Even Designers Make Mistakes - Knitting in the Park

I Read My Own Pattern Wrong

Knit the Snowy White Christmas Tree Skirt in time for the holidays

When writing my patterns, I try to make sure that they are as easy to follow as possible. When you are drafting a pattern though, you can get really close to it and not look at the instructions with a fresh set of eyes. That’s why pattern testers are so important and highly valued. If you have tested a pattern for me – I sincerely appreciate your time and feedback. From time to time, I like to go back and knit one of my patterns. Not only am I checking the pattern, but it’s like visiting and old friend. Well, the Snowy White Christmas Tree Pattern was easy to read…I just read my own pattern wrong! Even designers make mistakes…with their own patterns.

Reading My Own Pattern Wrong - Even Knitters Make Mistakes

Here’s a link to the yarn featured in the images: it’s Red Heart Hygge in Snow. My finished skirt is knit in Pearl.

How Did I Read My Own Pattern Wrong?

Off, where do I want to start with this one. I think I’ve told you that I’m dyslexic and that sometimes my brain works a bit differently. I’ll read one thing, and my brain interprets it in a totally different way – especially when numbers are involved. Well, I read “KFB, K1” and my mind read KFB, which uses one of your live stitches. Instead I saw RLI, which lifts and knits a stitch from below. The pattern calls for casting on 20 stitches and placing a marker every two stitches – for a total of ten markers. I read it as 20 stitch markers.

I kept having a sneaking suspicion that I did something wrong the whole time I was working on it. But I kept telling myself I read the pattern, trust the pattern. Turns out I had reason to trust the pattern but now myself! Skeins were flying by and I’m thinking to myself I either did something wrong or my yarn suggestion was way off and I need to order more. Well, I opened the patterns, read through a few and saw the math error I was making.

It was time to Frog it. All three skeins of it.

Reading my own pattern wrong - even knitwear designers make mistakes.

What Did I learn?

In reading my own pattern wrong, I remembered that mom brain/pregnancy brain is a thing. I realized I need to slow down and not rush so much. And I remembered that I’m unique and I should love myself and the mistakes that I make.

Ripping out what I had knit, I sat with these thoughts and I didn’t actually feel as defeated as I had expected to. Usually I just think about all that wasted time and the new pattern I could have come up with during it.

Last night I started the pattern again, with the appropriate number of markers. Too lazy to risk my son getting into something, I just kept working with the circular needle I had on hand. It is a really long one. So it’s giving me an opportunity to practice magic loop. I used to loath magic loop and now I might be making a tutorial on it!