My mother always left a deliberate but hidden mistake not because of superstition but she felt that no one could claim to be perfect so added this mistake on purpose. I’ve read that Chinese would do something similar in their calligraphy.
Navajo weavers do the same in their blankets, make a small deliberate mistake, so as not to seem uppity and proud to the spirits who might feel the need to take them down a peg.
I'm Swedish and have never heard of any of these knitting superstitious ideas (except the boyfriend sweater one, but that's just common sense - no unmarried manboy deserves that much devotion 😜). But great read, love learning about your cute grandma.
In my reading I did find an Icelandic tradition (I think) which said it was unlucky to knit in doorways 🤣 I don't think I found any Swedish ones though
I have heard of knit a mistake into everything as only God /Allah is perfect and my father in law and husband wouldn’t ever have a green car as that is unlucky ( goes back to your mentioned Irish fairy story).
Oh I’m with you with the black yarn. I’ve just cast on a black cardigan and had no idea I’d have to knit with a head-torch to see the stitches 😂 hopefully the dark colour is also forgiving of all the mistakes I’ll inevitably make.
But you can deal with it by putting a white pillowcase or sheet in your lap and then putting the project on top of it, plus using one of those light-up crochet hooks. Doing those 2 things makes a huge difference!
(But I still don't really enjoy crocheting with dark-colored yarn).
Oh that’s a marvellous reason to make mistakes. I feel relieved 😂😉. As my hair naturally sheds when knitting for my beloved I now feel compelled to admit witchery to him to cleave him to my side. Being a fellow bottle green jumper school wearer I would be happy to report #nothing to see here on the fairies front so you are undoubtedly right that they lack the gumption for bottle. That said maybe the fairies don’t want someone who wears red slippers and has a penchant for numerous versions from flats to heels 👠 of the fallen woman variety.
I'm always knitting with green! For me, it's the colour of hope, Spring and renewal. I knitted a jumper for my current husband of 37 years haha. It vanished in the mists of time though he still has a gorgeous jumper made by the girlfriend before me. I do love hearing these superstitions.
I got quite the giggle when I saw the title of your post - two of my friends and I have started blankets at the same time more than once. I've finished mine. Theirs are both still languishing - because they get to the green and get stuck! It's become a running joke now to not include green or they will give up!
Somehow, despite being obsessed with my Irish heritage and reading all I can on old myths and fairytales, I missed the note about green! I’ve knit multiple green sweaters for my oldest kiddo at this point because green was his favorite color (until last year…so this year his Christmas sweater is to be burnt orange instead because I refused to knit with neon orange.)
Not knitting related (though there is a tenuous link) but I had an Auntie, who was a prolific knitter and like your Nana an Irish Catholic with a very strong faith. She used to run past Protestant churches in case the devil came out to get her. In later life when she wasn’t able to run, she’d cross the road rather than walk past. Classic Irish superstition!
I couldn't possibly deliberately leave a mistake. I'd fret over it forever. I think I made a mistake trying to buy one of your patterns though but I've no idea what. It just will not take me further than entering my details.
Oh no, how can I help? What are you trying to buy and where?.I have patterns on my website, on Payhip and Ravelry. If you can send me the link to what you are interested in I can try to help.
Hiya, it's the Green Gable Socks pattern. Cables without the hassle looks good to me. I was on your website. It let me put in my details and select card then it went no further. At 3. Review & purchase it just stopped. I knew it would be on Ravelry so bought it there. Thought you'd like to know though.
A quilting superstition holds that one should never sew on a Sunday, because in the afterlife one will have to pick out all Sunday stitches. With one's nose.
Interesting perspective. My grandmother was Scots Presbyterian and hated green because of its association with Catholics. My father said she had trouble walking on grass. Poor old green, nobody loves it. Says she who is currently knitting herself a green jumper with mistakes and plenty of strands of hair. Funny old world.
My mother always left a deliberate but hidden mistake not because of superstition but she felt that no one could claim to be perfect so added this mistake on purpose. I’ve read that Chinese would do something similar in their calligraphy.
Though the rest of us make plenty of mistakes without having to add some on purpose 😅
I'm definitely in that club
As a beginner knitter, I am firmly in that camp.
It's a lovely sentiment isn't it
I’ve always joked that I leave at least three mistakes; it’s how you know it’s handmade. 😂🤷♀️
I believe the Amish do this too.
Navajo weavers do the same in their blankets, make a small deliberate mistake, so as not to seem uppity and proud to the spirits who might feel the need to take them down a peg.
Does the hair thing count if it unintentional?
Asking for a friend, who is forever pulling errant hairs out of her stitches. 🤦♀️🤷♀️😂
I'm not sure, but I can only assume that I've managed to tie myself to an awful lot of people over the years 🤣
Or if it belongs to the canine family member? 😉
(It’s me. I’m the friend. 😂)
I'm Swedish and have never heard of any of these knitting superstitious ideas (except the boyfriend sweater one, but that's just common sense - no unmarried manboy deserves that much devotion 😜). But great read, love learning about your cute grandma.
Happy Midsummer!
In my reading I did find an Icelandic tradition (I think) which said it was unlucky to knit in doorways 🤣 I don't think I found any Swedish ones though
How is this even a thing, WHO knits in doorways!🤣🤣
It's a fair point 🤣🤣
LOL!
I have heard of knit a mistake into everything as only God /Allah is perfect and my father in law and husband wouldn’t ever have a green car as that is unlucky ( goes back to your mentioned Irish fairy story).
I had no idea green was so ill regarded but it's a real thing isn't it.
Oh I’m with you with the black yarn. I’ve just cast on a black cardigan and had no idea I’d have to knit with a head-torch to see the stitches 😂 hopefully the dark colour is also forgiving of all the mistakes I’ll inevitably make.
i can tell you it’s definitely the same with crocheting 😭🤣
Yep!
But you can deal with it by putting a white pillowcase or sheet in your lap and then putting the project on top of it, plus using one of those light-up crochet hooks. Doing those 2 things makes a huge difference!
(But I still don't really enjoy crocheting with dark-colored yarn).
That would be the only way I would be able to knit with such dark yarn these days
Eggplant purple. It’s beautiful, but oy! it’s hard to see! 🫣
Oh that’s a marvellous reason to make mistakes. I feel relieved 😂😉. As my hair naturally sheds when knitting for my beloved I now feel compelled to admit witchery to him to cleave him to my side. Being a fellow bottle green jumper school wearer I would be happy to report #nothing to see here on the fairies front so you are undoubtedly right that they lack the gumption for bottle. That said maybe the fairies don’t want someone who wears red slippers and has a penchant for numerous versions from flats to heels 👠 of the fallen woman variety.
Ha! Very true. It takes a certain sturdy nerve to tackle a bottle green school cardigan 🤣
I'm always knitting with green! For me, it's the colour of hope, Spring and renewal. I knitted a jumper for my current husband of 37 years haha. It vanished in the mists of time though he still has a gorgeous jumper made by the girlfriend before me. I do love hearing these superstitions.
I love how so many of them have a grain of truth going back to folk lore or old myths. It feels like a real connection to history.
I got quite the giggle when I saw the title of your post - two of my friends and I have started blankets at the same time more than once. I've finished mine. Theirs are both still languishing - because they get to the green and get stuck! It's become a running joke now to not include green or they will give up!
Oh, that's so funny.
It's definitely a 'thing' isn't it
OH the bottle green school cardigan or jumper! That made me laugh...
Once worn, never forgotten
Somehow, despite being obsessed with my Irish heritage and reading all I can on old myths and fairytales, I missed the note about green! I’ve knit multiple green sweaters for my oldest kiddo at this point because green was his favorite color (until last year…so this year his Christmas sweater is to be burnt orange instead because I refused to knit with neon orange.)
Burnt orange sounds fabulous. I don't think I could manage neon orange either, at least not without sunglasses. 😎😎
Not knitting related (though there is a tenuous link) but I had an Auntie, who was a prolific knitter and like your Nana an Irish Catholic with a very strong faith. She used to run past Protestant churches in case the devil came out to get her. In later life when she wasn’t able to run, she’d cross the road rather than walk past. Classic Irish superstition!
Oh I love that. My Nana was born with a dodgy hip so she never ran but I can definitely imagine her speeding up as she went past 🤣
The sweater curse is real!
I couldn't possibly deliberately leave a mistake. I'd fret over it forever. I think I made a mistake trying to buy one of your patterns though but I've no idea what. It just will not take me further than entering my details.
Oh no, how can I help? What are you trying to buy and where?.I have patterns on my website, on Payhip and Ravelry. If you can send me the link to what you are interested in I can try to help.
Hiya, it's the Green Gable Socks pattern. Cables without the hassle looks good to me. I was on your website. It let me put in my details and select card then it went no further. At 3. Review & purchase it just stopped. I knew it would be on Ravelry so bought it there. Thought you'd like to know though.
Thanks so much for letting me know - I’ll go and take a look.
A quilting superstition holds that one should never sew on a Sunday, because in the afterlife one will have to pick out all Sunday stitches. With one's nose.
Interesting perspective. My grandmother was Scots Presbyterian and hated green because of its association with Catholics. My father said she had trouble walking on grass. Poor old green, nobody loves it. Says she who is currently knitting herself a green jumper with mistakes and plenty of strands of hair. Funny old world.
Interesting! Haven't heard of knitting superstitions in my neck of the woods. However, we have several other superstitions for different things.