miss ewe knits

knit karma

Was out of town on a gig last weekend, and met another musician knitting. She learned to knit around Christmas, and was, in fact, doing quite well on her first ever garment with shaping (a baby sweater). When I found her at the back of the rehearsal hall, however, she had just gotten frustrated. She was perplexed by the unintended holes being created by the addition of a button band. Ah, picking up stitches. Her sister had shown her how, but somewhere there had been a breakdown.

I hate picking up stitches. Especially when there are lots of them, and even more especially if they are around a collar or other non-straight line. But because of my disdain, I have gotten good help in figuring it out, and I have mastered the pick-up-stitch. I demonstrated, I coached, I explained. I watched, I guided, I cheered. By the end of the evening she had finished both bands on her own, quite successfully, and was confident in her new skill. She was even anxious to run back to her sister and demonstrate "a better way to do it". (Apologies to said sister if your method was merely misunderstood.)

One thing I have enjoyed as a knitter is the general willingness of 0ther knitters to offer help, suggestions, advice, and generally share, as only rare groups are found to do. I have taught a few people knit or purl in passing, which is always great, but more often I have benefitted from someone else's wisdom. It was really fun for me to appear just as help was required, and be able to put back into the knitters' karma pool. Even better, the next day we sat chatting for an hour or two, just knitting away together before the performance.

I'm off to the cottage again, and taking only Clappy and the Shrug. I hope to bring one back finished. Cross your fingers for me. Think my karma "deserves" a FO?!

posted by miss ewe @ 12:26 a.m.