learning to be ok with mistakes...

somehow, in my childhood, the need to be perfect and to accomplish things perfectly was ingrained in me.  whenever i try to do something, be it bake a cake, clean the house, garden or knit a sweater, i expect myself to do it with ease and have it turn out perfectly.

yeah...

this need to be perfect is something i've been working on for a while now.  i'm learning to be okay with making mistakes and having to redo/restart something.  

this sweater is really teaching me this lesson.

yesterday, most of the day was spent working on the sweater and feeling so good about my progress and how i might even finish it in time for autumn weather.   seeing as i started it exactly two years ago today, it is definitely time to get it done.

just a little bit ago, after my morning walk and an hour and half in the garden, i decided it was knitting time.  i picked up my instructions to check my progress and then started to knit.  but something caught my attention and i thought a should re-check.  

see it's been bothering me for a few days that i think i'm running out of yarn before i finish.  well...

turns out, i'd started working on the front, but i did it on the back.  uh huh... brilliant, right?

in the photo above, the white line marks the approximate area that i should have turned and moved to the front instead of continuing to knit on the back.  

so now, i've got to frog (undo) that section and learn how to undo bind off stitches...

needless to say, i'm a bit frustrated, but i'm trying hard NOT to beat myself up or call myself names.  

it's okay to have to undo and pick up again.  it doesn't really matter how long it takes me to complete this sweater.  it is for me, and i can wear it whenever i finish it.

these are the things i tell myself, when what i really want to do is rail at myself and cry...

but i'm okay.  and i'm okay with needing to undo, it will give me practice on the different stitches.

i'm putting it aside for a day or so and switching to a different project.

today's life lesson is: being perfect, isn't possible.  and it would be completely boring if it was...

and also, it's okay to make mistakes

so tell me, what lessons is life teaching you right now?

thanks for stopping in for a read...

love & blessings

~*~