There Are No Knitting Police

Every knitter has those little bits of wisdom that stay with them for years. Sometimes it's a technique, sometimes it's a favorite pattern, and sometimes it's simply a phrase that changes the way you think about knitting.

One of those phrases for me came from one of my favorite knitting instructors, Linda Milton.

Many years ago, while I was working at Between Friends Yarn Shop in Brainerd, Linda taught most of our knitting classes. I learned so much from watching her teach. She had a wonderful way of making knitting feel approachable, and she had a saying that has stuck with me ever since.

"There are no knitting police."

I still smile every time I think of it.

What she meant was simple: this is your project.

If you want your sweater a little longer, make it longer. If you'd rather use a different cast-on, go for it. Don't like the suggested bind-off? Choose another one. Want to substitute a different yarn because you fell in love with its color or texture? Do it.

The pattern is a guide, not a law.

Of course, there are times when a designer chose a particular technique for a reason. Changing something might affect the fit or the finished look, and it's always worth understanding why a pattern is written the way it is. But once you understand that, you get to decide what works best for you.

One of the wonderful things about making something by hand is that it doesn't have to look exactly like everyone else's. In fact, I think that's part of the beauty of it.

When we knit, we're creating something that reflects our own style, our own preferences, and sometimes even our willingness to experiment. Some of my favorite projects have come from asking, "I wonder what would happen if I tried this instead?"

Sometimes those experiments work beautifully.

Sometimes... they teach us something.

Either way, we learn.

I think we can be our own worst critics. We notice every stitch that's a little uneven, every tiny mistake, every place where we think we should have done better. Yet most people looking at our finished project never see those things. They simply see something beautiful that was made with time, patience, and care.

There's another saying I've heard over the years that always makes me laugh: "Can you see it from a galloping horse?"

The idea is simple. Most people aren't studying every stitch in your sweater or shawl. They see you as you walk by, they admire the colors, the fit, or the overall project—but they aren't examining it stitch by stitch. Chances are, the little mistake that's bothering you is something only you know is there because you're the one who made it.

Perfection has never been the goal.

Creating something that makes you happy—that's the goal.

So the next time you find yourself worrying about whether you're following the pattern exactly or whether your project is "right," remember Linda's words.

There are no knitting police.

Make the sweater that fits you. Choose the colors that make you smile. Adjust the pattern if it makes your project more enjoyable or more wearable. Knit with confidence, and don't be afraid to make something that's uniquely yours.

After all, isn't that one of the biggest reasons we knit in the first place?

I'd love to hear from you. Have you ever changed a pattern and ended up loving it even more? Or is there a piece of knitting advice that's stayed with you through the years?

Happy knitting,

Betty Jo