First Projects are NEVER Perfect: It's not their fault (or yours)

First Projects are NEVER Perfect: 

It's not their fault (or yours)

It has taken me 6 years to amass a collection of finished products and last spring I had a chance to sell some at the Hohenfels Community Spouses' Club Spring Craft Fair. The day was a blast and it was a real learning experience to host my first booth for Yellow Ribbon Crafts. 

I couldn't believe how many people were interested in my dishcloths. I tried to have a selection of items that could fit any budget and my dishcloths were one of the lower-priced items so it was nice that so many people could take home a piece of Yellow Ribbon Knits! 

What was baffling to me was how simple and quick a dishcloth is to knit. Why would all these shoppers be enthralled with an item that is usually the first item that new knitters master??

I think it is because many times a facecloth is the first project someone will tackle when learning to knit and it doesn't always go well. I don't know why one student will thrive and another will flounder
but typically there is a facecloth test for many new knitters. If they like the finished results - they continue. If they don't - they stop. Perhaps those that have tried and failed in the past see these simple cloths with appreciation that others don't have.

But to all those out there who knit an ugly facecloth the first time around - KEEP GOING! I spoke to a gal I'm helping the other day who was frustrated by her cloth progress.

And it is true. My first wash cloth was horrid. Twisted stitches, dropped stitches, uneven edges, curling ends, It was a real disaster. But I noticed that the top of it looked much better than the bottom. Instead of stopping, I tried again. I probably even ripped it out so I could use the yarn again because I'm thrifty that way ;) The good news is that the entire second cloth looked a lot like the last half of the first - much better. 

But I really wished I had kept my first cloth. I wish I could show anyone who is struggling that NOBODY knits a perfect first project. Martha Stewart would probably never want anyone to see her less than perfect first attempt but I guarantee that it was a disaster. Guar-an-tee!! 

On a side-note - I'm trying to tell myself that this fits Yoga class all too well. Nope - I can't do all the moves or hold all the positions the full time - YET. But my next class will be a little bit better than my last. So although it may be embarrassing and everybody gets to see my "Martha's first cloth" moments during class. It is OK. Because each class there is someone else new who is in the same position I was and I can appreciate my progress and myself for not giving up. They might not know they are inspiring me but they are. We all inspire each other.