What is your style of knitting?

I must be honest, I’m a little “ADD”.  You may think this is just something that kids struggle with but believe me it isn’t.  Here is an example of my ADD:  I’m cleaning my house, specifically the kitchen and I see something that should be put away in the living room, so I take it to the living room to put it in its proper place and there I see scissors that belong in the craft room so I take them to the craft room and there I see a hat that I’m giving away as a gift (party is tomorrow) so I sit down and finish the hat.  Meanwhile the kitchen remains in a state of disarray!!

Knitting for me, calms my mind and helps me to sit in one place without going crazy.  I enjoy feeding the yarn through my tension system (fingers), I enjoy the freedom to experiment with colors and textures, and love it when I get through a pattern sequence and see the result! Presto, it’s magic!!  I don’t know if I should even admit this, but, for me a finished project is a secondary benefit to the actual process.  I think that I am likely the minority of knitters, so what is your style?

I talk to knitters on the phone, via email, and messenger daily.  I enjoy learning from the different styles of knitters.  There are those who call to discuss the last three rows of the pattern, that haven’t even casted on! Some reach out after they have taken out and re-knitted those three rows at least four times, these knitters generally need a little calm reassurance before we discuss the pattern.   Another type of knitter reluctantly asks a question and apologizes for the question, please don’t apologize all questions are good questions, these people often solve their own questions, just by asking it aloud.  The majority are afraid of making a mistake and having their project look different than the picture printed on the pattern.

As I said, I enjoy learning from the different styles of knitters and I would say that I have made some changes to my knitting style, or at least I’m trying to make some changes.  I’m working on the pre-cast planning (man do I love to cast-on!) getting an understanding of the pattern before I begin, looking for all the stitch combinations and making sure I understand them; YouTube is a world of help!!  But there is one thing that I will not change…..allowing myself the freedom to make changes and experiment with colors and stitches, because when I am done with the project I don’t display it next to the picture on the pattern so everyone can see it as a replica. I then display it on myself or a friend or family member as an expression of me!!

As I am knitting this patriotic stars and stripes shawl I’m thinking about what Independence day means to me …… ooops, I knitted an extra row of white ☹.  I think that looks good, I’m going to leave it!

- Amy