Thursday 10 September 2009

It is what it is.

It finally hit me last evening, that I am ready as I can be for part one of the class. Till now, I have been worried that my samples were not clear enough, that what historical information I have wouldn't be enough, that people would find themselves bored to tears.

But I have finally accepted that it will be what it will be. I'm done knitting new little samples obsessing over the 'perfect' one. I'm not a technically perfect knitter. I'm not sure I ever will be. I keep working on it and that is enough. Maybe my mildly flawed earliest baby gansey sample will inspire other knitters to keep trying, to keep improving. Maybe my strange technique of knitting will help out some other soul.

What I am is a decent knitter, an adventurous knitter and most assuredly an enthusiastic knitter. I think these are the things that come across when I talk about knitting.

Knitting may not be big in the grand scheme of things, this pulling of a loop of string though another loop of string. It might not be ground breaking and it will likely never hit the headline news but in its own small way, knitting can help. It can help rebalance some of the parts of our modern western lives that are so dreadfully out of whack. It helps us understand that pulling back and redoing are not things to fear, are not ever failures. It helps to put firmly in mind that each and every time we screw up we are just giving ourselves little stops along the way where lessons can be learned. There is something about focusing on one small loop at a time that makes the bigger, harder, more serious things seem easier to bear, easier to understand, easier to cope with.

Sorry, I got a little carried away. It happens. The rest of my day is going to be errands and blocking all the wee samples for the class. There might be one sample series that I will reknit, but first we'll see what blocking will do for it. There are ends to weave in on my first little pink sample sweater and copies of notes to be made. There is a chart to be worked up, and graph paper to be prepared. Small details all, but more importantly, my head is ready..

I'll get nerves tomorrow, no doubt. I'll have to watch the coffee consumption so that I don't talk to fast. But these are tomorrows things, and I can leave them be. The morning is bright, there is knitting on my needles. I can't think of a nicer way to start a day.

4 comments:

Sigrun said...

It sounds like you're well-prepared. Don't fret. You'll do just fine.

Mrs. Spit said...

Walk in, smile your wonderful smile, and you are going to rock the class!

Knitting Alchemist said...

Enjoy the first time jitters...you'll be teaching many classes in future, and you'll never have that first-time-excitement again.

As always, I LOVE your writing... "little stops along the way where lessons can be learned" That is exactly what happens all the time. Right now actually I'm on a big stop as carpal tunnel has reared its ugly wrist on me. I miss knitting sooooo much and it's only been a few days. sigh...

Sandra said...

You'll be fine. I find I'm at my best when I'm talking about something I'm passionate about. I can talk about knitting all day. At work, when asked to discuss a spreadsheet, I'm eloquent and concise. WHen asked to talka bout something I'm not comfortable with, not so much.