Good morning! After a period of winter vegetation, when ideas were scarce, I am coming back to you with redoubled energy. Today I have a post for you from the "to cheer you up" category.
We often browse Instagram or Pinterest and see flawless, handmade sweaters, dresses, or accessories. We get frustrated when ours turn out worse. That's why today I want to make you aware of one, most important thing in the knitting world: you don't have to be perfect in what you create.
To prove it, today we'll take a closer look at my latest, spectacular project, which... isn't actually that spectacular when no one is looking.
A (Seemingly) Perfect Project
I'm talking about my first knitted pants. I used a free pattern from Drops as a base (I also used the recommended heavy yarn Drops Alaska). Because I like to adjust things to myself, I made two modifications:
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Instead of a tied drawstring at the waist, I decided to sew in an elastic band.
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I gave up on the ribbing at the bottom of the legs in favor of a simple finish with a delicate hem.
The effect? In photos, in reels, and even right after trying them on in front of the mirror – insane! They look and fit great. The problem is that we create clothes to live in them, not just to pose in them.
When I put them on for a whole day of walking around the house, two key mistakes came to light.
Mistake #1: The Crotch in the Wrong Place
When I wear these pants longer, I feel that the crotch is simply too long and sags unappealingly. As a result, I am simply uncomfortable.
What do I do when no one is looking? I intuitively roll the waistband up twice to pull the crotch higher. Then the pants become comfortable, but in turn, they start to wrinkle strangely on the thighs.
Where did I make a mistake? I probably knitted this section a few centimeters too long, or stretched it too much during blocking (although I tried to keep an eye on the leg length). Well, a lesson for the future!
Mistake #2: Too Loose Elastic in the Waist
It was my first time sewing an elastic band into knitwear. The sewing itself turned out visually beautiful, but technically... I failed.
I was very afraid that the elastic would squeeze my stomach, so I left a lot of slack. However, I forgot about one key factor: gravity. The Alaska yarn is thick and heavy, and the pants themselves weigh quite a bit.
When the pants are heavy and the crotch sags slightly, a loose elastic simply cannot hold them stably at the waist. I definitely should have pulled it much tighter!
Fortunately, it's a mistake I can fix. All I have to do is unrip a piece of the casing and shorten the elastic. Someday I will definitely find the motivation for it (so far, it's not that bothersome!).
Lesson for Today: Let Go of the Pressure
Why am I writing about all this? Because I have been knitting for over a year, I do it regularly, I create a lot of things – and yet I still make construction mistakes. And that is absolutely fine!
Remember:
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Social media photos are just a fraction of a second. Just because something fits beautifully in a photo doesn't mean it's comfortable to wear every day.
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We learn from our mistakes. Next time, I will pull the elastic for heavy pants twice as tight.
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Flaws come out in the wash (and in wearing). Sometimes you will only notice a mistake after a few days of use.
Don't stress that your projects aren't perfect, while on Instagram "everyone gets it right". The creative process is supposed to bring joy, and small slip-ups are simply free knitting lessons.
Enjoy the process, knit with a smile, and don't be afraid to frog (unravel)!
And what was your biggest knitting mistake that you only discovered after some time? Let me know in the comments – let's comfort each other! And if you are looking for patterns that will make creating easier, choose something from the free pool, or if you prefer the ones for purchase, you can find them [here].