Ah ha moments

Knitting, more than any other hand work I have done has led me to little ah ha moments.

You know. Those moments where some little concept that was just not clear instantly became clear, and left you feeling just the tiniest bit simple, only you don't feel too embarrassed about your previous simple mindedness, because what you finally see opened a world of possibilities and you are going to be way to busy figuring out what else you can do with a technique.

Most often, when I see or read about something new, I pick up enough understanding to figure it out the rest of the way and as I figure things out, I learn. Occasionally very simple concepts get blocked and you can show me, you can tell me, you can bop me on the head with a rubber mallet and I won't see. And then all of a sudden, one day, I have a moment where I see my way through and it just is simple and clear.

I had a big ah ha moment when I finally figured out why my knitting was different than every one else's knitting and what I need to do to knit my way and still have perfectly made decreases and increases.

I had a big ah ha moment when I saw Curlerchick do the short rows for a proper fitting bust on the Tubey sweater.

Yesterday I had an aha moment on a short row heel. I was discussing short rows heels with a lady from my knitting group a week ago, and complaining about how much I dislike wrapping and all the frustrating tracking, and she said she never wraps. She showed me a sock she had with her. No wraps, No holes. Me likey. She brought a swatch to show me the process this week.

She knit for a moment, and in one wee short row, one wee moment of time, it hit me. Most short row heels are about narrowing down and then working back up. This short row heel is gusseted and is just freakishly cool, and tidy looking. There are no wraps forming a thick uncomfortable ridge alongside your heel, just a nice little row of stitches knit together. The basic design is from Wendy Knits Sportweight Toe Up Gusset Heel socks. My friend believes this is how her grandmother did sock heels.

Check it out. It is kind of cool.

Along with big ah ha moment, the baby projects continue apace, the second of the Big fabel socks is completed, and I knit a little on SS's sweater. It was a great knitting day.