2KCBWDAY2 Day Two: 29th March. Skill + 1UP

Today's topic is easy for me to put into words because there is nothing I love better than to learn something new.  I have been knitting and crocheting for close to 50 years so you betcha I have learned a thing or two.  The lesson I have learned best is to learn from my mistakes.  Another lesson I have learned is to never stop learning something new. 

 

It is sort of rough sometimes learning from your mistakes so lets concentrate on how I learn something new first.

 

As I have mentioned in a previous post that I love, love, love, free patterns or any patterns for that matter.  They are my text books for learning new stitches and techniques.  I really can't say that I am an expert at knitting or crocheting although I have sailed through patterns that have touted they are "advanced" and thought they were easy.  I have also stumbled and and strained my brain to get through patterns that were labeled "easy" and was humbled back to thinking that I knew so little and wanted to learn more of this wonderful craft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year I came across the Leisure Arts pattern booklet Nifty Knits DISHCLOTHS and decided that I could learn a lot of different stitches by making these 16 different dishcloths.  The picture above is pattern #1 and on the right is pattern #14.

 

I can't explain how much I enjoyed learning all these different stitches and yet I had a great finished project at the end of each one.  I love to make dishcloths because they are quick and easy to store so that when I need a gift to give unexpectedly, I have one. I also use them myself for dishes and facecloths.  I have taken the knowlege of the new stitches and incorperated them into baby blankets, and sweater patterns and even doggie sweaters, it is endless how this new knowlege can be used.

 

Now here is an example of learning from my mistakes.  I wanted to make another dishcloth but had run out of the cotton traditionally used so I picked up a leftover ball of acrylic yarn and used it.  It knitted up great and really looked great too but when I tried to use it for a dishcloth it didn't ring out well so every time I wiped the table or counter off it left a very wet streak.  I did learn however not to throw it away because it worked great for washing the car and removing the bugs (we in FL have something called the "lovebug" that will ruin a car's finish and paint if not removed quickly enough).  I now make one or two a year in the acrylic yarn just for the purpose of scrubbing the tough stuff (they last forever with acrylic yarn).

 

I am probably not alone in sharing the fact that the most valuable lesson learned is to ALWAYS CHECK YOUR GAUGE before you cast on your project.

I think I have finally learned this lesson even though it took me years of work pulled out and started over.  There is a meter gadget that measures how many miles of yarn you knit, I would hate to know how many miles of yarn I have pulled out, lol, because I didn't check my GAUGE first.

 

My advice to anyone that is eager to learn any craft is to go out there and just do it.  You will be amazed at what you will learn just by trying and so what if you make a mistake, that is a learning experience also.

There are so many sites on the web now that you can get help from and videos that will show you "how-to" almost anything.  Take advantage of all this wonderful information.  I have just a few noted on my side bar under Knitting Help and Info.  There are also some video strips at the bottom of the page that are great learning tools, have a look.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I would love for you to comment or click the like - dislike buttons below and let me know you were here.

 

                                                      >^..^<