Starting to Knit: Starting, Starting, Starting, Starting….
September 27, 2009 | 
Author I started into knitting a few months ago, teaching myself from books and videos. You would think by now that I would have knitted more than more than the one, simple Cossack hat from the Folk Hats book. No. And even that I just finished last week.
I’m an Aries. We are starters. The beginning is all important to us. Sometimes it is more important than anything that comes after the beginning, which is why completing things is a challenge. Oddly enough, we are also into speed and can be impatient. Patience and focus are important lessons for me. I’ve tended to be impatient with myself for not completing what I’ve started. So knitting is an interesting situation for me. It’s challenging me to understand my process, to understand the process that is learning, as well as the process of knitting itself.
There is a book that has had a big impact on me, by the title The Practicing Mind, by Thomas M. Sterner. I recommend it to anyone who wants to accomplish more in their lives, to be more at peace, and to whoever wants to learn or develop him- or herself in some way. One thing it made me aware of is the fact that everything you take on to add to your life and to your being as a person, such as through learning, is a process of development, discovery and practicing. Knitting has been more of these things than I expected, and a pathway of discovery.
Like I said, I have little to show for the months I’ve been playing with yarn, except for a growing readiness to knit. In exploring the options I’ve discovered which of the style of knitting are best suited to my needs, I’ve learned about the different needles and methods of working on different kinds of articles, and I’ve done a bit of invention in the form of the Portuguese knitting pendant I developed. And even that has been a week plus of discovery.
With the knitting pendant I presented the idea on ravelry.com and here, and then proceeded to discover more factors that make it work better, including the amount of weight, the length of the cord and how tight you keep the angle of the yarn. I kind of regretted that so many (about 200 visitors to my blog since then) have missed the latest important discovery about making it work right (#4), but what can I do. Word will get around. It reminds me to see and allow the unfolding of things over time. This includes my knitting projects.
One of the first things I decided to knit was the red wool scarf you see in the banner graphic on this site (if I haven’t changed it already). This project has gone through about eight restarts. I’ve changed the pattern, changed the width, changed the width again, changed the starting border, changed the needle size, frogged due to a disastrous stitch drop – couldn’t be fixed in this complicated lace-and-cable pattern – change the border again, forgot where I was and had to start over, and a few other reasons. Poor thing, but I know once I get a few inches in I will keep going. Right now I just have three rows – and I’m not sure I like them! It’s all part of a learning process. Argh.
And the socks. I’m learning, learning, learning. How do I want to do them? I’ve pretty much decided on toe up, but the yarn I was going to use isn’t soft enough so I’m going to have to order something. And wait until I get the kilt hose book I ordered yesterday. And figure out what I want to do with all the options it offers me.
Some day I won’t be just a beginner. I’ll be a completer. In fact, as harbinger of that, the pendant I chose for my first knitting pendant is the rune Jera, which means completion. A good vibe to be present at the beginning.
Just don’t count on any knitted gifts for Christmas.
(By the way, tell your friends about #4)
The process is what happens between the beginning and completion.
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Tags: One Response to “Starting to Knit: Starting, Starting, Starting, Starting….”
Hi cuz! Knit some washcloths, or dishcloths. They’re small and fun and cotton, and you can play with styles of knitting, the different stitch patterns and actually finish one in just a few hours with the knitting speed you’ve developed. I’m addicted to knitting those for the moment. As a Leo, I love the almost instant gratification of the finished product. I envy you just starting and being flexible enough to change styles. Since I learned very young, I find I like my English throwing method and haven’t been able to adopt another style, though I have watched the videos you suggested. I’m okay with that. My style works for me. You might get a washcloth for Christmas this year!