EZ Says

There is no right way to knit; there is no wrong way to knit.

So if anybody kindly tells you that what you are doing is "wrong," don't take umbrage; they mean well. Smile submissively, and listen, keeping your disagreement on an entirely mental level. They may be right, in this particular case, and even if not, they may drop off pieces of information which will come in very handy if you file them away carefully in your brain for future reference.

~Elizabeth Zimmerman

The other day, when I complained about my mom taking over my knitting, telling me I was doing it all wrong, this quote from the great EZ came to mind. It's really what got me through the moment. More like the long, long, afternoon. (I know, that wasn't a sentence!) Since I made a point of mentioning EZ's words the other day, I thought I would share the whole quote with all of you.

Don't expect to me to pull off a submissive smile, though.

Sock Progress... Anyone have a toe?

Big People Sock numero uno, which is what I've fondly dubbed my Just Ribbing (pdf) sock made with Wild Thing yarn (from Apple Laine), may actually be finished sometime today. Maybe. See?


My tootsies have defied the pointy toothpicks of death in order to bring you some photos of the sock nearing completion.

If you haven't tried Apple Pie sock yarn from Apple Laine Yarn, treat yourself to some. This stuff is yummy and a joy to work with. The Loopy Ewe carries Apple Pie, but sells out quickly. I ordered mine from Canada, from an online store called Pick Up Sticks. The service was great, prices (with exchange rate) were good, and it only took a few days longer for shipping. That didn't matter since I'm a slow knitter.

Speaking of slow knitting, do you know I don't knit right? That's according to my mother. (Insert eye-rolling here) If something isn't done the way she learned it, then it's not correct. Now, the photos above show that I am indeed capable of producing knit objects. I must be doing something right! Having been on the receiving end of her criticisms for the past 40 years, I'm accustomed to this, but yesterday she was really annoying.

Yesterday, Mom and Dad were in town, and I was working on my sock while visiting with them. "You aren't doing it right," Mom insisted. "Here's how I did it," she said. Now, she hasn't knit in years and years, mind you, and has never followed a pattern in English, but she was determined to take over my sock and re-learn me how to knit! I just kept reminding her (but mostly myself) that there are many different ways to knit, and if the end result is the same, what does it matter? Thank goodness for Elizabeth Zimmermann! There's no right or wrong way.

The icing on the cake is that after all of Mom's preaching and nagging, she caught sight of my sister's nearly complete Booga Bag in my car as I was leaving. "You can make me a bag like that. But with longer straps that I can wear across my body. And not so many stripes. I need it before we leave for Germany at the end of next month, too. Maybe a little deeper, so the camera will fit in it. You do know I want to take your camera, right?"

Gosh, I don't know if I can knit it right. Wait! Did you say MY camera???