10 November 2013

The One In Which I Pose A Question

I've had a rotten week.  One that's been hanging over me for a while.  It's been full of appointments (including two very lengthy ones in the dentist's chair).  I always do that - engineer all my grotty things to fall within one week so that when the dreaded time comes, I hold my breath, put my head down and plough through it, knowing that it will soon be over.

And finally it is!

HOORAY!!!

Anyway, feeling just a touch lightheaded with relief, I thought it would be fun to put a scenario to you.

You're crocheting (or knitting) yourself a scarf.  You've got about fifty perfectly executed rows under your belt when you suddenly notice that you've dropped a stitch, (crocheted through one loop instead of two) near the very beginning.

(I know you can't see it very well from this picture but, trust me, it's there.)


Would you not give it a second thought?

Would it bug you so much that you'd just have to unravel?

Would you bury it in the depths of your 'WIP' basket, promising yourself that you will deal with it 'some other time'?

I would just love to know what your reaction would be and how you'd deal with it, if at all.

xxx

Edited to add : Bless you all, you're just too lovely for words!  I did a quick straw poll in my own household - two of us wouldn't bother at all with the mistake but the other two struggled!  I'm a perfectionist so, yes, it did bug me enormously but I didn't unravel it.  Nearly but not quite.  I had a strict word with myself and have decided to embrace the imperfection as a fitting reflection on a pants week.  If it had been any more noticeable then it would have been for the chop!!!

28 comments:

  1. I think I'd cry. And then I'd just ignore it! Nobody else will be able to see it and you can maybe just tell yourself that it is a happy accident that makes your scarf so unique! It looks absolutely lovely just how it is - well done x Jane

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  2. Plough on, I don't think it's a major issue on something like a scarf. Especially as you are now working so neatly back and forth with the right amount of stitches. It all adds to the homespun look if you ask me (although I know how irritating it can be) :) The colour is devine and the embellishments look gorgeous too. Glad you're safely through the rot now Heather x

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  3. Looking at the photo, I really wouldn't have noticed it. I think we are too critical of ourselves sometimes and only we can see the faults. If it was a massive fault then yes, it would be time to unpick, but personally on this occasion I'd grin and bear it (especially after finishing with the dentist!). xx

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  4. Ah the age old question ... to rip back or not? I would only rip back if it was obviously noticeable (of which yours is not) I have been known to rip back to fix a mistake, plough on, new mistake, rip back again, third time forward another mistake noticed ... this would be the time to chuck it into the depths of the work basket hehe.

    I love the colours you're using for this scarf and the crochet flower is just adorable :-)

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  5. Hmmm I would be very annoyed that I hadn't spotted it earlier and then leave it, I'd concerntrate on all the other beautifully executed stitches instead!! ps I can't even notice yours,love the flower too :-)

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  6. if it takes a fellow crocheter longer than 10 seconds to locate to error then I would leave it. Life is too short. Stick a flower on the offender!

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  7. I don't think it is noticeable - so I think I'd carry on. But if the knowledge that it's there will stop you wearing it I guess it's better to rip back. Have a good Sunday. X

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  8. Ooooh that's a tricky one - wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't been pointed out but I think from the fact that's its niggling you now probably best to undo and go back as you'll always know its there otherwise.
    Either that or make a few more similar mistakes so it becomes part of the pattern ?!?
    Will leave that one with you...
    Kate x

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  9. No ripping! At all! It's beautiful. If it bothers you I would think about an embelishment at the forgotten loop/ stich. I do not notice your error

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  10. Hi Heather, I think it's barely noticeable....and that's after you have pointed it out.
    I would just carry on and if it makes you feel better you could do one increase in the corresponding place at the other end so it looks even at both ends.
    Jacquie x

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  11. definitely carry on - I usually pull it out and then regret it the minute I've done it!

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  12. I did the same on a phone case I made. Luckily I was always planning to embellish it with a flower so I added a second flower and leaf to cover the mistake and I like it even better now than with the single flower I'd originally planned x

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  13. There is such a good old saying about a blind man on a galloping horse. I love the forgiving mature of crochet. It does not show but if that had been knitting I would not have been able to live with it. You could always do a simple crochet edging to the whole scarf and then it would totally disappear

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  14. I'm coming in at the tail end and see you have already made your decision Heather, well done! I love the colours and the little flower is gorgeous, very gentle shades.
    So sorry you've had such an awful week but hip-horray it's all over and done with now; I dislike (intensely) being at the mercy of the dentist and have lots of bad memories of such times as, no doubt, many of us do!
    This week just has to be wonderful for you, all the best, Joy x

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  15. Dentist appointments, yuck, I'm glad that is over for you. As for the crochet...hmmm, I'm a perfectionist but if the mistake wasn't too noticeable I would probably ignore it. If it was a work for someone I would probably have started again. Love the colour of your scarf.
    Anne xx

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  16. Glad better times are on the way. I would feel like you but you really can't see it x

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  17. In truth you can hardly see it but I know it would bug the life out of me!
    I don't think I wuld have the heart to pull it all out and strat again so I would probably either
    a - live with it
    b - make a feature out of it and disguise it with a little group of smaller flowers or perhaps a little flower shape made out of tiny buttons. then do another group of them further up, so it does look like a proper pattern!


    Good luck x

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  18. Lovely colors.....have a great week ! :)

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  19. Ah bet you are glad you didn't unravel it all. It's not noticeable so you can totally get away with it, but I know what you mean, that niggle that you know it is there. I've done it countless times, however my mistakes have been very noticeable, so i've had to leave the project for a week, then go back to it a bit refreshed to pull it apart and start over. Gorgeous colour by the way xxxxxxxxxxxx

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  20. Ha ha, that's what I do too. Grit my teeth and rush through it all! I seem to have a few weeks like that lately but I'm hoping this one will be the last. Anyway, I can certainly understand your frustration on spotting a mistake after so much work. To be honest, given that it's so far back and hard to see I think I'd have to leave it be too. All part of life's rich tapestry I would say and try to forget!

    S x

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  21. The mistake is not noticeable at all !! But yes, when that happens it does bother me and I guess that whenever that's happened to me, I've had to unravel it.... That's one of the reasons I find knitting much harder because when I make mistakes (which is very often) the process of unravelling it is sooo painful.
    I love the yarn you are using, which one is it? and it looks lovely with your sweet flower! I'm planning to use your flower pattern for some Xmas hairpin pressies for my girls. Pati x

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  22. So sorry to hear last week was such a pants week.....here's to a bright new shiny week with lots and lots of sunshine -xx-

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  23. I HONESTLY could not see it and if it hadn't been for your arrow would never have found it. Isn't it typical that us crafters pounce on the one wrong stitch instead of congratulating ourselves for the hundreds we did perfectly? It would have bugged me too - a lot - but I'm very glad to hear that you're not unraveling it! x

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  24. I am quite in love with the colours of your scarf...it is going to be stunning! I would never have noticed the wrong stitch at all, I would keep going with it too.
    Marianne x

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  25. I'm so glad you didnt unravel all your hard work - to me, part of the beauty and specialness of handmade things is the occasional slight imperfection don't you think? Keeps it real? ;0 But I do know what you mean, it can niggle away at you and sometimes drastic measures are called for, but your tiny mistake is not at all noticeable.
    The colour of your scarf is gorgeous!
    Gill xx

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  26. I unraveled a cowl because the 20€ suri yarn had a chunk & knitted weirdly. After so many rows unraveled I knitted it again & it was the very same. I pulled & pulled for nothing.
    I love your work in my favourite colour
    XOXO

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  27. I now try and see imperfections as a learning curve rather than a curse :-) I embrace them but if they do still annoy me after a couple of weeks I might go back and do it all again. Most of the time after a couple of weeks I have forgotten all about it or am not worried about it anymore :-) x

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Anyone ever told you that you're a peach? xx

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