Unexpected Results

In I Won't Never Be Wearin' No Meat Dress... But I'm Still Ga-Ga from Sioux's Page, Sioux asks,

"What experience has happened to you that brought about unexpected results?"

I decided to try knitting even though past experience has not been positive. I remember being a small child and my mother tried to teach me how to knit. I think I hated it because I couldn’t hold the yarn right or the needles right. I couldn’t make anything perfect like she could. My other sisters were very crafty and could do anything they really wanted to do but I didn’t have the same abilities. My middle sister could sew, knit, and crochet. My oldest sister was a very talented artist and I couldn’t draw to save my life. Why in the world did I think at the age of 48, that I could suddenly do something with my hands?

I decided that I had nothing to lose. I was about to retire from teaching and wanted to learn something I could do while we travel. I tried crocheting but I didn’t feel very challenged so I decided to try knitting. I loved knitted items so maybe I could make something. I decided to get on YouTube and find out everything I could about knitting. Then I decided to buy the materials I needed and gave it a try. At first I struggled and talked to my sister about it and she told me that there were two ways of knitting and I might need to try a different way. Once I watched the video on continental knitting and gave it a try, it all clicked. I must have some kind of muscle memory from when I was a child!

Now I love knitting and challenging myself to try new techniques. I also like seeing how I could fit knitting in with educating students. I love my new ability like I never expected to! I feel closer to my mother and wished I had learned more when she was alive but for now this helps when I’m missing her. I never would have thought I would end up feeling this way about knitting.

What has given you unexpected results? Please share.

Original Photo by Pat Hensley