This hat was SUPPOSED to be really cute.

I love showing off my finished knitting projects. This blog post is NOT about that. It's about a knitting mishap, the creative process, and knowing when to start fresh.

We all make knitting mistakes, just laugh it off and move on!

I had high hopes for this hat.. a project I was looking forward to sharing with you...but the more I knit, the more my tween rolled her eyes, and the more odd this project looked. I look like a striped Hershey kiss, meets bruised pumpkin. Boo-hoo, I wanted to have it work out so I just kept knitting...and the project just kept getting worse. So, it was time to frog it. As in, rip-it and rip-it good. I ripped it fast, like a band-aid so it didn't hurt so much. Then I immediately got to figuring out what I'm going to knit with these recovered yarns.

Why am I showing my knitting mishap, you ask?

Well, because I've met so many knitters (beginners and seasoned alike) completely frustrated with their project. Some throw away the yarn, some want to quit knitting, and others just walk away from the project and start something new. I want you to understand that we have all been there..disappointed that a project didn't turn out as we hoped, chose the wrong yarn for a project, or just messed up the project completely. It's all part of the creative process. And, while I was bummed that the hat didn't work out, I got to knit with the yarn and really loved it..get the feel of how the yarn drapes, and some time to think of another knitting project. So next time knitting goes awry, remember, it's okay and most often the yarn or the project are salvageable.

Lessons to remember when knitting and designing..