In Knitting: Pride Cometh Before the Fall

I've discovered this weekend that pride comes before the fall in knitting as in life. You see I thought that my newly acquired skill (6 months old) of knitting was going pretty well.

In the past few months, I've made 3 scarfs that I've ripped up or otherwise made into doll scarfs. The practice ones. 4 scarfs for nieces for Christmas gifts. One for each daughter. Two for good friends for Christmas and one I made in just 3 days for our children's piano teacher. I also made two baby blankets. One already being used and one on the ready for a baby coming any day.

Not bad for a non-crafty person whose knitting teacher lives 500 plus miles away.

However, after my goof yesterday, I now will never put a picture of my skill on the Internet or send it across the country. I will not share until the project is off the needles and the yarn put away. I now know that it is a recipe for disaster to "brag" on my new skill prior to completion.

A few months ago, I posted a picture of my first baby blanket. I was a few rows into the start. I was feeling confident, boastful really. I said how much fun I was having with circular needles. and how easy they were to work with. How 122 stitches was easy to count with stitch counters.

Two days after that, I had to rip the whole project apart and start over. I was into the blanket to far to let the slip go. I had last my count. I had started knitting backwards. I then tried to pull the stitches off and start over on the next row. Impossible to do with 122 stitches! Too many to keep them straight. My neighbor told me the truth. You'll have to start over. No, I thought, but she was right. Weeks later, the blanket was complete, a few mistakes hidden within, but done and not too shabby. Unfortunately for me, I did not learn my lesson.

Last week, I went to my favorite knitting shop. They have a sale in January with 20% off everything. I wanted to make a scarf for my husband in Texas colors (burnt orange and white), a baby blanket for American Girl Doll Ruthie, our newest family member, and then I asked about a hat for my son. I told them I'm a newbie. They gave me confidence and set of 5 double pointed needles.

One of the fabulous ladies at the store cast on the 90 stitches and talked me through how it works. I came home and called my mother-in-law. She laughed, but was confident I could do it. I just needed to take it slow, send her the pattern, and she could walk me through it. So I did. I took a picture yesterday of the beginning, said it was good, and then fate took over.

I was driving in the car yesterday and knitting. Fear not, I was the passenger. I dropped a stitch at the crucial turn from needle to needle. I thought I had recovered. Hours later I saw the hole between the two needles a few stitches down. You don't want a hole in a hat.

I'm starting over again. I've watched the knitting help video three times, another You-Tube on double pointed needles, and read and re read the instructions.

Pride has taught me a valuable lesson. I'm still learning and need to take it slow. I shouldn't take projects "on the go" that need my attention. Finally, it's OK to start things over. It's OK to goof up and start all over again. I'm not perfect and that's OK too.

Just for kicks I've included pictures of a few of my finished projects. All off the needles and all in use today. Nothing in progress today, you'll have to wait for them to be done first. I'm no fool.