If you live long enough, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. It’s how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit. – William J. Clinton
Last week I shared that I had made several mistakes in a weaving project and my decision was to go back, fix the errors, and begin again.
Now here it is Monday and I am happy to announce that I fixed the problems – it was not easy, but it was not impossible! I made the errors because I over thought the threading pattern and the process.
This weaving project is a bit like my first time knitting Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Baby Surprise Jacket – the directions all together were overwhelming, but if you followed Elizabeth’s advice and just do what the pattern said – at the end you have a gorgeous and ingenious baby sweater. I have since knit at least a dozen BSJ’s, it is my favorite baby gift. The pattern did not make sense, but I did not quit.
I am sure I will make many more weaving mistakes, but I am not going to quit weaving. I will take Elizabeth’s advice and do what the pattern says, I will also listen to Janet’s wisdom to trust your inner voice when something does not feel right, and I will remind myself that learning takes a long time and perfection is something to strive for.
Determination, Gentle Reader, is a very good way to start the week.