed and then doxxed before being swatted. That’s when the decision was made to exclude certain groups of people who were ‘less than inclusive’ shall we say. If you want to accurately report about a company, get more facts than just what appears to be one side. Your tone in this piece does not come off as very supportive. And it’s rushed as if you want to throw up opinions on the wall to see what sticks. In my more than 50 years as a knitter, there has never been another company/online source such as Ravelry. It is unique unto itself. And bonus- it costs you nothing to join or to use. While it has indeed gone though growing pains and adjustments, it’s still a great place to use for free with a lot of data sources to enhance your knitting knowledge.

[@beckypetersen2680]

What is a "dead name?" I'm sorry to be so ignorant - but I'm going to assume the person isn't dead - does it mean the name before they changed it?

[@Jerez-k8u]

the birth name of a transgender person who has changed their name as part of their gender transition.

[@barbaradoll1896]

I believe that politics has no place in business. When a company proclaims themselves as diverse, that doesn't mean just in certain situations. I didn't sign up to Ravelry to hear the owners' opinions on politics nor some of their members hatred of specific people and groups. You can't be diverse and also shut down 50% of your members. Similarly, ignoring and being disdainful of your members' concerns regarding usage of your business product is not inclusive. I have chosen to continue to use Ravelry selfishly and for the sake of designers. However, I now use alternate sites to purchase patterns as I will not finance a company that does business in this way.

[@sumlem]

There is a concept called the Paradox of Tolerance where in order to create spaces of tolerance and promote diversity, there has to be consequences for intolerant actions/behaviors/speech. A lot of the projects supporting Trump included exlusionary statements that threaten the safety and rights of marginalized people. As a business, they made the decision whether they would foster the culture surrounding Trump's supporters over the safety of other community members. For a lot of marginalized people, simply existing is a political statement and is inescapable from everyday life. Generally, most websites will have the statement "we do not tolerate hate speech" in the terms and services. A lot speech said by and in support of the former president does fall under "hate speech". It is the first time I've seen a social site take the stance and I can see why it caused such a rift in the community.

[@melaniew4354]

@@sumlem There is also a concept called Repressive Tolerance which comes from the brain of Herbert Marcuse. Basically it says that anything The Progressive Left does is good, and anything the Conservative Right does is bad, even if they are the same actions. In Marcuse's view, society must always move Left. No brakes, no bumper guards, just keep going left. This view robs those who buy into it of any objectivity, of being able to recognize their own hypocrisy, and total blind spots to their own bigotry and intolerance. But most importantly, it hampers the ability to learn beyond yourself and be open-minded. This includes they very broad interpretation of "hate speech". It can be argued that hate speech isn't even real, because so many people define it as anything that hurts my feelings and I disagree with. Sometimes you can learn the most from people you disagree with. Freedom of Speech overrides this idea of hate speech. People need to hear things they don't like. If a person is so convicted, they should be able to defend their ideas. If not, then those ideas will not stand and will not last. So put all the ideas out there and let the people debate. Name-calling and parroting phrases is not debate. The Progressive Left needs the guard rails and barriers of the Conservative Right. How far is too far? What is the line? And who gets to say? And further, if society needs "correcting" then who gets to say when it has been "corrected" enough? There are problems with both the far left and the far right, both of them are bad, but those on the far left clearly have the upper hand right now, but they have too many blind spots to see that. We need the left to foster change, and we need the right to keep the foundations of the house in place. They keep the checks and balances on each other. For one side to attempt to eradicate the other leaves us all in peril. And the biggest losers are the classic liberals, who were the typical Democrats 20 years ago. Progressivism has hollowed out liberalism and now wears it around like a skin suit. As to Ravelry, they should have banned all politics. If Pro Trump patterns had to go, the so should have the F--- Trump and the Trump voodoo doll patterns. The latter was allowed to stay. I would say that was fairly hateful and hypocritical. Also lumping entire swaths of people into one narrow category is judgmental and bigoted. So Ravelry has become a bubble where Progressives and Leftists can revel in their cartoonish ideas about who people on the right really are and never get challenged, reflect on the concept that MAYBE sometimes they are wrong, or learn anything at all.

[@lisapettit7403]

I came late to Ravelry and had heard something about a controversy. Thank you for explaining it. I use Ravelry as a source for patterns, inspiration, and as a catalogue of my work. I only join groups if it necessary to enter a contest. They don't interest me.

[@annbarber2571]

Very precise presentation. Thank you. For me, I think Ravelry should be a non political site.I’m not interested in their politics. As far as the changes, after 40 years of working, there were people who resisted change. It was always the same people.

[@DaphneVakacegu]

I loved using Ravelry before the controversy (which I knew nothing about until reading this very informative post today) and before they changed their website. I loved browsing the site for ideas, I saved useful/interesting free patterns in my Ravelry library which I found useful to refer to on different occasions. Recently I have time available and want to knit for my newly born neice. I found the note I had made of my old ravelry id and password, went into the site and my library was empty - all those wonderful free patterns and even worse than that, it seems the site no longer offers the opportunity (or at least, I can't find it) to browse all knitting patterns where the thousands of pages consist of an individual thumbnail for each pattern with the pattern title, picture and info on the cost to buy OR if it was free. I was aware of the filters available and had used them if I needed something specific but I liked the old system where I could enjoy scrolling through page after page seeing what was available and simultaneously knowing if it was free or for sale. Too late now but I should have downloaded the actual free patters I might use in the future! Very sad!

[@DebbieHQ]

You can still find these by searching for the pattern, then tapping Projects, on the right upper corner. It'll bring up all the users who've posted pics, yarn used, info on any given pattern. HTH! I like Rav, and use it all the time.

[@SydMountaineer]

When all this happened was just a couple of years after I began using Ravelry, so I remember it well - but I didn’t use the forums much. Free speech should be allowed, as long as it’s not literally saying to do criminal acts - BUT, like all other companies, like restaurants, stores, & social media companies, they are private (not govt) and can deny anyone access, even if it’s for their opinion, etc. A crafting community should be about people first, not how they identify themselves with limited social identities, and be inclusive of all - but, then again, it’s a private company. If I owned a company like that, I’d want everyone to feel welcome and heard as long as they were able to express themselves without fighting, and discuss things effectively, but I also support the fact that that’s a choice of the owner - maybe some people care more about their own beliefs than they do about being a good example for others, and care more about their beliefs than making money and having more customers - there are people like that, and that’s okay, we can’t control them, only ourselves. Most importantly, we can choose to not use their place of business - that’s the right I care most about. Thank You for this video. 💕

[@petrashappyplace]

Thank you so much for this video. I knew the quick version but nice to have information on the website.

[@melissafriedrich3171]

Ravelry is my go-to site for my knitting; for patterns, forums, projects for inspiration, yarns etc. 14:33

[@bead9609]

I love ravelry and do not like including politics there. I felt that some were trying to lunch their own website as a competitor and would have benefited from ravelry problems, just my own view Thanks for talking about it..

[@DebbieHQ]

Interesting commentary. I am a newer knitter, so wasn't around for much of the discourse. However, I am aware of a Designer, whom I love, who was bashed unmercifully online and offline (at knitting gatherings/teaching) for being Gay by the Pro-Trump folks! Others ganged up on him, not understanding his commentary, nor trying. For this I say, farewell to those who did this! They are among the users who left. For me, I'm happy with the site, the users, the forums, etc. and appreciate the Anti-LGTBQ+ bashing/disgusting behavior is no longer allowed. Periodically, someone on Reddit will bring up this entire discussion, and I might read it, but that's all. I choose NOT to go to DISCORD, since they are more difficult to work with, sell my personal data, are a bully/bashing forum, and choose instead to stay where I'm welcome. I DO feel many of the complaints were exaggerated, but certainly not all. If the Users wouldn't have bashed the DEV Team so badly, they may have gotten most of the changes they needed! But NEVER will an I/T Team/Co. roll back it's entire platform after spending 1 1/2 yrs in Dev! Just doesn't happen. As an I/T Pro myself, I would've been appalled at the rudeness/feedback! And sometimes it's not even possible to roll it back. I'd rather have open tickets to work to correct specific issues that arose with the rollout, than pure bashing that seems to occur often in SM. I love Rav! I use it and Reddit daily, pretty much. Thanks for your perspective. Glad I missed all the bashing!

[@20NewJourney23]

It seems a huge problem on Ravelry is the Community Guidelines that discriminate against a huge portion of US citizens. I think discrimination against a large portion of people is bad, no matter who is being discriminated against (other than predators, murderers, etc.). I was unaware of the discriminatory Community Guidelines until now. I am thankful I am not a pattern-maker, nor do I engage in the forums or other community areas. I just want to be able to find patterns to try as I learn to knit. Ravelry seemed like a great option. I wish the hatred for people who don't follow an ideology disappears. Generally, these kinds of cultures or religions are considered cults.

[@girlswear]

Thanks for making this video, wow, I was never aware of the controversies. I joined 2009. I did dip out and turned to sewing for a few years but came back to knitting in 2020 since I had a baby and wasn’t a great idea of tiny needles from sewing. Noticed the website change but thought it was a needed uplift. I suppose I use it more as an archive of my makes and as a library. I like how you can buy on site and keep everyone in one place, I rarely engage on the forum and community side.

[@BBFCCO733]

Unbelievable. Using a platform that should be accessible to all, now picking and choosing who get to access the site. Man, what a riot this generation is! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@sleepydrJ]

Thanks for the ravelry history. It’s an amazing platform despite country. Just a note about “obviously more than 50% of the vote”…. Due to the electoral college system in the US, this is not true. In fact Trump lost the popular vote by millions of votes. However, the framers of our constitution implemented the electoral system, and thus he was the duly elected president despite those millions of people in populous states.

[@barbararadzeviciusbondi4150]

I didn't know this about Ravelry. Thinking twice about using the app now. Im in Australia and we see the hateful division in US politics caused by WOKES and left wing politics.

[@kathryncarter7005]

Just don't bite your nose off to spite your face! There's still nothing else like it out there. If they don't want us here, screw'em. 😊

[@kimdickinson9663]

I don’t think you can make this judgment. It’s a two way problem.

[@christinevalentine3373]

Thank you for presenting this information in a logical and sequential manner. I didn’t like the change of user interface however, I don’t do Facebook or Instagram and I like the idea of a single place where crafters can go to display their creations. I am not interested in the politics especially as Ravelry has an international audience. I am interested in inclusion and equality which is why I was very surprised that there was a defensive attitude towards people who experienced visual difficulties. I would have preferred a more collaborative and constructive dialogue with those people who experienced difficulties. I admire the owners of the site acting against divisiveness in the form of hate speech. I don’t like that approach no matter who or what side of politics they are supporting. The idea is to craft, if politics are included it would be best included elsewhere. I still use Ravelry, I’m grateful people ignore the divisiveness. I would like it if a call out to those who no longer use the site was made to ask for feedback on what aspects weren’t working for them, and statistics were compiled and if feasible, acted upon to make the site as accessible as it was previously or as close to that as Ravelry could get. Now that time has passed, it could go a long way to reuniting the community. Infighting can only benefit the more commercially oriented platforms. I would like to comment also, that a person mentioned Ravelry users were requested to test the site but weren’t paid and I wonder why Ravelry users should be paid to test on a free site when knitting testers are also not paid and most people don’t consider that to be problematic.

[@DebbieHQ]

Exactly! That's a fair comment! If you're using a free site - why would they pay users for testing?

[@rebeccakelly4598]

I have not been on Ravelry for 3-4 year, but just recently returned and had no problem. All my patterns and favorites were there. Pretty much picked up where I left off. I don’t get it. All people do anymore is whine and cry. It is their website and I am glad to have it available to me. Take your complaints and your politics somewhere else, not interested. I never knew all this crap went on behind the scenes until now. It’s really sad.

[@kellicoffman8440]

I have not used ravelry much sense I am a conservative knitter and not a white supremacy advocate

[@sandystephanian7676]

I love Ravelry. I haven’t seen or heard of any drama. People need to get a life.

[@AndStand89]

This is a good video I just want to mention you stated Trump was elected by more than 50% of the country and that’s not true. In the US, the least popular candidate can still become president, as was this case. Carry on. Haha

[@kimmartin633]

I joined Ravelry back in like 2008'ish? BUT I don't read a lot of what is going on just go to the crochet patterns and off. I never noticed any of this drama! I did notice some changes but just figured it was my computer (I use to go thru computers a lot) I do have seizures but have never had a issue with the site in that aspect. 😁

[@bunkyman8097]

I missed all of this. I use revelry for patterns and never looked at the forums. I'm one of those people that could not care less about social media. Its the best resource for patterns. I don't know how it became so political. Where does knitting and politics come together? Certainly not at any of the knit nights or stitch and bitches I've been to. Like everything else in America, if you don't like it, choose something else. I'm staying.

[@reeses-3-puffsrap9song]

I’ve learned that most, not all, sites that claim to be “inclusive” are the exact opposite of that.

[@KarolYuuki]

I didn't knew that that a redesign would cause so much uproar. I'm new to knitting and when I started using it it already had the new design, that I think is very cute atcually. Looking at the old one, an update is desperately needed, but they could definitely had done it minding accessibility. I find ravelry extremely useful for yarn. It's great to have the yarn brands avl in my country translated to american weight measurements. Before in discovered that funcion, I had a really hard time trying to figure out which yarn was a DK weight, or a fingering weight, cause here the measurements are different

[@VultureSkins]

⁠@@TomsandSunsit literally is a design issue. You explain why in your own comment. The new design of the website is not as accessible as it was before, and has had negative impacts on some users because of that.

[@AmberSoleil1]

I’m pretty new to ravelry, and I find the website wildly outdated. I’m shocked to hear that. this website just underwent an overhaul.

[@marinoni8864]

I’m on the Ravelry site for only six Months now. I have a hard time understanding how it works. I succeed to find pictures of Nice pullovers. But did not order anything yet

[@nancycalhoun3702]

I got sick and tired of the promotion of lesbianism, gays trans and Trump. So I left Keep all that out I might return. I can NOT be the ONLY person that feels this way.

[@recreationalknittingpodcast]

who promoted gays AND trump? No one can find that Venn diagram?

[@annafdd]

Apparently Ravelry is doing just fine without you. Sad!

[@deekay5594]

I hated and still hate the "new improved" format but have resigned myself to holding up my hand to cover the idiotic animation that runs at start up. I agree that the whole episode of user interface changes was BUNGLED by the staff/designers/owners. It showed me that it had gotten too big for its britches and was just going corporate on its users. We decide to do blah and too bad, lump it, was their attitude. I agree with its stance on banning bigots from the MAGA world. It is much more pleasant to chat, share and comment without worrying about harassment from people whose minds have dropped a stitch or two.

[@JPKnits]

I used Ravelry actively and heavily from about 2012 up to the UI change. The UI change made it so I can’t use the site for more than20 minutes without experiencing eyestrain or it triggering a migraine. So yes, I don’t spend the time I used to on the site anymore. I can’t spend the time I used to spend either in the community conversing, or on my project pages with notes and updates and information about how I may have altered a design or project and my experience with that. Ravelry was heavily dependent on the labor of its users for the database of yarn info, pattern info, project notes, and so forth, to exist. We all contributed free labor in that regards. Heck, I remember when Cassidy put out the call specifically for us as users to help with ensuring the accuracy of the database with tags on patterns and data corrections. All it exists for me now as, is a digital pattern library that I access once in a while. I don’t even bother uploading my own project information with any regularity anymore.

[@alexandranobaek3170]

I use Ravelry as a source for patterns, keep them in my library. Full stop. No contacts, no forums, just knitting. Why people want to discuss politics there is beyond me.

[@LoverOfBlackCats]

Let me just start with I am a Trump supporter and do not believe he is a white supremacist. However, that is my personal decision and has nothing to do with my hobbies of knitting & crochet. I find it supremely stupid for Ravelry to ban people or projects. Why don’t we leave politics where it belongs. People are taking things way too far.

[@marleenneil7542]

Kudos to Ravelry👍

[@karenbochinski]

I love Ravelry.....but keep all politics out. Focus on fiber arts only

[@sarahlovesdonuts9601]

I’ve only been knitting for a year. Being legally blind, I’ve found KZbinr videos far less inclusive. White lettering, especially over light backgrounds, are impossible for me to see. I have to use an IPad Pro, but my sound no longer works. So, I have to use earbuds. Crinkling of cellophane and bags is deafening to me. ( my horse kicked me in the face and my jaw exploded out of my ears, leaving me with scarring on my eardrums.). The very KZbinrs who scream about pattern inclusivity have accused me of being dramatic and humiliated me. And, they did not help me access their videos. Hypocrisy? Never in the knitting community 😂

[@tdewtx]

I somehow missed this but I love Donald Trump, So I am deleting my account because that is just stupid and they can keep their silly shit and I left. There we go deleted projects and all. All my crochet friends are on my discord channel

[@DorianGay]

Less than 50% of the country voted for him. He won because of our weird electoral college system.

[@kathryncarter7005]

He's still living in your head, isn't he? 😌

[@DorianGay]

@@kathryncarter7005 I don't really think about him unless someone brings him up. As was the case here.

[@wendyamsterdam8482]

@@kathryncarter7005don' be so condescending👎🏻

[@di557dianebritson]

I took a complete year off from knitting over Politics destroying my crafty world!!!

[@katschrodinger954]

Politics without being polite destroys everything, sadly. Have you gotten back into yarn craft yet? If so, what prompted you to pick it back up again? I'm new to the world of crochet as I needed something to keep my hands busy (I also picked up calligraphy using a dip pen) as my Grandma and I both have arthritis. Crocheting is fun as I listen to audiobooks and do my projects, pausing every so often to do a stitch count. I truly hope that you have gotten back into yarn crafts!

[@knitgirl.7676]

Ravelry is a much better place without the Trump supporters. This a private company- they can change what they want and ban who they want. I love the platform. This is a case of- if you don’t like it, then don’t use it. I am prone to migraines and the only headache I got was from all of this drama.

[@Knituational]

Your video, while good, only barely skims the very top of what has been going on at this website, which I’ve been a member of since 2007. Hopefully your viewers will search deeper. I was disappointed not only with the redesign, but TPTB’s response to issues with it. These days, the website is a tool that I use, briefly and only when I think about it.

[@georgewallace6525]

Ravelry is a private business. If you don't like them, don't use them. It is about fiber crafts.

[@janthestitcher3084]

Just to be accurate, Ravelry was founded by Jessica and Casey. Please let's not restate historical facts.

[@AK5of8]

Ravelry: hive mind

[@nancymurrell9479]

I really appreciate your analysis of what happened to the sense of community Ravelry once had, and the social impact of the staff indifference/attacks toward disabled users. Everything has fractured in terms of where designers have discussion groups, where patterns are available, etc., because the accessibility issues and the animosity have led not a few knitters and crocheters to refuse to do business with Rav. I was not physically affected by the redesign, but I have friends who were. It was handled horribly. It’s one thing to be the same kind of inaccessible that some small-team websites are, but it’s another to boast about inclusivity and then disable something basic like screenreaders and shrug about it. The way the forums about the issues were moderated was awful. I disagreed with the Trump decision, too, though I loathe him. Putting Cassidy behind the scenes for being abusive to users does not change where the money goes. In the end, it’s up to Cassidy and Jess. They can do what they like, whether with politics or accessibility. For me, the whole thing is a no. Thanks for such a good overview.

[@annielegg7066]

I just can’t stand the name !… it just sounds so limp. They have had it all there own way for far too long, about time someone designed something far better, that shouldn’t be to difficult …Ani 🍓

[@resourcedragon]

I avoided people's knitting and crafting blogs for a number of years because of the number that went from discussion of projects and techniques &c to being thoroughly right wing. I've only recently joined Ravelry, so I can't comment on what the forums are like there.

[@wt30001]

I was late to the hange. Read so,e of the comments. IN MY OPINION Trump sowed the seeds of discourse. Unfortunately Biden has done the same. Trump seem to bea master of this very painful type of hate for anyone who didn’t side with him. We need younger fresh,smart, compassionate,caring for Americans. I am 70yrs, I have never seen America in such a shape. As far as Ravelry, previously I was on Ravelry every day. When the controversy was going on I didn’t agree or disagree with how they handled their business. I have to deal with a debilitating eye disease leaving with less than 10% of my vision. I learned to knit later in life so many patterns intimate me but I like to look. Ideal with RAV better since they increased the contrast. I have nothing against any of my fellow humans . Seeing my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is my future and he is capable of handling all things. on RAV everyday

[@jaredangell8472]

Tetris. 😂😂😂

[@heartland297]

I hate Donald Trump, but I am also a big believer that "a house divided against itself cannot stand" I don't want to dominate people with opinions other than mine any more than I want to be dominated by them. I also think if women would unite instead of trying to destroy each other, we would not be fighting to have our rights to healthcare restored.