Be fearless

It's graduation season.  Such an exciting time for young people as they take the next step towards their future.  My Katie graduated from University of Maryland last week. The University of Maryland has a motto "Be Fearless," which each speaker touched on as they addressed the graduates.  Young people are usually pretty fearless.  Especially new college grads - they're confident and ready to change the world.  You can see it in their faces as they stride across the stage to receive their diploma.   It's exciting and inspiring to be part of that fearlessness.

As we get older we often get risk averse.  We tend to play things a little safe.  Knitting gives us an opportunity to feel the thrill of fearlessness again.  If you're a timid knitter, sticking with scarves and dishcloths until you've worked every stitch pattern or technique you might possibly encounter,  stop it!  No disrespect to devoted dishchoth knitters, but if you really want to make a sweater but you're afraid your skills are only up to dishcloths, think again.  Take a deep breath and find a sweater pattern you love and bring it into the shop.  Or come in and we'll help you find one.  We'll get you started.  Jump in.  Get the yarn and get going.  You're a smart person, and we'll help you.  It's what we do. 

Knitting has some built in safety nets that make it the perfect place to practice fearlessness.  First, your yarn store staff.  We have your back. If you don't understand an instruction, just ask. We'll go over it with you.  Second, making a mistake in knitting is not the end of the world.  It's not like cutting fabric too small.   What was knitted can be un-knitted.  And re-knitted.  Several times.  Ask me how I know. 

I started knitting in college.  My first project was a vest, and my second project was this oh so 1980s lace sweater. The long sleeved one.  (Frightening to think that I even wore my hair like that)

Was this project beyond my skill level?  Of course.  Did I make mistakes with this project?  You bet - more than you can count.  But I knit that sweater, and I wore it.  And I learned a ton.  Much more than I would have learned if I'd played it safe.  You will too.  If you're dying to make something, but it feels too complicated, stop worrying, and start trying.  Be fearless.  You will make mistakes, but you will learn, and next time, you will do even better.  I promise.

I look forward to seeing you in the shop and around the table being fearless.  You are always welcome here.

Ellen

Back to the 26 May 2016 Newsletter

p.s. The Ripple from Tahki Stacy Charles is in. If you've been drooling over the samples in the shop, time to get going.  We're being featured in the Tahki Stacy Charles Newsflash again this week, so you'll want to get yours while it's in stock!  ~E