Mistakes
Before talking about my reactions to making mistakes in knitting, a few notes about the Primrose handkerchief. The central portion of the pattern came from a book I bought on deep discount when I first started knitting, Traditional Lace Knitting by Furze Hewitt, published in 1997 by Kangaroo Press. The original pattern had a different border, which I did not really like and was having a hard time getting it down. So after so playing around, I ended up using the border from the Syrian Shawl from Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby. I also knit the border on larger needles (size 1 as opposed to size 0), which is why the edge has a more delicate feel.
So with the completion of one item, I was ready to start my next project. But then I remembered my finish five rule. So I dug through my unfinished objects. I finished this little cape, which will end up going to my niece.
This was originally 1/2 of a poncho. But I completely lost interest in finishing the second half (mainly because I had forgotten what I was doing, and it was an improvised pattern). So I picked up stitches along the side edges with a light blue ribbon yarn and knit a few rows. This provided the base for the ties. Now I have a cape, which hopefully my niece will wear. I don't think she likes playing dress up as much as I did as a kid. Last year I made her a mermaid tail (of which I need to get a picture) and she did not really like it. She is more into sports. But we will see.
So that was two things completed. I had decided from the start that ripping out unwanted or unusable items would count the same as finishing a project. So, I started ripping.
Gone - the tiny fortune cookie bag.
Gone - the handspun scarf that wants to be a hat.
Gone - the weird-shaped hemp towel/washcloth thing.
Well not gone, but returned to yarn.
All of this ripping was because I needed to start knitting on another wedding handkerchief. I am almost certain that the intended recipient does not read my blog, so it is not as much of a secret.
I needed new yarn for this project, having used up all my previous crochet thread. Knitting lace in crochet cotton has to be the most money efficient knitting. I bought DMC Traditions Crochet Cotton, 400 yards for about $2. And it is really, really soft.
So I chose a lace panel pattern from Barbara Walkers A Fourth Treasury of Knitting Patterns. I was motoring along on the knitting yesterday morning and when I had finished I noticed the mistake. A misplaced yarnover, about 8 rows down. My first reaction was to leave it. No one would probably notice. I even rationalized it - the mistake could symbolize marriage, potentially beautiful despite its imperfections.
Then I had to go to work and set the piece aside for the day and overnight. After stepping back from the work for awhile I realize that I wanted to fix the mistake. I want the piece to be as perfect as I can make it. Then I realized that this is how I react to all my knitting mistakes. At first I think I can live with it. And then I set it aside for a few hours or a day. Upon coming back to it after that time away, ripping out to the mistake does not seem so painful, but rather the right thing to do.
So with the completion of one item, I was ready to start my next project. But then I remembered my finish five rule. So I dug through my unfinished objects. I finished this little cape, which will end up going to my niece.
This was originally 1/2 of a poncho. But I completely lost interest in finishing the second half (mainly because I had forgotten what I was doing, and it was an improvised pattern). So I picked up stitches along the side edges with a light blue ribbon yarn and knit a few rows. This provided the base for the ties. Now I have a cape, which hopefully my niece will wear. I don't think she likes playing dress up as much as I did as a kid. Last year I made her a mermaid tail (of which I need to get a picture) and she did not really like it. She is more into sports. But we will see.
So that was two things completed. I had decided from the start that ripping out unwanted or unusable items would count the same as finishing a project. So, I started ripping.
Gone - the tiny fortune cookie bag.
Gone - the handspun scarf that wants to be a hat.
Gone - the weird-shaped hemp towel/washcloth thing.
Well not gone, but returned to yarn.
All of this ripping was because I needed to start knitting on another wedding handkerchief. I am almost certain that the intended recipient does not read my blog, so it is not as much of a secret.
I needed new yarn for this project, having used up all my previous crochet thread. Knitting lace in crochet cotton has to be the most money efficient knitting. I bought DMC Traditions Crochet Cotton, 400 yards for about $2. And it is really, really soft.
So I chose a lace panel pattern from Barbara Walkers A Fourth Treasury of Knitting Patterns. I was motoring along on the knitting yesterday morning and when I had finished I noticed the mistake. A misplaced yarnover, about 8 rows down. My first reaction was to leave it. No one would probably notice. I even rationalized it - the mistake could symbolize marriage, potentially beautiful despite its imperfections.
Then I had to go to work and set the piece aside for the day and overnight. After stepping back from the work for awhile I realize that I wanted to fix the mistake. I want the piece to be as perfect as I can make it. Then I realized that this is how I react to all my knitting mistakes. At first I think I can live with it. And then I set it aside for a few hours or a day. Upon coming back to it after that time away, ripping out to the mistake does not seem so painful, but rather the right thing to do.
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