Spinning is not a do-over type of endeavor. Once that twist is set, it seems virtually impossible to undo and then re-do. For example, as I’m learning to spin different fibers, I have a habit of becoming enamored with the feel of the fiber. That tactile experience leads to me imagining what I’m going to knit with it. Then word association kicks in, and the next thing you know I’m daydreaming random unrelated dreams.
That is when it happens. My attention is elsewhere, and my beautiful evenly spun-single-soon-to-be-plied-laceweight yarn has become, shall we say, a few inches of novelty yarn. Do I go back and try to untwist it? Is a do-over possible at this point? Is it wise to attempt it? Because experimentation is part of the learning process, I have attempted this. In my limited experience, the fiber, if I can get it untwisted, just isn’t the same as when it is plied “fresh.” It looks a bit worn, dull, and doesn’t quite lay right. I think it is best to continue forward and appreciate that bit of novelty spinning for what it is - a mistake, a moment when I spun flubby yarn, but beautiful when looked at by itself away from the laceweight. Do I regret the mistake? Of course, the result was not the intended outcome. Can I learn to appreciate the mistake? Definitely! There is always something to learn. In this case, how to make a thicker, nubbier single. Did I pull myself back on track? Yes.
The ability to pull myself back on track and move forward is probably the most important lesson learned from making a mistake. In life there are, of course, no do-overs. We can only do better. You can’t take back what you say or turn back time and undo what you’ve done. You can, however, make amends by acknowledging your mistake and doing better. You can move forward having learned and try to improve. Mistakes will be made in the future, but you can be comforted by the knowledge you have gained and the security that you know how to recover and pull yourself back on track.
In the future, you will know how to do better.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
You get better and better and better!