If it's easy to fix, I fix it. If not and it's not going to detract from the overall look or cause me issues further on in the project I leave it. I'm not a perfectionist, never have been. There's a lot of leeway with knitted fabric and a good wash and block solves most issues.
Exactly that! I’m too impatient to be a perfectionist but I’m also terrible at doing tension swatches properly so I often have to restart a knitting project a couple of times but once I get going I’ll fudge it where possible.
I tend not to worry too much about small mistakes, but I do have a bad habit of pointing them out to people who compliment my makes - especially with sewing projects. I am really trying to work on not doing that anymore. It is OK to simply accept the compliment!
It's a bit like saying "this old thing" when someone compliments your dress isn't it. I do it too but am trying to get better at being more gracious in accepting compliments
Yes! I love that you use the word “gracious” here because it is really is un-gracious to deflect a complement, I think - I actually hate it when people do that to me.
I tend to rectify them but always decide if I can live with the mistake or not. If I’m in doubt, I fix it as I’d rather do it as soon as I notice it rather than deciding a dozen hours of knitting later that I can’t and pulling that all out too. If I’m going to put something down for a while after finding a mistake, I always get back to just before the mistake (be it knitting or sewing) so that when I pick it up again, I’m not starting with undoing something.
I’m content to leave small mistakes lie especially if it’s for me. Right now I’ve got a cable commission and I’ve gone wrong so many times. I’ve undone it as I’m being paid to make it but I would have left it if it was for me. I think who will notice (probably not many people) and if you’re that close to see it then you’re too close. On this project I’ve got one buttonhole to close to the one edge and I really don’t want to undo it again so I’m hoping I can do something about it when I sort the buttons side out. Most times I’m a great fudger.
Lovely post, thank you. I can let minor mistakes lie, as long as they are not too visible to me - on the back would be a good place! I also have a slowly ageing project on the go. A cotton tank top that I started way back in the early Spring. It may be ready for next summer at the rate I'm going, although I have reached splitting for the neck now. Looking outside - more rain anyone? - it will probably become a dishcloth before I have a chance to wear it.
My mother was an expert knitter. She always told me that I would (usually) be the only one who noticed the mistake/imperfection in my work. I try not to sweat small imperfections. However, if something doesn't look good, I will rip it out. Recently I finished a baby cap, but after washing it, the stitches looked all uneven. I will take that cap apart.
I resonate with all of this- the unworn sweater with fit issues and fixating on minor flaws. I was once complimented on a sweater. She said it was so perfect it looked like a machine had knit it. I felt compelled to offer to turn it inside out and prove my errors. 🤦♀️ Thank you for sharing this!
Oh, that made me smile thank you. You could be describing me. I'm slowly getting better at just saying 'thank you' when someone says something nice. But it's a bit of a battle.
I’m generally okay with letting mistakes just be. I’ve seen how perfectionism paralyses people. My husband crochets, embroiders, and quilts. His work is exquisite, but he got to a place where he was too anxious to even start for fear of messing up. He’s slowly getting back to creating, which is good for his soul.
He also doesn’t accept compliments well, which is something we’re both learning to say “Thank you.” Accept the gift the other is offering.
I learned as a child that perfection was not ever going to be in my past, present or future. Partly because I did not have the tools, or knowledge, resource, to fix it correctly. I look at relatives houses and see perfection and it has only a moment of my interaction. There is no fun, personality, smirk of humor, the room, house is dead from the inside out.
There are two errors in my current newsletter Notes from the Sea. Previously I would have been so mortified and gone back into fix them but I’ve left them because it’s the summer hols and also I feel like people will know what I mean over the typos? 💖 lovely piece!! ✨✨ good look with the knit!! 🧶
Like many others have already said, if an error is minor and/or too far back, I will make peace and leave it as a design feature - imperfections make our pieces unique! 🌟 Having said that, if it's glaringly obvious or a recent issue, I will fix it - a glaring error would annoy me and prevent me from wearing/using the item with pride and I tend to feel much more accomplished if I've fixed something!
I have come to a point where I AM able to let the lone or small mis-stitch remain in order to allow a project to be completed and used!!
I feel like it's definitely something you get more comfortable doing, as you get more experience.
If it's easy to fix, I fix it. If not and it's not going to detract from the overall look or cause me issues further on in the project I leave it. I'm not a perfectionist, never have been. There's a lot of leeway with knitted fabric and a good wash and block solves most issues.
Exactly that! I’m too impatient to be a perfectionist but I’m also terrible at doing tension swatches properly so I often have to restart a knitting project a couple of times but once I get going I’ll fudge it where possible.
Totally agree - I'm a firm believer in a good wash will sort most things out
Done is better than perfect 💯
Also, getting stuff off my desk/needles - work submitted, having the item available to wear - is so important.
I work education and perfectionism is paralysing. It saps energy and time out of all proportion to the individual task.
Remember: it's a design feature 🥰
Totally agree, otherwise things can just drag on so much can't they
I also can't type: "work IN education" 🤦♀️🤣
I tend not to worry too much about small mistakes, but I do have a bad habit of pointing them out to people who compliment my makes - especially with sewing projects. I am really trying to work on not doing that anymore. It is OK to simply accept the compliment!
It's a bit like saying "this old thing" when someone compliments your dress isn't it. I do it too but am trying to get better at being more gracious in accepting compliments
Yes! I love that you use the word “gracious” here because it is really is un-gracious to deflect a complement, I think - I actually hate it when people do that to me.
I’m ok with leaving most mistakes and moving on in my project. But your paragraph about accepting compliments hits home.
It's definitely a work in progress isn't it. I think so many of us, in general are pretty bad at accepting compliments
I’m trying to learn to let the compliment land and say thank you. Externally, I’m doing ok. Internally, that’s another story.
I tend to rectify them but always decide if I can live with the mistake or not. If I’m in doubt, I fix it as I’d rather do it as soon as I notice it rather than deciding a dozen hours of knitting later that I can’t and pulling that all out too. If I’m going to put something down for a while after finding a mistake, I always get back to just before the mistake (be it knitting or sewing) so that when I pick it up again, I’m not starting with undoing something.
I do the same. If I'm going to pull back I have to do it either then and there or basically, never 😂
I’m content to leave small mistakes lie especially if it’s for me. Right now I’ve got a cable commission and I’ve gone wrong so many times. I’ve undone it as I’m being paid to make it but I would have left it if it was for me. I think who will notice (probably not many people) and if you’re that close to see it then you’re too close. On this project I’ve got one buttonhole to close to the one edge and I really don’t want to undo it again so I’m hoping I can do something about it when I sort the buttons side out. Most times I’m a great fudger.
I'm a great believer in fudging something, although I guess, as you say for a commission you do really have to deliver what your promised
Lovely post, thank you. I can let minor mistakes lie, as long as they are not too visible to me - on the back would be a good place! I also have a slowly ageing project on the go. A cotton tank top that I started way back in the early Spring. It may be ready for next summer at the rate I'm going, although I have reached splitting for the neck now. Looking outside - more rain anyone? - it will probably become a dishcloth before I have a chance to wear it.
My mother was an expert knitter. She always told me that I would (usually) be the only one who noticed the mistake/imperfection in my work. I try not to sweat small imperfections. However, if something doesn't look good, I will rip it out. Recently I finished a baby cap, but after washing it, the stitches looked all uneven. I will take that cap apart.
I know what you mean, there are some things that you just can't live with.
I resonate with all of this- the unworn sweater with fit issues and fixating on minor flaws. I was once complimented on a sweater. She said it was so perfect it looked like a machine had knit it. I felt compelled to offer to turn it inside out and prove my errors. 🤦♀️ Thank you for sharing this!
Oh, that made me smile thank you. You could be describing me. I'm slowly getting better at just saying 'thank you' when someone says something nice. But it's a bit of a battle.
I’m generally okay with letting mistakes just be. I’ve seen how perfectionism paralyses people. My husband crochets, embroiders, and quilts. His work is exquisite, but he got to a place where he was too anxious to even start for fear of messing up. He’s slowly getting back to creating, which is good for his soul.
He also doesn’t accept compliments well, which is something we’re both learning to say “Thank you.” Accept the gift the other is offering.
Mostly if I see a mistake I’ll correct it but I’m getting better at letting perfection go.
I learned as a child that perfection was not ever going to be in my past, present or future. Partly because I did not have the tools, or knowledge, resource, to fix it correctly. I look at relatives houses and see perfection and it has only a moment of my interaction. There is no fun, personality, smirk of humor, the room, house is dead from the inside out.
There are two errors in my current newsletter Notes from the Sea. Previously I would have been so mortified and gone back into fix them but I’ve left them because it’s the summer hols and also I feel like people will know what I mean over the typos? 💖 lovely piece!! ✨✨ good look with the knit!! 🧶
Exactly, life is definitely too short to worry over the small stuff.
I’ve come to realise this too. I’ll never be one for perfect spelling or punctuation anyway!! ✨🙏
Like many others have already said, if an error is minor and/or too far back, I will make peace and leave it as a design feature - imperfections make our pieces unique! 🌟 Having said that, if it's glaringly obvious or a recent issue, I will fix it - a glaring error would annoy me and prevent me from wearing/using the item with pride and I tend to feel much more accomplished if I've fixed something!
These days I just call it a design element and let it go LOL