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| capturing a dropped stitch |
Mistakes. We've talked about how to fix them and how to prevent them. We've talked about afterthought yarnovers and reoriented cables.
But we have never talked about how a mistake makes you feel because that is what really matters.
Some knitters can go on knitting and just decrease a stitch or add more holes and it doesn't bother them at all.
Other knitters feel that there is a big old arrow pointing to that mistake and have to repair it before moving on.
There is another type of knitter that plays the waiting game. "Can I really ignore this mistake and just go on with my knitting?' The answer is usually a resounding, "no".
There are feelings that come up when a pattern doesn't work right. You might feel anger, guilt, shame, or embarrassment.
These feelings are all valid because you are having them. They are yours.
I have anxiety so I tend to panic a bit...sometimes a lot.
Acknowledging your feelings is important but also not wallowing in them is too.
So you messed up and the world didn't end; what you do next is important. Failing doesn't make you a failure.
I "fail" a lot when designing something new. In fact, everything I create is full of failures and successes all bound together to create something amazing.
No one knows they happened because it was part of my journey. All they see is the finished piece.
The second step in this process is to just breathe. One deep breath sends oxygen through your body. It can center and ground you and it can make all the difference in how you proceed.
Now with a clearer head figure out what went wrong. Sometimes this step will bring me more panic when math comes into play but I keep at it. I follow the steps. I listen to and acknowledge my feelings and then take a deep breath until I find my path.
Sometimes this step takes some time. Give yourself the time you need. Write down where you are, why you stopped. Secure all your stitches and put everything away for a day or two if need be.
Be gentle with yourself. Forgive yourself if you feel you need to.
We are our worst critics and say the harshest things that we would never say to a loved one. Don't start down the, "I'm such a ______" spiral.
It is best to realize, for example, that being embarrassed at making a mistake is not the same as internalizing that embarrassment so that you never show your work.
You are not your mistake. Do not direct your emotions back at yourself.
Believe me, I go through this process somewhere in every project or design I make. I've learned to acknowledge my failures and to celebrate my successes.
They are both a part of my process. Sometimes my failures are just teachers in disguise and show me something I would never have thought of on my own.
A mistake is only temporary. The lessons they teach last a lifetime.
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| love you to the moon and back blanket by PeachUnicornDesigns |
I helped a friend make a blanket for her Granddaughter and I think it turned out amazing. My friend had never done intarsia before and we ripped out a lot of rows but in the end, my friend could change colors like a pro!
I am so proud of her!
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We lost someone this week who has guided my life in many ways, Thich Nhat Hanh
He was a Buddhist monk with a beautiful soul. His message was one of transformation. I read his book on Anger, and it changed how I listen to myself and others.
I have his books on tape and I have listened to his words when I have been lost and he has helped me to find my way back to myself so many times.
Bright Blessings my dear teacher as you now embody the greatest transformation that one can achieve.
Thank you for your lessons which influence me even now, and I expect, ever will.
🙏❤️💫
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Safe socially-distanced hugs 🤗
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Sending love and light to everyone being affected by this virus.
May you be safe.
May your loved ones be safe.
🙏
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Sending love and light to everyone facing discrimination, hate, prejudice, inequality, or racism.
🙏🙏💖💖🙏🙏
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Vixenpath is a safe space.
If you are:
LGBTQ+
Black
Brown
Asian
Any race
Coming out
Anything.
I am a safe person and I will always hold space for you in love and light.
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