What Knitting Has Taught Me That Has Nothing to Do With Knitting

When I started thinking about what knitting has taught me that has absolutely nothing to do with knitting, I realized this is a pretty big subject.

But two things immediately came to mind: patience and growth.

When I first started knitting, I couldn't get projects done fast enough. Like most beginners, I was a slow knitter. I would finish a row, stop, look at my work, check for mistakes, see how far I had left to go...and then start the next row.

It was very slow moving.

But I kept going.

In those early days, I mostly made smaller projects—socks, mittens, beanies and things that felt manageable. Eventually I worked my way up to my first sweater, a Wallaby sweater for my mom.

After that, I was hooked.

I've made many sweaters since, and somewhere along the way something changed.

The more I knit, the faster I became. Eventually, I realized I was knitting while watching TV without constantly looking down at my hands. I could feel my stitches. My hands knew what they were doing.

I remember realizing something else at the same time:

Once I stopped focusing on getting faster, I got faster.

When I finally sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the process, everything seemed to go more smoothly.

Isn't that true about so many things in life?

We can get so wrapped up in the little details—how fast we're going, how much we have left to do, whether we're doing everything exactly right—that we forget to enjoy the big picture.

Sometimes we need to stop worrying about getting to the end and simply be present for where we are right now.

Perfection Isn't Necessary

This might be the second biggest lesson knitting has taught me.

It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

A mistake or a little flaw doesn't take away everything that is good about what you've created. In fact, those little differences are part of what makes something handmade and one of a kind.

And being one of a kind is a good thing!

That doesn't mean I never fix mistakes.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is rip back.

I've learned that ripping out your work isn't a failure. If there's a mistake that's really going to bother me, I'd much rather go back and fix it than keep knitting while trying to hide it.

Own the mistake.

Then decide: Do I fix it, or do I accept it?

That's where one of my favorite questions comes in:

Can you see it from a galloping horse?

If the answer is no, is it really a problem?

That's a question only you can answer for yourself. Some mistakes won't bother you at all once the project is finished. Others will catch your eye every single time you wear it.

You know yourself well enough to know the difference.

If it's going to bother you, go back and fix it.

If it isn't, let it go.

That's a pretty good lesson outside of knitting too.

You Don't Always Have to Follow the Pattern

This one took some time for me to learn too.

A pattern is a wonderful guide, but that doesn't mean you always have to follow it exactly.

Change the color.

Make it longer.

Make it shorter.

Add something.

Leave something out.

Use a different yarn.

Put your own flair into it.

Make it yours.

The same is true in life. We don't have to do something simply because that's the way everyone else is doing it. Sometimes it's okay to look at the pattern, understand where you're trying to go, and then take your own route to get there.

I'm Still Learning

After all these years of knitting, I'm certainly a faster and more experienced knitter than I was when I sat there inspecting every single row.

But I think the more important changes have happened in me.

I've learned to be patient with myself.

I've learned that growth happens when you keep showing up, even when it feels slow.

I've learned that mistakes can be fixed—and that some don't need fixing at all.

I've learned that perfect isn't necessarily better.

I've learned to enjoy the process instead of always rushing toward the finished project.

And I've learned that sometimes it's perfectly okay to ignore the pattern and make things your own.

Funny how two sticks and some yarn can teach you so much.

I'd love to know what knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving—or whatever craft you love—has taught you that has nothing to do with the craft itself.

I have a feeling we could learn a lot from each other's answers.

Happy knitting!

Betty Jo