Celebrating the imperfect

It's something that I've noticed for a while and it's one of those things that once you've noticed it you see it everywhere. Women belittling their achievements be they large or small. Working in the science sector I'm well used to seeing women overlooked and also overlooking their own achievements but I see it in everyday life too and specifically in knitting.

I've noticed a recent "thing" where women are seemingly happy to show off their latest knitting project but feel compelled to point out its errors and "flaws". Why on earth do we do this to ourselves. Even worse, why do we post something and actively draw attention to it in a sort of "spot the ball" competition.

There's a well known knitting quote which I think is attributed to Elizabeth Zimmerman but has also been used by Stephanie Pearl Mc-Phee to the effect that if the mistake won't be noticed by a man on a galloping horse then it's absolutely fine to leave it. There is a 99% chance that it won't be noticed by anyone be they knitter or non-knitter (known as muggles to you and me).

I have to admit that I'm definitely of the school where frogging or ripping something back to correct a mistake is absolutely a last resort. Even things such as a mis-crossed cable I can generally live with unless it is really 'front and centre'. But whilst I'm happy to live with it I certainly wouldn't go around pointing it out to friends and acquaintances. 

Flaws and imperfections are what makes us human surely? Handmade objects are made with love and care and yes, the odd imperfection (or design element, as I prefer to think of them) is part and parcel of what makes them special. Anyone can have an Aran sweater, but only you will have one with a slightly wibbly cable on the left sleeve.

Something for the weekend

After the success of my "cowl in a weekend" project it got me thinking about how I use my time at weekends and how I could make better use of it to focus on things that really matter to me. If you are anything like me, weekends are normally a jumble of doing everything we didn't manage to get done during the week. Add this to the usual hubbub of kids activities, chores and the vague feeling that you should be resting and recuperating for the week ahead - it's no surprise that when Monday rolls around I usually feel like I need another holiday.

Recently I bought the beautiful Making Winter book by Emma Mitchell and I love it's simple premise of focusing on the beauty in small things. Of the power of nature and simple pleasures to lift your spirits and get your thoughts moving in a more positive direction. I decided to do a little comfort baking and made the Plum Blondie recipe from the book. Although of course I never have the right ingredients to hand - so pears and cinnamon were admirable substitutes.

They were delicious and so simple to make. Just a few minutes in the kitchen (well OK - maybe 30 mins - as I had "help" from the kids) and the house was filled with a gratifyingly cakey fug.

Perfect for fuelling my crochet blanket endeavours add I tried to meet my self imposed target of adding 10 stripes this weekend. In the interests of full disclosure I have to add that I only managed 6 (but it still totally counts as progress in my book).

So, I now have a cunning plan for the coming winter months. Each weekend I'm going to try and pick something simple and achievable to do. Something for me, something to make me feel I can sit back and say that I've achieved something positive this weekend. Whether that be baking, whipping up a quick chunky knit or doing a nature walk with the kids. 

If winter is coming - bring it on.

Can you knit a cowl in a weekend?

I didn't plan to knit a cowl in a weekend, it sort of just happened.

It was Saturday morning and whilst I didn't exactly have all of my weekend knitting plans finely honed I did have a number of things I was keen to make progress on. Then my eye fell on a fairly new addition to my stash. A skein of plump, purple merino DK from the Countess Ablaze yarn club - The Classics Society. A fabulous mix of dark and light purple with the odd jolt of bright blue. 

Before you could say "swift" I had the skein wrapped around my knees to hand wind it and I got it on my needles straight away. I'm not much of a hat person and with only 225m to play with I didn't have enough for a shawl - so I decided to go for a cowl. The Honey Cowl pattern to be precise. I've made a few of these before and it's a lovely fast pattern to knit. And the slip stitches work really well with hand dyed yarn.

It turned out to be the type of project that you just can't put down. Never mind, just one more row, I'd done a couple of inches before it was time to head out for the morning. A quick trip to the local farm shop where I seized the opportunity to buy some lovely home made ready meals (no cooking equals extra knitting time).

Then it was home for the kids to watch a film and me to put my feet up with my Kindle and crack on with my cowl. It really is amazing how much knitting you can get through when you focus on just one thing - and it helps if the yarn is as delicious to work with as this. As soft and plump as a Flump's behind.

There really are very few things to compete with the thrill of being able to face a cold, dark October morning snuggled up in something you have made yourself, with your own two hands. It really is particularly satisfying.

And now I find myself casting around for my next weekend project - matching mitts maybe?

Socktober

October really seems to have crept up on me this year and I can't quite believe we are in to Socktober already. Particularly bad planning on my part as I have 2 shawl patterns on the needles and an alpaca cardigan to finish.

I can't leave the day unmarked though so I'll be raiding my stash and casting on a new pair before the day is out. Even if they don't get finished for a while at least they will be on the needles.

Over on the Everyday Knitter Facebook group our monthly challenge is of course related to socks. There are a few sock novices who will be taking the plunge with their very first pair, as well as more experienced sock knitters who are setting themselves all manner of fun challenges. A tiny bit of my brain (the bit that is wildly over enthusiastic and fuelled by coffee) thought about trying to knit as many pairs as I could this month. Then, thankfully the more rational bit of my brain pointed to the aftermentioned knitting pile in progress and suggested that this might not be one of my better ideas.

Anyway, whatever your level of sock expertise I do hope you'll pop over to the group to join in. Even if you just lurk I hope you will pick up lots of ideas for inspiration and share our love for the way of the handknit sock.

Be all there

I don't remember where it was that I first came across this quote from the missionary Jim Elliot but I've found myself coming back to it more and more in recent weeks. It serves a reminder that sometimes we just need to focus on one thing and really enjoy it, rather than trying to do too many things at once.

I write every day, I love writing and I love writing about knitting so that naturally translates into writing here about my daily life, my knitting and my passions. As a card carrying introvert though, when things start to get a little sticky my natural inclination is to withdraw from the outside world. I still write every day but the words never see the light of day. I chose to keep them to myself rather than share something which is a little bit more downbeat and a little bit more personal than the stuff I usually choose to share.

I know that we can't always be relentlessly cheerful and indeed there is no expectation to be so - other than the expectations we place on ourselves.

But recent weeks found me increasingly unable to do everything I wanted to do and I was guilty of the eternal problem of trying to do everything, to please everyone and to be everywhere - all at the same time.

Fortunately, my ever loving husband is getting pretty good at intervening now and he saw the signs of a bit of a melt down before I did. As a result we changed our plans and decided not to go to Yarndale. Instead we still headed north but just to visit family and to spend time offline.

It never fails to amaze me what a difference a change of scenery makes. A chance for some fresh air, country walks and the sight of hills and stone walls. I live in the south of England but I was born and raised in the North and there is something really welcoming and about coming home and reconnecting to a landscape and a scenery that makes you feel at peace again.

So, this week it's back to normal. Lots on the needles and lots to write about but this time with a few self imposed rules to help me stay on track. No phone after 9pm and a proper bedtime routine being the key things. It's funny but they are things I'm so insistent that our kids do - but yet I don't apply the same rules to myself. And then I wonder why they are bright eyed and bushy tailed whilst I'm steaming my eyelids open over a cup of coffee.

So, if you "see" me on Twitter after 9pm you have my full permission to give me a gentle telling off.

Why pattern sharing is wrong!

Fuss Free Festival Shawl

Pattern sharing is theft!

There we go. A simple statement but one which I absolutely stand behind. In some circles I am aware that this might be greeted with a sharp intake of breath and sideways looks but as a designer who makes a sizeable chunk of her monthly income from direct pattern sales I feel compelled to point it out in no uncertain terms.

I was somewhat taken aback the other day to receive a private Facebook message asking me to copy a pattern I was using and post it to the messenger. They assured me they were more than happy to pay for postage to cover my expenses. In fact, now that I think about it, the request wasn't even couched in terribly polite, or apologetic tones. There was no "would you mind terribly..." or "I'm so sorry to bother you but..." Just a simple request that I copy the pattern and post it to them please.

I don't recall exactly what I said in response but I think I was polite (just) and firm in my assertion that I support the copyright of the original designer - whose published works are freely available for purchase.

It got me thinking though about the way that designers work these days and that maybe there might be a gap in perception between what indie designers do and how they earn their keep as compared to the big commercial yarn companies.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that there is a significant difference between a large commercial yarn company who produces patterns almost as a loss leader to support the yarn the pattern was created for. Indeed, not too many years ago there was a yarn shop near my parents house who would refuse to sell you a pattern unless you bought the accompanying yarn with which to make said pattern. The large companies almost certainly treat the patterns they produce this way, if not as disposable assets, but at least of secondary importance to their main aim - which is the sale of the yarn.

In the world of indie designers things are very different. The majority of us sell our patterns direct to the public, often via a 3rd party such as Ravelry or Love Knitting. Once Paypal, Ravelry fees and VAT are deducted that money is ours to do with as we will, whether that's to invest in new charting software, pay website fees or get the cat wormed!

For every £5 pattern sale we lose through someone 'sharing' a pattern with a friend that's money taken directly from our monthly income.

The issue which really got my goat from the original request was that the person concerned was more than willing, anxious even, to reimburse me for my time and expense is sending the pattern, but didn't give a second thought that the person who put all the hard work into designing and writing the pattern didn't deserve any recompense at all.

Like all things, it comes down to education. The more we educate people about how independent designers work and the more they come to appreciate the help and support they can get from the independent community then hopefully, they will be more prepared to support us in future.