I came out of my box and comfort zone recently and started my very first fair isle technique project. The pictures are showing the front and back of my project. This is not one of those traditional fair isle sweaters but a fashion forward caplet. I was so excited to start, yet scared. I don't know why I have been so intimidated to start a project like this. Every time I would see one of those fair isle sweaters I said, I'm going to make one of those one day. At one of the local libraries I took out the book "Wrap Styles" and saw on the cover what I wanted to make. But it still sat as a 'wanna be' (one day) pattern in my pile of wish list future projects.
Because the pennies have to be counted carefully, I was looking for a house sale that included yarn. I found an estate sale that had a lot of yarn to get rid of with lots of colors. Well, come to mama. And I said the time is now to get rid of the fear and tackle it head on. Now that I started it, I don't know why it took me so long. Oh, you think that us teachers don't have fears just because we teach knitting we are suppose to know everything. Not in the least. There is so much to learn in the knitting world that it is hard to keep up with all that you want to learn and do.
I want to encourage you that if you have something that you have wanted to try and you have put it off, then the time is now. If it is within the needlearts like a stitch pattern or technique, break it down. Do a small sample to get comfortable with it. Then put it in a larger project so that as you repeat the task within the project it becomes second nature and you conquer those fears. But a word of caution, remember to pick something out that is attainable to finish, not something so complex or big that you get frustrated and put it down.
I asked myself what took you so long. At the Stitches East Convention I had taken two classes; the chart reading and writing class and the fair isle purse class. With classes it is so important to put it into action in a project right away before you forget or your fear creeps up all over again. Of course your fear does not go away, it is just hiding in wait for that next time to say, 'you can't do that.'
Don't hurt your progress by putting yourself down before you have tried. You will stunt your growth and your ability to learn. My post dated April 17th talks about how to build your skill level. There are suggestions and a link to a chart I found to be very helpful. I think you would like it.
"He who says he can and he who says he can't are both usually right." Confucius
Is this statement deep and so true or what? Think about it. Which one do you say more often?
Happy conquering your fears.
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