# Do you cheat and how much?



## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Sometimes when I'm working on a project and I make a mistake I pull the yarn back to where I can fix it. Sometimes I want to sneak in adjustments if it is a spot where it won't show but it feels like cheating. No one may ever know...but in my heart I would know. Sometimes, when fixing a mistake is going to take a bunch of effort my project sits there...staring at me...as I dither over whether or not to "cheat" ... somehow...if I can figure out how...

I admit to sometimes being a bit of a perfectionist - at least on some things. Other things, no so much. I am quite sure the dust bunny convention under the bed is laughing at the thought of "Kas The Perfectionist." Still, sometimes I think being too fussy is not good for my mental health. 

So tell me...do you cheat or not?


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

No, I just make yarn. Cheating would mean I was knowingly breaking a rule. Sometimes, I dream about creating the perfect yarn but generally, I'm at that wheel to have some fun. It wouldn't be fun if I thought I was cheating.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I tend to the Perfectionist side.
I've been known to tink back hundreds of stitches just to fix a mistake. 
I do have adult ADD, and most likely more than a bit of OCD to go with it, so yea, I "MUST" get it right, or it drives me crazy.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

I don't think of it as cheating. I prefer to call it "creating original design elements".


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Depends ..... if I can wear the garment without it drawing my attention every time I put it on .... I dont fix it ! 

If it's an order for somebody that I'm getting paid for /sell .... I fix it ! ( unless they will NEVER be able to tell  

I dont consider it cheating ... I call them "HUMBLE SPOTS " ...... keeps ya humble , 'cause nobody's perfect 'cept Jesus !! 

pretty much up to you I guess !


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I suppose "cheating" is probably not the best way to put it, although if I know there is a flaw and I continue on it just feels wrong to me. 

That stitch, that one error, turns into a big orb of an eyeball and it stares at me. No one else may ever know it's there but to me it may as well be a flashing light or a neon sign. I know it's there and it bugs me.

I just wanted to know if I was alone in my compulsion.  I must take after Hercsmama.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

Miz Mary said:


> Depends ..... if I can wear the garment without it drawing my attention every time I put it on .... I dont fix it !
> 
> If it's an order for somebody that I'm getting paid for /sell .... I fix it ! ( unless they will NEVER be able to tell
> 
> ...


^^This exactly^^

If it's for me, I can easily live with a few errors. If it's for sale, it needs to be as close to perfect as I can get it and that sometimes means ripping out and doing it over.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

I can remember one of my first scarves - it seemed to grow an extra stitch every few rows. So I would count, then I would K2together to reduce the number back down to where it was supposed to be. I ended up with a scarf with "tumors" - bumps along this side and bumps along that side- it was a mess. I actually wore it for several years, then tore it apart and re purposed the yarn for another project. Yes, you can do that. 

If I find I have one too many stitches, I will "adjust" and K2together somewhere inconspicuous. I HATE it when I somehow I am one too FEW stitches and I can;t figure out where it went - then a couple of rounds later I see the dropped stitch and THEN I will tink back and go fetch it.

I have gotten rather creative about doing that nowadays and sometimes I can release a few stitches and "fish" that dropped stitch back up a couple of rows. (Lucy Neatby teaches amazing fixes.) But if the stitch or combination of stitches is critical to the pattern and I KNOW I will find it in the finished piece, I go back and fix it. 

If the yarn is fuzzy - no biggy. I leave it.

If the yarn is fine or if the item is for someone else? NOW I would fix it. 6 months ago. No. I would just have been happy to be done with it. :grin: 

Be kind to yourself. Knitting should be fun. relaxing and enjoyable as well as being a challenge but there should absolutely be NO tears in knitting!


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

That's not cheating, it's being creative! 

If it is a huge glaring error, then I'll go back and fix it somehow. If it's not gonna show or change much, then I don't consider it an error. It ain't broke unless you say it is and if it ain't broke don't fix it. Although, I suppose that philosophy is actually better with British sports cars.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I believe it was Elizabeth Zimmerman our grand mother of all things knitted who said something to the effect of, if you make a mistake often enough it becomes part of the design. The Navajo believed that their spirit would become entangled in their rugs and would weave in a "spirit thread" just so their spirit could escape. Others believe that there is only one being who can make anything perfect and that is God and so they will purposely make mistakes in their work just so they wouldn't offend their God.

Personally if I discover a mistake or my stitch count is off I'll look to find how far back it happened. If I am able to find the mistake and it isn't more than a few rows back I will rip back and fix it. If it is more than that or if I am not able to find the mistake, I just keep going, adjust the stitches and call it good. 

Several years ago I knit my mother a pair of socks from some hand spun Shetland wool, it was the Cookie A's BFF socks. I handed them to her with pride and she put them on her hand to look and admire them. Then she said, oh look a dropped stitch :grit: I looked for that dropped stitch and couldn't find it so I added a stitch to make my county right. Of course my mother would find it :facepalm: what was I thinking :nono:


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

KH has some videos for fixing stitches without having to frog in some instances. I was surprised to see you can add a stitch several rows back. Also she shows the dropped stitch recovery and fixing like maybe you accidentally purled instead of knitting several rows back. I used to be afraid to attempt to go down several rows to correct something, but I used practice pieces and now I don't get too nervous if I have try to fix several rows back. 

I am a (struggling) perfectionist, but most of my stuff is "practice" even my gifts to family, and I tell myself the imperfections are part of the uniqueness of being handmade. LOL. If something had to be perfect for me to gift it, I wouldn't have given anything away! And everyone has enjoyed what I gave them, even with the "glaring" goofs my eye sees.

I learned to relax a little in the perfection area, altho I have struggled with it all my life. LOL. I think perfectionism is a mindset that keeps us from enjoying life. Only took me 57 years to figure that out!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Even in a commissioned piece, I figure if the person wanted totally perfect, they'd opt for something done by a machine. I'm no machine. Sometimes my mind wanders a bit and I slip up. As long as it doesn't effect wearability and it isn't too glaring (and just because I know it's there doesn't mean it's obvious) I just go right on about my business. If it's an easy fix (go back a few stitches, I'll fix it, but if it's going to mean undoing an hours worth of work, aw heck no. Now the piece is extra special in my eyes. The owl shawl I'm working on has several errors that are quite obvious if you're looking for them, but why would anyone look for them? If they ARE specifically looking for errors in my work, they're probably not the type of person who's opinion matters to me anyways


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

:monkey: Like Blueberry Chick, I cheat all the time - but I never leave a mistake unfixed.


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

"..Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

-Dr. Suess

I kinda live by that quote, I guess


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

There's a family tradition in our family that there MUST be at least one imperfection in every project. Too perfect is bad karma. I've been known to purposely slip in a wrong stitch in a place that won't be noticed. Usually I don't have to worry about it.


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

Oh boy. Talk about struggling with perfectionism! 

Today I got a little handmade thank you card from a tenant. I read it, thought, How Nice, and was ready to throw it in the trash, when I noticed she had folded it irregularly when folding in half. I do my own cards and always struggle to get the little corners to line up just right. 

It was half way to trash can when I pulled it back out and started to refold it neatly and squarely... just so I could then throw it away!!! 

OMG, I caught myself and said, WHAT ARE YOU DOING???? LOL. 

With knitting, I'm learning you have to look past some things and accept imperfection. I like Bluebird's tradition! I might have to embrace that! Altho, I don't think I would have to slip in the imperfection either! LOL


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I'm so used to takeing things apart, it is pretty much part of knitting to me.Sinse I use handspun and have to figure out gauge, sometimes I'll just start knitting then bam-time flys and I find out it's too big. So I redo and redo. I make up patterns because it was hard to read them for me, usally just looking at a picture is all I need. Now if I could figure out crochet patterns. I've crochet forever too, but same as knitting , I learned form my Russian Mom and Grandma, so I don't crochet "normal".


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> I believe it was Elizabeth Zimmerman our grand mother of all things knitted who said something to the effect of, if you make a mistake often enough it becomes part of the design. The Navajo believed that their spirit would become entangled in their rugs and would weave in a "spirit thread" just so their spirit could escape. Others believe that there is only one being who can make anything perfect and that is God and so they will purposely make mistakes in their work just so they wouldn't offend their God.
> 
> Personally if I discover a mistake or my stitch count is off I'll look to find how far back it happened. If I am able to find the mistake and it isn't more than a few rows back I will rip back and fix it. If it is more than that or if I am not able to find the mistake, I just keep going, adjust the stitches and call it good.
> 
> Several years ago I knit my mother a pair of socks from some hand spun Shetland wool, it was the Cookie A's BFF socks. I handed them to her with pride and she put them on her hand to look and admire them. Then she said, oh look a dropped stitch :grit: I looked for that dropped stitch and couldn't find it so I added a stitch to make my county right. Of course my mother would find it :facepalm: what was I thinking :nono:


Marchie, My Mom has a handwoven rug, it is NA, don't know where it came from. It has all kinds of little designs in it incorperated into the sides of the weave, each only 1, as if each one stood for a person or a symbol of a good wish, something. I told my parents to keep it, they rolled it up and put it away. It would be nice if I even knew where to start looking for info about it. Being in the art field so long, I can tell you this rug is something special. My parents have an entire house filled with things like this, packed full:run: I am the exuator, power of attorney,durable POA, handler of the trusts....Just venting I guess..


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## Jade1096 (Jan 2, 2008)

I almost never fix stuff.
I'm not one to rip it back. Ever.

I just call it a design feature and point out that that's what makes mine original, LOL.

If it's something simple, like I'm a stitch over or under I will knit front & back, or knit two together or something but otherwise, pfffft. Ain't nobody got time for that. (That said, I've never really worked on something crazy intricate like the Shipwreck Shawl or anything either)


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

99% of the time I will fix it. I am also a perfectionist in the worst way, especially since I do sell a lot of my pieces and accept many commissioned items every season, I pride myself on my work. Now there have been a small handful of pieces that did not turn out the way I wanted, and I didn't undo them. Instead I halved the price and sold them as "seconds" I have learned that I don't embroider faces very well, so for the most part, I don't do faces! Which means I don't make a lot of dolls (they never turn out right anyway) unless they remain featureless, which sometimes gives them a rather creepy appearance. 

I've also learned that in garments, a mistake early on can have a profound effect on the pattern later. I'd rather rip it out and re-make it early than try to adjust later, which can often severely affect the appearance of the finished piece.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I suppose I have to simply accept myself for the way that I am. I, too, have a touch of perfectionism in me. Not toward other people. I am very forgiving. But for myself and the work that I do...oh it just bugs me so much when there is a mistake that I can't stand it and I have to fix it. Most the time. Not always. But surely more often than not!

It's fun to read how other folks approach their fiber work.


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

One thing I am learning is to stop and examine my work at fairly frequent intervals, since I am new at this. Then I might find my mistakes before they are down too many rows. Sometimes I just get knitting and forget and then the next day while admiring my handiwork...Ag!!! I forgot to check it often and have to tear out half of my work! (or more, sometimes!)

Tonight I am trying to learn Intarsia and while admiring the beginning of my heart motiff I found 2 rows down I started purling after trapping my yarn in my knit row. Just a practice piece, but I still correct my mistakes, just to practice corrections. LOL. I love my little silvalume tool! It gets alot of use!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

KFG, that is good advice. 



> I love my little silvalume tool!


What is that?


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Kansasfarmgirl,
You mentioned intarsia. When it comes to knitting and such, what exactly is intarsia?
I have heard the term before with regards to sweaters and the like, but for me, personally, it means something completely un-fiber related.
As a wood worker, I use to do a lot of intarsia work. With woodworking, intarsia is a technique of cutting multiple pieces of wood, using different grain patterns, colors, species, etc, then shaping each piece, and finally attaching them all together to form a finished piece that apperars carved and 3 dimensional.

I will see if I can find a couple pics of pieces I have done. I know I have about 4 or 5 unfinished pieces out in my garage/shop


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Ok, I don't want to hijack this thread with pictures of an unrelated subject so I posted the pictures of my intarsia work in another thread.
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/crafting/520248-my-woodworking-hobby.html


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

DBA, Intarsia is knitting blocks of color or texture to create a motif in a larger work. Say for instance you want to put a flower in the middle of the back of a sweater, you cannot just knit, then join a new color, and continue. If you did that the piece would fall out of your work or you would have a zillion loose ends to weave in. So you use intarsia. You have the yarn you want to use for the motif on a bobbin generally and there is a wrapping technique to anchor the yarn to the main piece. This may help you to understand better. It is not difficult it just is not easy to describe . http://www.interweavestore.com/about-intarsia-knitting-patterns


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Ok, thank you. So it is somewhat like the woodworking intarsia? Make individual pieces of any peticular color, then join them together to form the finished piece.....right?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

We'll it seem by the photos you posted you were taking wood out rather than putting it in. I'm not sure I get the connection, no pun intended


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

Marchwind, Intarsia became much easier once I finally figured out it should be done in stockinette! Man, I had a frustrating time when I was trying to do it in garter stitch! 

Kas, the slivalume tool is a little jobber with a pointy end and a crochet hook. I think like a nook hook?

Only 4", it fits nicely in my bag with my markers and point protectors, etc. and is small enough (size 2, I think) to get into those stitches that are barely hanging on for dear life before falling on thru the stitch. It's easy to fix a stitch and then just slide the tool back out the pointy end instead of getting off the hook end. 

Super easy to use. I just bought it on a whim cuz it was cheap but I use it ALL the time! When I get out my knitting stuff, I get it out and have it on the ready. I don't think there has been a day I haven't used it. I make alot of mistakes!


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

Dixie Bee, 

Your intarsia wood working is fabulous! I love the look of putting the pieces together and the different stains and types of wood. The deer and angel were cool pieces, and I loved the flower! 

I watch the woodworking shows and would love to try woodworking one of these days. (If I can ever afford the tools! LOL) 

Looks like you do great work! Very interesting to know intarsia is used in different hobbies too.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Need Coffee?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I love that mug!


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## Jade1096 (Jan 2, 2008)

I'll be finding that mug!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I love that mug, too! 

KFG - I have one of those thingy-ma-bobs and didn't know what it was called! lol!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Dixie Bee Acres said:


> Ok, thank you. So it is somewhat like the woodworking intarsia? Make individual pieces of any peticular color, then join them together to form the finished piece.....right?


Not quite.
The colorwork is actually worked into the piece as you knit the entire thing... like this : [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyusrCZzftY[/ame]


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Oh, ok. I think I see now, in any case, way too complicated for my feeble little mind to wrap around.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Ah, Grasshopper, you have yet to assimilate the knowledge that here is no "can't" in fiber!!:rock:

As I always say, it's just sticks and strings baby!!


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I think I will stick to my pegged hoops :boring:


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