How hard is it to use what you've learned. I mean, really.

I've been knitting!  This might sound a little odd for someone that has embraced the fiber arts as a way of life, but I've done more knitting in the last few weeks than I have for the past two years.  During that knitting dry spell I was working in a yarn store.  I know, it might sound crazy, but working in a store that literally sells knitting has very little to do with your own personal knitting and everything to do with the knitting of your store's many customers.  While I did not accomplish much on the home front, I did learn some valuable skills by helping other knitters with their knitting problems.

Most importantly I learned how to read knitting on the needles; how the stitches sit correctly and how to see when there is a problem.  I can pick up a dropped stitch (I think, actually, I might be able to do this in my sleep.  A dropped stitch has to be the #1 reason a knitter will come in to a shop for help.), untwist stitches, rip back to a problem, fix it and get a knitter started again without said knitter trying to stab me with a needle or fainting in a puddle of despair.  I can talk a knitter off the ledge, help them sort out a pattern problem, and encourage a table of knitters to play well together.  Wicked skills, I tell you, I've got them.

So, why, I ask you, when it comes to my own knitting, can I not use the information I have learned?  When I began the Totally Autumn Throw I knew that I should use the chart instead of the row by row instructions.  I knew I should mark off the pattern repeats with stitch markers and color code the chart, but did I do any of those things?  NO.  I casted on and made all the amazing progress of a herd of turtles.  I cursed and ripped and counted and cursed some more.  Finally, (head bang on desk) I did what I should have from the beginning and progress is being made.  SURPRISE!  Sheesh.  It's hard to see with such dark colored yarn, but it's really a lovely pattern and a fun knit now that I'm working with all of my brain in gear.  I've got about 12 inches finished and am very pleased.  I even began a second more mindless project so that I would have knitting to turn to when I wanted to knit, but couldn't concentrate on the chart.....like after my allergy shot or during a movie.  It's the Brooklyn Tweed Scarf using two colors of Noro.  I'm using Kureyon in colors 150 and 188. I think I would have preferred Silk Garden, but I didn't have any in my stash.

So, I seem to have the knitting mojo back and life is good.  Samten saw the vet yesterday and was given bunch of new meds to help with the allergies and ear infections.  He is already feeling much better.

Today I think I'll take a little field trip into Ikea just because, cause just because is a wonderful reason for anything. 

Comments

[PainterWoman]

Well, I know I've told you that you are exceptional, and I'm probably not the first (or last) to do so. So, OF COURSE you wouldn't think things like charts, highlighters or other's lessons would apply to you. We ALL do it. Glad your mojo is back.