When I read Kellie's post below, it made me smile, because her last statement really sums up my knitting philosophy. Knitting is about choices! Since then I have been on the road teaching most of the time. Today is my last day with students before I head back to California tomorrow.
I have taught a variety of classes on this trip and the thing that students seem to respond to more than anything else is I give them permission to have their own "right" answer. For my own knitting I often have "rules and guidelines" that I follow because they work for me, my style and my personality. When I share those in the classroom, I call them "Gwen's rules for Gwen". I will RARELY use "always" or "never" in a class, because so often there is more than one "right answer".
So this got me thinking.....do I have any universal rules in the world of knitting? This is what I came up with:
There might be others, but this is all that I could come up with that I felt were TRULY universal. What are yours?
I have taught a variety of classes on this trip and the thing that students seem to respond to more than anything else is I give them permission to have their own "right" answer. For my own knitting I often have "rules and guidelines" that I follow because they work for me, my style and my personality. When I share those in the classroom, I call them "Gwen's rules for Gwen". I will RARELY use "always" or "never" in a class, because so often there is more than one "right answer".
So this got me thinking.....do I have any universal rules in the world of knitting? This is what I came up with:
1. Be consistent, at least within each project. What ever choices you do make, use the same answer/process/technique throughout that project.
2. When someone compliments you on a project say "thank you" and possibly share that it was made by your own two hands. DO NOT try and point out every little mistake or imperfection.
3. Knitting should be fun. This doesn't mean that you will never have moments of frustration or confusion, but BY FAR, the fun, good, positive, relaxing moments should always outweigh any negatives.
There might be others, but this is all that I could come up with that I felt were TRULY universal. What are yours?
3 comments:
I so enjoyed your class (Adapting a Published Pattern...) at Stitches South!! Thank you soooo much. I would add to your list with the following:
1. Always knit with the best tools and materials you can afford.
2. Knit what inspires you, what you love.
3. Shamelessly ask for help when you need it and show your appreciation to those who help you.
4. Take as many classes as you can from Gwen-she's great! ;-)
Happy Knitting!,
Meg A.
So out of your list, #4 is my favorite, but only because I love teaching and want lots of students in my class!
But truthfully, I do agree with the first three that you added. Thanks for your contribution.
Gwen
Some of the things I always tell my students are:
1. You have the right not to finish a project.
2. If you decide something is beyond your skills, "putting it away for a while" is not the same as quitting.
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