I have been working on the crocheted poncho I mentioned in a previous post and was noticing, with some delight, how much progress I've made since beginning the project.
Then it happened.
As I continued around the bottom edge of the piece, I came across a grouping of stitches that was wrong. I had - somehow - put a 3DC, CH3, 3DC corner grouping in the middle of the straight edge of the piece. There was no workaround that would not have left an OBVIOUS mistake, so I stopped crocheting and unraveled back to that point and fixed my error.
I was 3 balls into this 6-ball project and not very happy about the setback, even though it was pretty minor and only involved undoing 1 round. Still, I was grouchy about having to redo it and aggravated at myself.
This morning as I sat at the organ bench, continuing to work on my poncho, I realized that the incident with the wacky insertion of a group of stitches, and the need to course-correct was an incredible metaphor for life.
How many times in our schooling, careers, relationships, or projects are we humming along and enjoying the ride, when we stumble across some mistake that WE created, and therefore need to address? If you're anything like me, this isn't a rare event. Thankfully it's not COMMON, but I can point to a number of "mistakes in the pattern" that I have made over the years, external to yarn (& fabric/sewing, too).
In my poncho, I had a choice to let the mistake stand, and continue on, or to unravel my work to that point and fix it. I simply had to reconcile whether or not I could live with that mistake being obvious in my finished piece. I decided that I did not want to live with that, and took steps to correct it, but there have been OTHER times with OTHER projects that I have either allowed the mistake to stand (because it was not that obvious and did not detract from the function or form of the piece) or attempted a work-around that partially disguised the mistake.
I realized that this was VERY much like mistakes that I have made over the years with people, professional projects and other non-yarn/non-fabric tasks. Sometimes I have backed up and re-done my work, or revised my submissions, or admitted that I was wrong about something, and taken responsibility for my misstep. Other times I have determined that the error is minor enough that I can continue on, and make amends as things move forward. The BIG lesson from my yarn mistakes is that I must take the responsibility for the mistake - and for fixing it, creating a workaround, or accepting and living with it.
Crocheting, knitting and sewing (I had an "argument" with some fabric the other night, too - must be in the air!!!) can teach us many things: accepting responsibility, patience, attention to detail and even MATH and SCIENCE!!
In sewing, crocheting and knitting, we do mathematical calculations to determine or alter the pattern size. We also take into consideration (so we need to understand) fabric properties and fiber types which is science. We apply basic engineering concepts when we put together clothes, amigurumi, or other items and we learn to use specific technology such as sewing machines, knitting machines, or assistive tools and widgets such as cable needles, double-pointed needles, stitch holders, etc. as we create our items.
Perhaps the BIGGEST, and potentially most important lesson in my poncho journey is a reminder that we own the mistake, and we are responsible for the outcome. As mad as I may have been, there was NO ONE but me that caused that corner grouping to be crocheted into the straight edge of my poncho. Therefore, getting angry at the pattern designer, the yarn, or the distraction that may have been present, might FEEL good in the moment, but none of those can do anything to resolve the issue. That was MY task, and mine alone. The longer I raged at someone about the issue, the longer it was going to be until the mistake was corrected, and I was back to crocheting my poncho to completion.
Such it is in life. We can rage at all the people, circumstances, policies, and other external issues that we feel caused our missteps; but it remains OUR WORK TO DO if we want to correct it - or accept it - and keep moving forward. Putting it the context of a crochet or knitting or sewing project that we want to finish can be helpful in understanding that the sooner we stop complaining ABOUT the mistake, and take responsibility for FIXING our part of it, the sooner we arrive at a desirable end point.
I have less than 2 skeins of yarn to go on my poncho, and the weather appears to be holding on to its Winter cloak. This means that I will be able to finish it, and wear it before the heat and humidity of late Spring arrives.
I have to smile thinking about this life lesson in yarn. My grandmother introduced me to crocheting when I was 10 years old, so it feels appropriate and comforting to have her "involved" in both the crochet lesson, as well as the life lesson of this experience. This makes me smile as I think of her (she passed away in 1999), and warms my heart as I ponder the lessons I am passing on to my granddaughter, whom I have taught to crochet (and am beginning to teach to sew).
We've always known this, but it's great to have some real world reinforcement that our time spent with fabric and yarn is so much more than playing or crafting for fun. Each project holds the potential for an important lesson on LIFE!
(C) 2025 Stitch 'n Dish
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