Little stitches, big lessons

...*(K1, p1) 2 times, k3, p1, k1, p1, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

On a free evening like tonight I usually pick up a knitting project. I like knitting for many reasons, for one it's nice to create something tangible, sometimes even useful. It is also nice to do something with your hands, and to think about the person you are making it for. It is relaxing to the brain and makes me sleepy after a long day behind my computer. But it's not these things that inspired today's blogpost.

Knitting is also incredibly difficult. It is applied mathematics, reads like a weird type of HTML and if you make a mistake... it just shows.

Life lessons I learned from knitting

Admit your mistakes

illustration from econesting.com

If you make a mistake, surely you can continue as if nothing happened. Most likely the mistake will show itself even worse a while later, or create more mistakes. You will start feeling guilty, didn't you mean to make this one perfect when you started it? Isn't it for your special friend after all? Many rows later I always end up taking it out to start afresh.

Finish what you start

Knitting is fun when you start... Looking at the nice picture on the pattern, thinking of how perfect you will make this one. And then it wears off. You take the piece apart 2, 3, 4 times. Finish one side of the sweater but the idea of doing the other is boring. In the end you have 4 pieces laying around that need stitching together. And pressing. But it seems as much work to do that as it was to do all the knitting so far. It's not! A few minutes of love unto that old project can make it into the perfect piece you had in mind all the time.

Remain in control

Take breaks. Stop when you are tired. Actually this is my grandmothers life lesson that I'm still learning. There's always tomorrow. You knit because it's fun! Don't let yourself be carried away by curiosity how this will look, and what if you just only that colour etc. You end up making mistakes. And taking it apart again.

Listen to your teacher

If you don't understand what you're doing, just do what your pattern says. Don't be smart about it. This is very counterintuitive, I know. But every time I try a new technique I have no clue what I'm doing until when it's finished. And the only way to make it work is to really count the stitches and follow instructions. Count! 1, 2, 3, purl!

Simple is beautiful

Not everything needs a funny texture ánd a funny color pattern ánd a funny shape at the same time. Keep it simple. Show off your nice even knitting technique. The beautiful wool that you use. Which brings me to the last point.

Invest in quality

Use beautiful wool. Use nice needles. Why spend 50 hours knitting something that could have looked and felt 10 times better if you spend a few euros extra? Seeing and using the end result of your work can be so rewarding, but it's you who has to make it worthwhile.