story

Some knitting advice from Elizabeth for our knitting themed month of September.

In knitting, as in anything, there is one cardinal rule. Be willing to do it poorly. Whether it’s your first, uneven, thick-then-thin garter stitch scarf, or your first lumpy fair isle, it is imperative to go into the project with permission to fail.

We’ve all been there. I have the mohair sweater, my first, with a dropped stitch right in the center front that I noticed after I blocked and seamed. Regardless of how messy that sweater looked, I wore it for a solid two years before giving it up in lieu of other, better-knit sweaters.

There are the first socks, two different foot lengths. I blocked the dickens out of the smaller one in an attempt to make them the same strength. Alas, there is only so much steam, water, and a strong will can do with one sock.

You can’t miss my first lace scarf, when I discovered I had done the yarn-overs completely wrong for the beginning half. As I bemoaned at the time, why are they called yarn-overs when they go under?

When reflecting on knitting, non-knitters often say, “I tried that once. I wasn’t very good so I stopped.” My usual outward response is an understanding nod and a lame “everyone has different strengths,” or something else equally bland. Inside I am astounded. Trying something once isn’t a try. That’s not to say everyone should knit, because although it’s sometimes just an easy answer, everyone does have different strengths, or, more accurately, interests. So if what is meant is “I didn’t enjoy knitting,” then great. Never pick up the needles again. If, however, the literal is meant, please reconsider. We, mostly, do not succeed the first time we try something. Think about how long it takes you to learn to walk. Imagine a child of 18 months sitting down, shrugging her shoulders, and sticking with a crawl forever because she didn’t run at the first go.

Ultimately, knitters and potential knitters should find it freeing, not limiting, to have the almost certain knowledge of failure. So pick up those DPNs or that cable needle for the first time, and embrace the can’t-do attitude. Don’t promise anyone this first project, but do it anyway and embrace that can’t-do attitude

About the author: Beth Rodio is a full time employee of an academic publishing company, a part time knitter, and a full time knitting obsessive. She lives in the Bay Area of California, but hails from the smallest state with the longest name, the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

{ 8 comments }