In the last issue of Cable Gram, I interviewed several local knitters about their knitblogs. I had one last question to ask them: Why blog?  What is the value of having a knit blog? The responses were heartfelt and enthusiastic. “Being part of the blog community is the best benefit,” says Renee of A Good Yarn. “I have met and/or communicated with many other knitters through my blog. I enjoy the opportunity to express myself and start conversations with others about things I care about.”

That form of expression, and creativity, is important to most bloggers—and can even be a way of connecting with teenaged offspring. Kelle of 4 Knits and Giggles says, “Probably most importantly to me, my blog has become another creative outlet for me. It allows me to dust  off my writing skills and gives me an opportunity to show a side of  me that is not often shown. After reading my blog, my daughter said  that she thinks that maybe I missed my calling because she really enjoys my writing. I’m not certain about all that, but I appreciated  the compliment.”

Besides showcasing their knitting work, other bloggers find the blog a way to experiment with other forms of creativity. “I had NO IDEA what the ultimate value would be,” says Chris of Stumbling Over  Chaos. “It has enhanced my life in so many ways! It’s given me a reason to reconnect with photography. I’ve done more writing in the past six months than in the previous six or more years.”

Others appreciate the relative ease and simplicity of being able to archive their knitting thoughts and photos. “The blog is invaluable—it is a chronicle of my knitting life!” says Carrie of Knit-Whit.  Beth from My Blue Room agrees: “I like the idea of having my knitting stuff all in one place.” In other words, it’s not just a blog, it’s an online scrapbook or knitting journal.

But without a doubt, one of the biggest benefits of the knitblog is joining in the active online community. “It’s connected me with local people who I’ve actually met ‘in the flesh,’” says Chris. “I’m planning a fall driving trip in which I will meet and stay with a dozen or more bloggers in Colorado and New Mexico. It’s provided an additional common element with one of my friends, who has become a closer friend because of our shared blogging experience. Seeing and reading about what others are doing inspires me creatively.”

Deb of Wound Too Tight concurs. “The real value of having a blog is  you are immediately opened up to the world of everyone else’s blogs,  which I find so much more fascinating. Secondarily, the creative release/avenue that I don’t have with my ‘normal friends’ is  wonderful. There is a very laidback, no-pressure attitude among bloggers. You blog when you feel like blogging. We all have lives outside of yarn and everyone knows that.”

Interested? Spend time visiting blogs and see what’s out there. Nearly every blogger includes a sidebar of other blogs they read, which leads to the classic domino effect—this blog leads you to read that blog, which leads you to read that blog, which leads…possibly to you wanting to start your own blog!

Here are some good reference sites:

www.bloglines.com
Set up a free account and subscribe to your favorite blogs. Then you only have to check in at this website to see who’s updated recently, as opposed to having to check each blog individually.

www.blogger.com; www.blogstream.com
Cost-free, relatively easy blog hosting sites.

www.typepad.com; www.squarespace.com
Monthly fees apply, but the sites may be more user-friendly for those not familiar with html.

Bloggers:

Beth from Beth’s Blue Room: http://spaces.msn.com/members/bethblueroom/
Carrie from Knit-Whit: http://www.knit-whit.blogspot.com/
Chris from Stumbling Over Chaos: http://stumblingoverchaos.com/
Deb from Wound Too Tight: http://woundtootight.blogspot.com/
Kelle from Knits and Giggles: http://www.4knitsandgiggles.blogspot.com/
Renee from A Good Yarn: http://www.goodyarn.blogspot.com/

Amy C. Rea is a Twin Cities freelance writer, relatively new knitter, and even newer blogger. Visit her at www.knitthink.typepad.com to read about her knitting successes (rare) and failures (frequent), and enjoy the nice doggy pictures too.