Conspiracy Theory

Disco C here again with another riveting tale of knitting trials and triumphs. Remember that last post? The one about all that adventuresome learning and excitement of new and challenging goals? F*#@ that post.

Somewhere, in a smoke-filled, dimly-lit conference room, the Lace Czars converge around a slick, rectangular tangle covered with a fantastic lace table-cover. The are examining a pattern, squinting through the smoke and spectacles. "Surely no one will try this pattern without experience." One says, frowning. "No, surely not. No one would dare be so brazen as to attempt an Estonian lace shawl for their first shawl!" Laughter erupts at the very idea. Chortling hur hur hur's fill the room and a stamp comes down upon the pattern: APPROVED FOR CIRCULATION.

Alas, these mysterious shadowy figures had no idea what they were unleashing upon the world or that a simple lace-novice such as myself might innocently stumble upon this pattern and, in my naivete, attempt to posses and conquer it. What no one realized was that this pattern would instead attempt to conquer me. And, in the transition chart, row 9, I had thought it had done just that. But, thanks to the tireless efforts of my compatriot Marie, it would not be that day. Oh, no indeed. Hours of labor later (and with a new lifeline installed) I would go on, I would persevere, I would triumph. The thing about knitting is that you have to accept that there will be mistakes, and even the most seasoned veterans will tell you that it is nearly impossible to complete a project without having to fix at least a couple errors along the way. What separates the truly skilled from the amateurs is not perfect technique or flawless execution, but instead it is the acceptance of making mistakes and the will to overcome them. In many ways being able to fix mistakes is the true mark of an expert, rather than the lack of mistakes in general.

So, while I still strongly advocate knitting from the heart and taking on the world, the moral of my tale and the Quorum of Knitting Czars is to use lifelines whenever you are facing overwhelming odds. They don't call them "lifelines" for nothing.

Until next time, my fellow adventurers!

-Disco C (catch my knitting adventures on my Ravelry page!)