You don’t know what you don’t know!
Getting to the other side of a knowledge gap.
INSIDE: going gently, learning well, inside out shenanigans, how I got hooked on socks, plum delights + the power of kindness.
There’s an expectation I have of myself that after all the years I’ve been knitting, I’d “know” how to do more. Every time I encounter a challenge in my knitting project, my first reaction is “why don’t I know how to do this? After all these years, I should have more of a clue!”
Then I remember this phrase: “you don’t know, what you don’t know.”
It reminds me I’m always learning and I can’t know everything in knitting and life for that matter! Once I pause, I think: I don’t know how to do this yet. I’m still learning and that’s okay.
I sit in the temporary discomfort my “not knowing” brings, and it passes! Another gentle reminder to myself in these moments is “this too will pass.”
In my latest project, the Flow Tee, I had to turn the work inside out before continuing with separating the body and sleeves.
You’d think this would be simple!
So you can imagine my husband’s bewilderment when he found me with my work-in-progress inside out over my head, giving it a stern talking to.
I was figuring out where the left sleeve would be with the wrong side facing out. That was the first sleeve I had to put stitches on scrap yarn.
What on earth are you doing, he asked? I tried explaining to him what difficulties I was facing. I could see he was confused, but he encouraged me to keep trying to work it out.
After believing I’d turned the work inside out, I found when knitting the stitches instead of purling them as I’d been doing, it broke the reverse stockinette.
So I had done something wrong!
I searched for tutorials online but they didn’t cover reverse stockinette when turning the work inside out and knitting in the round.
I thought I could continue purling and have the complete opposite of what the pattern recommended as a ‘quick fix,’ but I was avoiding learning how to turn the work inside out.
I got out my pencils and paper and drew a schematic to understand how I could work on the wrong side as written in the pattern.
I figured out I had to knit in the other direction after breaking the yarn and removing the beginning of the round marker.
This was after I’d gone and continued to purl and placed the sleeve stitches on scrap yarn. Doing the complete opposite of what the pattern instructed!
To undo the row of stitches still on the needle was beyond me, so I placed all the body stitches on scrap yarn as well, in readiness for my next move!
Now the fun (I use the word fun loosely here) began.
I went back to where I’d cut the yarn and removed the beginning of the round marker. I held one needle tip with the long cable with a stopper on the end in my right hand, and the other needle tip with a shorter cable with a stopper in my left hand.
I knew the stitches had to go on the right-hand side. I’d get to a point where I could place the needle tip held in my left hand back on the other end of the longer cable and remove the stopper.
There was method in my madness because it worked out and I got the body stitches back onto one circular needle and I was knitting, doing knit stitches on the wrong side!
Plus, I was working as the pattern instructed. I finished the row with the new beginning of the round marker being in the middle of the cast on stitches for the left underarm.
Hooray for my perseverance!
So now, do I have confidence to turn my work inside out?
No! Of course not!
But I don’t give up easily and I’m willing to use my “little grey cells”, a quote from Agatha Christie’s famous character Hercule Poirot, to figure out a problem.
Also, patience goes a long way, as does faith in my problem-solving.
Now I’m knitting the body rows of which there will be many!
I’m following the wonderful suggestions
has in her series on staying motivated with the “boring” knitting sections.And another question for you: What advice do you have for people struggling with learning new things?
Version 3 Of Knitting Habits Is Out Now!
When I was living in Brasov, Romania in 2019, I’d learned how to knit two at a time socks with Kate Atherley’s course: Knit Socks: Two at a Time!
Her instructions were clear, and it made it super easy to follow. I’m fond of video tutorials because I can pause and replay them whenever needed!
I discovered a local yarn store called Irika Knit Happens in Cluj-Napoca, around 4 hours from Brasov, and asked whether I could get supplies delivered.
Fortunately, yes, I could! With the owner’s helpful advice, I bought 4mm interchangeable knitting needle tips and a 120cm cable. (The magic loop method for 2 at a time socks requires a long cord.)
I liked the pink and red of Elb Sox (75% wool, 25% nylon) and planned to make bed socks for myself as my first sock adventure!
Prior to beginning, I followed the advice of other knitters to create a swatch!
Knitting two socks at a time was fun to do and I learned so much.
I did the top down method with a heel flap and heel turn known as a Dutch Heel turn or Band Square heel. It creates a little square under the foot.
These socks are a welcome addition in the colder weather.
Hard to believe, but I wore these on the colder mornings when living in Chiang Mai, Thailand during November and December.
With practice, I’d keep using the technique of knitting socks two at a time for plain patterns. I’d need to refresh my memory on how to do it.
I knit more complicated sock patterns one at a time.
The beautifully soft Twill yarn is now available in fingering + more colors!
I love working with this 100% fine superwash merino yarn. The fibers are so elastic and feel wonderful against the skin. And it’s even machine washable!
Mystery Quote Of The Week
"What is it you receive when you receive a shawl? You receive a garment that proclaims peace — peace over you, peace under you, peace within you, peace around you. We cannot knit and hold a gun. We cannot knit and strike another. You receive a shawl that has been knit in love — love that is freely given for its own sake.”
Which authors said this? Comment or press reply! No cheating!
(You’ll find out if you were correct next week.)
Last week’s mystery quote author was… Lily Chin!
Comment below if you got it right.
Crafting Trivia Question Of The Week
Which crochet hook creates stitches that resemble rows of knitting?
What’s the answer? Leave a comment or press reply! No cheating! 😊
(You’ll find out if you were correct next week.)
Last week’s answer to: which Agatha Christie character is always knitting?
Miss Marple! Congratulations to
and for being correct. Did you get it right? Leave a comment if you did!
I’m grateful for my father-in-law’s Green Gauge Plums from his garden. They’re deliciously sweet and tart with firm flesh. Superb fresh or stewed!
Made all the more lovely by my Mama's Penelope Crockery, a gift she received at her wedding in June 1931, when she married my Papa.
My eldest and I made a cake with those plums. (Flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, cinnamon and then baked in a slow oven until cooked.)
Then we served it with stewed plums. Delish!
New Limited Edition Colorways! Once They’re Sold, They’re Gone!
I love the Knit Picks sock yarn base (75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon.) It’s sturdy, has a nice feel, and is easy to care for. These colorways are such fun!
I was reflecting on a part of the beautiful and moving story called The Boy, the Mole, the Fox & the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. The mole asked the boy: “what do you want to be when you grow up?” “Kind,” said the boy.
So, may you be kind to yourself and to others. Kindness lifts our spirits!
P.S. Isn’t this flowering gum tree gorgeous?
P.P.S Thanks for reading!
(Disclosure: Any purchases made through links may earn me a commission.)
Before you go…
You asked what we do when we encounter a problem. I go to Ravelry, look up the pattern, choose the Projects tab and review knitters’ comments. I often find superknitters have documented the steps after solving.
I WAS thinking of knitting the Flow Tee 😂