Learning Patience

I'm not sure what possessed me to want to learn to knit, but I've seen a few beginning knitting courses offered through community ed from time to time.  I finally decided to exercise my crafty side and sign up.  The problem was I tried to sign up the second day registration opened and the class was already full!  I was so disappointed.  It was a seven week class with all sorts of learning and two projects to make for a really cheap price. 

Lucky for me, a new knitting shop opened in town and they were going to be offering classes as well.  The beginning class was only three weeks with just one project to make- a scarf.  I decided that wouldn't be too hard, and just three classes was a very reasonable amount of time to give.

Boy- was I clueless about I was getting in to.  I should have clued in when the teacher called to ask what size needles I was using (7, 8, or 9) and if I preferred straight or curved (huh?).  When she told me I needed 220 yards of worsted weight yarn, I had to repeat "worsted" to make sure I had heard her correctly.  I verified that this was the beginning course and shared that I had never knitted or crocheted before.  She said I'd be fine.

I had my first class today, and if I hadn't paid for the class and my materials out of my own discretionary fund of money, I'm not sure I'd be going back.  We started out with practice yarn and by casting on.  That was relatively easy for me to get the hang of (others struggled) and I was feeling pretty good. 

Then we started knitting and purling.

Our pattern was to knit four stitches then purl four stitches.  I could not keep the two stitches straight.  I was constantly getting them confused or doing them wrong.  I think if we only would have been doing one, I would have been ok.  Afterall, this was supposed to be the beginning class, right?  I felt like it was beginning level 1.5. 

The class was only 2 hours, but after 2 hours, I still was on the practice yarn.  I hadn't moved on to my project yet, and we're supposed to have 25 inches completed by next week.  I finally was feeling confident enough alternating back and forth with the two different stitches that I did move on to my project, and it was as if suddenly I forgot everything.  I had such a hard time and was getting so frustrated. 

Five hours after the class started and one hour after the store was supposed to close, I have this- a few measly rows on my keyhole scarf project.

I felt good enough when I left the store that I could continue over the weekend, except when I got home I made a mistake and don't know how to go back and fix it.  I'm currently stuck and hoping someone at church tomorrow can help me correct my mistake, so I can continue.  I have an appointment with the teacher on Monday, and I'd hate to go back with nothing completed over the weekend.

Not only am I learning to knit, I'm learning patience- something I currently lack.