Knitting is SO zen. It's very relaxing and very like meditation. Usually.
Frogging is the term knitters use when they have to rip out work that is all messed up beyond simple repairs. Tension inconsistencies, right row wrong location, twisted stitches, missed stitches, too many oops in one project. I think that about covers it.
"Rip it, rip it!" we say.
Knitters have a great sense of humor.
I have still not gone back and completed the adorable little bear I started at a craft club session a couple of years ago. I was just in a funk that day and couldn't get my hands to cooperate with my mind that day. Really, it was the other way around. My mind was refusing to let go of the stress and focus on what I was doing. I started that bear over - from the beginning - 9 (yes, nine!) times - in one afternoon. Rip it, rip it!
The little bear is tucked safely away in a project bag and I will finish him at some point. Really.
I've completed other projects since then and work harder now to fix my mistakes but I will always rip it out if a project is just too messy. Too messy? Yesssss.
I've become more conscious of my knitting techniques since ordering The Knitting Guild Association's Master Hand Knitting Level 1 program a couple of years ago. Okay, so it was 4 years ago now. No way am I ready to complete Level 1 even though I've been knitting since forever. I've taught knitting classes too but I'm now ready to focus on improving my technique. There's nothing like paying attention to your mistakes to make you aware of how many you make, eh?!
That's what this blog is all about: my journey of joy and improvement. I love to knit and truly want to excel at it. And when I DO start working on the MHK Level 1, I'll blog about it here, pinky swear.
There will be lots of zen and frogging along the way, no doubt.
Happy knitting!
Lisa
