Just cause it was good enough for mama, doesn't mean it's good enough for you!
Many times I have heard that a technique was "good enough for my mother, so it's good enough for me." That kind of close minded thinking worries me. Why, we wouldn't have cars if everyone felt that way. We'd still be driving around in horse drawn buggies. Or we'd be washing our clothes by hand or wringer washers. Worse, we'd only have one bath a week and be sharing the bath water with the rest of the family.
I hear the comment mostly concerning casting on or casting off - the knitter has learned from her mother , who learned the same cast on from her mother. Yet, the knitter is in the shop trying to find out what she has done wrong because her dear husband can't get the lovingly knit socks on. You see, the cast on was too firm - no stretch at all and the sock wouldn't go over his foot. If the knitter had taken a few moments to refer to a knitting how to book, or to the internet for a stretch cast on, she wouldn't have this problem. But, apparently the cast on was good enough for her mother so why do it differently. Several years ago I thought I had the knitting world by the tail as I could do 5 different cast ons. It was a humbling experience when I discovered there are over 30 cast ons detailed in "The Principles of Knitting", and more have been refined since the book was published in 1988.
I was able to help this poor woman by showing her - and she was scared to do it - pick out the cast on row, put the live stitches back on the some double pointed needles and do a sewn bind off. Voila, the problem was solved, but also it was totally avoidable with a bit of research on her part before casting on.
So, with this on my mind, I started a new blog today. Nothing much on it yet, but check back occasionally. I'll be uploading and organizing knitting and crochet techniques so they will all be in one place. Including so many cast ons it'll make your head spin.
I hear the comment mostly concerning casting on or casting off - the knitter has learned from her mother , who learned the same cast on from her mother. Yet, the knitter is in the shop trying to find out what she has done wrong because her dear husband can't get the lovingly knit socks on. You see, the cast on was too firm - no stretch at all and the sock wouldn't go over his foot. If the knitter had taken a few moments to refer to a knitting how to book, or to the internet for a stretch cast on, she wouldn't have this problem. But, apparently the cast on was good enough for her mother so why do it differently. Several years ago I thought I had the knitting world by the tail as I could do 5 different cast ons. It was a humbling experience when I discovered there are over 30 cast ons detailed in "The Principles of Knitting", and more have been refined since the book was published in 1988.
I was able to help this poor woman by showing her - and she was scared to do it - pick out the cast on row, put the live stitches back on the some double pointed needles and do a sewn bind off. Voila, the problem was solved, but also it was totally avoidable with a bit of research on her part before casting on.
So, with this on my mind, I started a new blog today. Nothing much on it yet, but check back occasionally. I'll be uploading and organizing knitting and crochet techniques so they will all be in one place. Including so many cast ons it'll make your head spin.
Welcome to the Ewe-niversity of Eastern Ontario. Go Sheep Go! Have a great day!
And yes, it is 3:30 AM - I couldn't sleep.
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