A Pep Talk on Accepting Mistakes in Knitting

So, I’m almost finished knitting this pair of Vanilla Latte socks, and I just discovered that while there should be three knit stitches on either side of the foot section, I now count three on one side and four on the other… meaning, I have an extra stitch in the mix! Oops!

I have a few theories about when the extra stitch was introduced – it would have been at the start of the gusset or possibly at the beginning of the heel flap. Either way, I’ve done 3-4 hours worth of knitting past the point when the mistake occurred.

I have two options:

1. I can unravel the entire gusset and start fresh with the correct stitch count; or
2. I can keep knitting and decrease away the extra stitch when I shape the toe… no one would even know, but I’d have to live forever with the knowledge that there is a flaw in my sock.

What is a knitter to do?? Turn to her friends, of course!

I posted about my dilemma in my knitting group, and the pep talks I received in response were unanimous: I should cut myself some slack. 

In knitting, as in life, we are bound to make mistakes. In knitting, we always have the option to unravel our work and start over. (I wish we had that luxury in other aspects of life!)  I’m the type of knitter who almost always chooses the option to return to a clean slate. Still, even I can see that ripping back in this scenario would be a pretty ridiculous indulgence in perfectionism: the speckles in this yarn are so high-contrast that it is nearly impossible to spot the asymmetry, and the width of that single extra stitch does not impact the fit of the sock.

It’s so hard to resist the temptation to make everything perfect, but, as one knitter in my group pointed out, only Superman could see the extra stitch inside your shoe. Another suggested that if someone is close enough to count the stitches on my sock, they are too close! And finally, my favorite gem from these pep talks: You Are the Boss of Your Knitting.

I once heard that weavers used to intentionally add a flaw in their tapestries because only God should create something perfect. Then there is another old saying about what you can see from a galloping horse… I never quite understood that one, but I imagine there is a story behind it?

So, I’ve made my decision: this time, I won’t unravel, but I reserve the right to do so in the future. Many mistakes are worth fixing, just not this one. Besides, I’m the boss of my knitting!