When we know better, we knit better
We just got back from Vogue Knitting Live this afternoon. What a whirlwind! It was a great trip. So much better than last year. Don't get me wrong, last year was great fun, and we did really well, but it was scary as hell. Even though I had tons of people helping me and encouraging me, there was so much I didn’t know. First, off, just the idea of driving in New York was terrifying. Then there was all the confusion about the booth. How to set it up? What's included? What do I need to bring? How do I get everything from my car to the booth and back again at the end of the show? Tables, gridwall, lighting, electricity. Do I need cart service? What does that even mean? My head was spinning.
And that, my friend, is why I never did Vogue Knitting Live NY. It was just too unknown, overwhelming and unfamiliar. Lots of helpful folks tried to explain, but, you really don’t know anything about a thing until you’ve experienced it for yourself.
Last year I made tons of mistakes. But I learned. This year was waaayyy better. Was this year perfect? No. There were plenty of things that weren’t perfect--some things that were outside of my control and there were things I could’ve done better. I made plenty of mistakes even this year. But it was much better than last year, and I know next year will be even better.
It’s just like that when you go to make your first sweater. There's so much you don't know, and even the instructions are confusing. So, that first one is scary, and when it's done, it's probably full of mistakes. But that's not what's important. What's important is that you do it, knowing it will be hard and that you might have to rip it out half a dozen times. You have to cast on you have to knit the thing, working through the pattern, asking for help, and learning what all those instructions mean and how to do what they're telling you.
It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be pretty good. And then next one will be even better. It will also not be perfect, but you will learn something every time, and you will improve.
Whether we are going to a trade show, knitting a sweater, or just living our life, we just have to start and give ourselves grace as we grow. As Maya Angelou says,
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.
As always, I welcome your thoughts in the comments.
Warmly,
Ellen
4 Responses
Lucrecia Barraza
January 30, 2024
Hello Ellen
I am glad that you managed to get back home in one piece, after driving in NYC
You are very brave and courageous, I can only imagine how many times you scream while driving, l don’t drive in the city and I don’t even like to visit, when I visit, I feel like my head starts spinning, they can run you over, even walking, okay, enough about NYC.
I just wish I can live near Maryland, so I can visit your store, I am a new knitter and I have
not done my first first sweater yet, I have knit
hat, scarf, shawl, gloves and blanket.
I just hope the best in your next journey.
Until next
Lucrecia