Reminders or Resolutions

I have been knitting long enough to be able to say I've learned a few things along the way. I thought I'd put some thoughts together at the relative start of a new year to remind me about them. Perhaps some will resonate with you as well. (BTW, many of these can be generalized to life and don't only hold true for knitting.)

Just knit it - Sorry Nike, this is a play on your Just Do It slogan. Never, never limit yourself by thinking "I could never knit that"! Just knit it and you might be surprised what you can do. I know I surprise and periodically amaze myself with what I am able to do. It is good to surprise yourself.
Embrace your mistakes - We all make them and you control what you do about them. Mistakes can help you learn how to fix, deconstruct or invent something new. Embrace those mistakes as an opportunity trying to teach you something despite your resistance to it. Once I convinced myself I love knitting and all it could teach me, mistakes were no longer frustrations, just another chance to try something new.
Knit for those important to you - It is so much easier to justify the hours, expense and sometime struggles you put yourself through if you are knitting something for someone you love. IMHO there isn't enough money to pay for any of this unless the item being knit is for a special person.
Celebrate the projects you complete. We need to be happy with just as much knitting as we get done. It is the right amount for our lifestyle. Keep track of all that you've completed, it is too easy to forget all the good things you've done without good recordkeeping.
Recognize your current skill set - Most modern patterns say they are designed for a beginner, intermediate or advanced knitter. These terms may vary from designer to designer, but don't let them intimidate. Be aware of your current skill, but also s-t-r-e-t-c-h those skills sometimes. That's how you grow.
Know when to stop (know your limit and play within it) - Even if you know the steps to a stitch pattern, even if the yarn and needles are perfect, there will be times when you and the project must part ways. Admit it is time to stop beating your head against a wall, put the project away and come back to it at a later time. All of this is quite normal.
Love the tools you are using - Enjoy the way the needles are able to glide as you knit. It is not right to use tools you don't like. A lack of appropriate tools can make an entire project tedious. Love the feel of the yarn. Do like the way it is because you are touching it for hours and hours. Life's too short not to enjoy the process.
Set your own goals - Knitting is for fun; don't turn it into dreariness by setting your goals or deadline that make you feel rushed. Knit when you feel like it and avoid it when you don't. Don't let commitments, deadlines and schedules dampen your enjoyment.
Relax and enjoy

Now dear reader, I'll leave it to you decide if these constitute a list of resolutions or just a few reminders. I know I'll look back at them from time to time and will continue to knit on.

Anatomy of a Sock

I've been knitting socks for a relatively short time. One of the disconcerting things for me as I started following patterns for socks is the pattern designer assumes the knitter (in this case that would be me) knows all the parts of a sock. So I thought I'd devote a post to improve my own knowledge about the anatomy of a sock and maybe some of you will learn something about the humble yet necessary sock as well. Here's the names of the parts of the foot as I know them. #49 ankle, #50 heel, #51, instep, #52 ball, #53 big toe, #54 toe, #55 little toe, #56 toenail. There are some parts more important for this discussion; first the heel of a foot is generally used to refer to the entire C-shape from the ankle to the instep. Speaking of the instep, it refers to that curve near the bottom of the foot. And what seems to be missing in the design above is the sole which generally refers to the bottom of the foot in total or plantar aspect in more technical terms...

Ode to the Cat

It has been six months since Mike, the cat's, passing. I think of him every day and miss him especially when Paul is away. Mike was a being in the house with me and we were close. Grieving his death has been muddled with my Dad's passing and sometimes I feel guilty about that happening. As time passes the ache becomes less hurtful for both and I am starting to get mostly good memories in its place. Recently I helped celebrate Pablo Neruda's birthday with Jami, my poet and overall very creative friend. Guests were asked to select one poem written by Neruda to read to the small group who gathered for the celebration. I picked this one: Ode To The Cat -- Pablo Neruda There was something wrong with the animals: their tails were too long, and they had unfortunate heads. Then they started coming together, little by little fitting together to make a landscape, developing birthmarks, grace, flight. But the cat, only the cat turned ou...

Knitting-Related Guinness World Records

I had to share some of the Guinness World Records connected with knitting. It is amazing to me the type of skill, stamina and unique characteristics these record holders have in common. How about trying to knit with these SPNs?? Ingrid Wagner and her large needles and knitted swatch The largest knitting needles measured 3.5 m (11 ft 5.8 in) long and had a diameter of 8 cm (3.15 in). Ingrid Wagner, a rug and art creation artist, from the UK used the needles to knit a tension square of ten stitches by ten rows at the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, on March, 10 2008. (And I complained about getting certain SPNs stuck in my clothes.) See how this swatch was done with merely 5 people managing the needles. And what about the yarn? It is truly ex-bulky. It looks like they're knitting in a warehouse, but with a wingspan of almost 24 feet or 7 m, you'd need all that space. Or h...

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