Do I Knit Differently Than I Did Years Ago?

I've been knitting and crocheting for about 45 years.

I'm not entirely sure how that's possible, but apparently it is! 😄

The funny thing is, I never really thought of myself as a "crafter" or even a "fiber person" until about ten years ago.

But when I look back, yarn has been part of my life for a very long time.

I remember being young and winding yarn into what I thought was the most perfectly wound ball of yarn. I took it to my mom and asked her if she thought it was beautiful too.

Apparently I've always had a thing for yarn.

And after thinking about it, maybe that explains quite a bit about the knitter I've become.

I Know What I Want From My Yarn

My knitting has definitely changed over the years.

I'm much better at choosing colors now. I'm better at looking at a pattern and figuring out what kind of yarn will work with it. I've also become much fussier about the yarn I'm willing to use.

Maybe having a very large yarn stash allows me to be picky.

Or maybe it just gives me more to pick from!

Either way, I've learned that I don't just want a yarn that technically works for a pattern. I want the yarn to create the fabric I'm picturing in my head.

When I start a project, I usually have a certain look and feel in mind.

How will the fabric feel?

How will it drape?

How will the colors work together?

Does the yarn show off the stitch pattern?

I suppose I'm admitting that sometimes I'm thinking about all of those things before I'm thinking about fit.

That sounds a little backwards when I say it out loud.

But there it is.

I really enjoy making fabric.

There's something about watching yarn become fabric one stitch at a time that I still find fascinating after all these years.

I've Learned to Trust Myself

I'm also a much more confident knitter than I used to be.

That doesn't mean I don't make mistakes. I certainly do.

The difference is that now I trust myself to deal with them.

If something isn't working, I know I'm usually better off ripping it out and figuring out why it isn't working before I start again.

Maybe I need a different needle size.

Maybe it's the wrong yarn.

Maybe I don't like the colors together.

Maybe the pattern just isn't working for me.

Years ago, I might have kept going because I didn't want to lose the work I'd already done.

Now?

Rip it out. Change something. Try again.

I've learned from enough mistakes to know that continuing to knit something I already don't like probably isn't going to magically make me like it later.

And I Block Everything

Another thing I've learned is the importance of blocking.

I've heard it said that blocking can be the difference between something looking professional and something looking homemade, and I really believe it makes an incredible difference.

So yes, I want to block everything I knit.

There is, however, one tiny problem.

The ends.

Weaving in ends is definitely my weak point.

I currently have a pile of completely finished knitted items that aren't actually "finished" because they still need their ends woven in and then need to be blocked.

Apparently after 45 years of knitting, I still haven't learned to enjoy that part of the process.

Maybe in another 45 years. 😄

When Did I Learn All This?

One of the strangest things about becoming a more experienced knitter happens when someone asks me for help.

They'll show me something and ask what's wrong or how they should fix it...

And sometimes I just know the answer.

Then I'll think to myself:

When did I learn that?

I couldn't tell you.

I don't remember sitting down and deliberately learning every little thing I know about knitting.

I think so much of it simply comes from doing it over and over again.

Making mistakes.

Fixing mistakes.

Trying different yarns.

Choosing the wrong yarn.

Trying another one.

Following patterns.

Changing patterns.

And knitting thousands and thousands of stitches.

Somewhere along the way, all those little experiences add up.

Maybe I Really Am a Process Knitter

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I love the process of knitting even more than the finished product.

Don't get me wrong. I love having a beautiful finished project.

But what keeps bringing me back is the making.

I love yarn.

I love the feel of it in my hands.

I love watching colors work together.

I love seeing the fabric develop.

I love getting into that rhythm where my hands seem to know what they're doing without me thinking about every stitch.

And apparently that isn't something new at all.

Maybe the little girl who carefully wound that ball of yarn and proudly asked her mom if it was beautiful already understood it.

She just didn't know yet that yarn would still be such a big part of her life 45 years later.

My knitting has changed tremendously over the years.

I'm more confident. I'm pickier about my yarn. I understand color better. I'm much more willing to rip something out. I've learned how important finishing and blocking can be.

But maybe the biggest thing hasn't changed at all.

I still love the yarn.

And I still love seeing what it can become.

Now I'm curious about you.

How has your knitting or crocheting changed over the years?

Are you a different maker than you were five, ten or twenty years ago? What do you know now that you wish you could tell yourself when you were first starting out?

I'd love to hear your answers.

Happy knitting!

Betty Jo