The Knitting Confessional
Welcome to 2006 and the first of many installments of the Confessional! Since this is the first day of a new year, there aren't any pictures nor much confession to be had today. (Trust me, pictures of horrible knitting tragedies will come.) Instead, I thought I'd provide a list of knitting resolutions. We know that resolutions don't usually stick, but isn't that the fun of being a bit retrospective this time of year?
1. Consistently swatch. I know, I know; we ALL knit to gauge and just don't need to make that pesky swatch. Let's face it kids, how many of us are that consistent and accurate? I'm not sure I trust someone who's that reliable. Yes, swatching takes time away from the fun of starting the project, but look at it as sort of a toy that enhances the knitting experience rather than a chore that makes you want to blind yourself.
2. Review a pattern before knitting. Do you know how many patterns are published every year with errors? How many hours of frustration that can cause a person? Not only that, think about the most difficult instruction you've ever had to translate. Did it leave you feeling lucky you passed the 1st grade? Deciphering a knitting pattern can be like trying to crack the Rosetta Stone; it can be done but it might leave you broke and sick in the process. While reviewing won't solve everything, it might give you a leg up on your potential screw-ups.
3. Burn your oldest UFO. Seriously. Take a match, some gasoline or your crusty Yule log and say Adios to that thing that you really haven't touched or even thought about in 3 years. Why hang on to it? If the motivation and love are gone, contribute to global warming and set a match to it. Think of it as the ultimate in penance for the confessional. A sacrifice worthy of any of the saints and a quick way to ditch that knitting albatross.
So that's it. Yes, only 3 resolutions. I wanted to at least attempt to be realistic. I'm going to print them out and stick them in my knitting journal right next to a picture of the vest I didn't swatch, the most complicated set of instructions I've ever read and a 10 year old afghan that I just can't part with. See, resolutions do work!
1. Consistently swatch. I know, I know; we ALL knit to gauge and just don't need to make that pesky swatch. Let's face it kids, how many of us are that consistent and accurate? I'm not sure I trust someone who's that reliable. Yes, swatching takes time away from the fun of starting the project, but look at it as sort of a toy that enhances the knitting experience rather than a chore that makes you want to blind yourself.
2. Review a pattern before knitting. Do you know how many patterns are published every year with errors? How many hours of frustration that can cause a person? Not only that, think about the most difficult instruction you've ever had to translate. Did it leave you feeling lucky you passed the 1st grade? Deciphering a knitting pattern can be like trying to crack the Rosetta Stone; it can be done but it might leave you broke and sick in the process. While reviewing won't solve everything, it might give you a leg up on your potential screw-ups.
3. Burn your oldest UFO. Seriously. Take a match, some gasoline or your crusty Yule log and say Adios to that thing that you really haven't touched or even thought about in 3 years. Why hang on to it? If the motivation and love are gone, contribute to global warming and set a match to it. Think of it as the ultimate in penance for the confessional. A sacrifice worthy of any of the saints and a quick way to ditch that knitting albatross.
So that's it. Yes, only 3 resolutions. I wanted to at least attempt to be realistic. I'm going to print them out and stick them in my knitting journal right next to a picture of the vest I didn't swatch, the most complicated set of instructions I've ever read and a 10 year old afghan that I just can't part with. See, resolutions do work!
posted by Susan at 1/01/2006 06:40:00 PM
3 Comments:
Gosh, how 'bout I just rip out that oldest UFO instead?! ;)
Happy New Year to you!
Hmm, do I have to burn the thing? It just seems so wasteful. Sure, I doubt I will ever go back to knit it, I hate that yarn! But burn it. Do we really need it to be any warmer around here? It was 68o today in Indiana!! Turn the air on already.
Heh, great resolutions! I myself NEVER knit to guage... I knit tightly and always have to change needle sizes, so for me, swatching is a MUST! :)
Hmm, read through a pattern before starting to knit? Hmmm, not likely for me... I must say I have tried it before, but often the instructions make little sense to me until I am ready to tackle whatever is in them. It would help if I at least read a paragraph ahead or something though so when it says "At the same time" I won't have to rip back... I would love to be one of those good knitters that read all instructions before starting, but it just isn't my style. :)
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