Knitting is a Language: What Zoe Taught Me About Fluency

The first week I was buried in work on Club Crazy for Ewe and my new sweater knitting class. Last week I was in Seattle.

My daughter and her husband had a bit of a childcare crisis—the nanny had a family emergency, and the daycare spot they were so excited about didn’t start until today. So there they were, suddenly without coverage.

Grandma to the rescue.

It was a little rocky at first. Zoe very much prefers Mama. Which is as it should be. I’m not offended. But there’s something humbling about stepping into a space where you are not the favorite.

Monday, though, we did all the things. We went to the playground. We had lunch together. We read books. We played with PlayDoh. I got her down for her nap. I was there when she woke up.

And something shifted.

When Mama wasn’t there, Grandma was just fine. What I had to learn, and quickly, was her language.

“Heboo” means help you. Obviously.
“Nuum” is anything fast. Stroller rides. Slides. Running.

There were dozens of other tiny words and sounds, each one carrying meaning if I paid attention closely enough. I taught her to say “Grandma,” and “Please,” which was especially gratifying.

Learning her language required attention. I had to slow down. Watch. Listen. Test my understanding. Adjust. Try again. Both of us gaining fluency in an immersive environment.

And it made me think about knitting, because of course it did.

Knitting is a language, too

Knitting is the language of Fabric, of Fit, and of Construction.

Words like gauge, drape, ease, shaping, set-in, and mattress stitch are vocabulary. Like Zoe, we can have vocabulary without fluency.

Especially in sweater knitting—it’s not enough to know the definition of the words or the techniques they refer to. We need to learn them in context, because great fit and polished garments don’t come from following instructions exactly but from understanding how garments behave, what yarn and fabrics want to do, and what your specific body needs.

In Club Crazy for Ewe we talk a lot about fit; like how choosing a size for a set-in sleeve cardigan is different from choosing a size for a pullover. We also talk about gauge—about how it’s flexible in one direction but not so much in the other. That’s knitting’s language, too.

And like learning a toddler’s words, it comes from paying attention and being willing to feel slightly incompetent for a minute and opening yourself up to a new way of thinking about things we thought we knew. As grown women, we don’t love that feeling. We’re used to being capable—fluent—and learning something new can be uncomfortable. But it’s also invigorating.

The quiet work of learning

Typically “heboo” meant that she wanted my help - to get up, to get down, to open something.  But sometimes she cried and pushed my hands away. I came to understand that “heboo” was not always a request for assistance.  Sometimes it was, but other times it was a broader statement that meant something along the lines of: “I am not getting this, and I am frustrated, but I want to figure it out. Please don’t just do it for me.”

Finally understanding that word was small and enormous at the same time. Understanding changes everything.

I am so excited when I see students begin to understand not just how to do something, but when to do it—and why. They are learning:

• What kind of garments need more ease and why.
• How construction affects fit.
• Why we place shaping where we do.

They know that when you understand these kinds of things you stop feeling like you’re guessing. You start feeling steady. Fluent.

In April, I’ll be teaching the Crazy for Ewe Confident Sweater System™ live.

Because sweater knitting is another language entirely, and it deserves focused attention. This is not a course about how to do the millions of little techniques that you use in sweater knitting. You’re a good knitter, and you already know tons of techniques.

This is about understanding sweater knitting as a whole so you can approach any pattern with confidence, knowing you’ll be able to understand how to get a great fit and start knitting sweaters you’re proud to wear.

Understanding brings confidence, and confidence brings freedom.

If that’s something you’ve wished for, let me know. Sign up below to be the first to know when registration opens.