Teddy Roosevelt - one of America's admired past presidents - notably remarked that "The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything."

I just finished the hat pictured above, and I have to tell you - it includes a number of mistakes. I don't like the seam at the back (hidden in this photo), I'm certain I miscounted and have a few too many rows, and I'm not sure I accurately accomplished the top decreases and finishing.
Still, the colorway of this yarn is BEAUTIFUL, the content divine (45% silk, 45% mohair, 10% wool) and it fits my head perfectly! On this very cold November evening, as I sit here feeling a little miserable after getting my flu shot today, this hat is providing me some colorful warmth and comfort.
As I sewed the back seam - and grumbled about it (next one I will make using circular needles) - I began to think about the POSITIVES I gleaned from this journey. It was my first Noro Silk Garden piece, and a lovely introduction to this yarn. I will be buying more of this yarn and making MORE lovely things with it!
I looked for a good spot to photograph this hat, and as I fussed with the placement and lighting, I began to see the beauty in this piece and to appreciate the time I spent making it. Social media tends to show the "good sides" of our lives and very often presents an unrealistic portrait of reality. Real life is filled with messy rooms, missteps, unappealing leftover dinners and mistakes. The sad part is that the technology that makes so many things EASIER in life often paints a false picture of real life and taints our ability to accept ourselves when we don't seem to "measure up".
Thankfully, I've lived enough of life to know that the number of mistakes in this hat (that I made for myself) don't really matter. They are unseeable by all but an expert knitter who is familiar with the pattern, and it will serve the PRIMARY purposes I had for making it: to make me happy with its colors and keep my head warm this Winter!
In addition, the next time I make this hat, I will have learned how to avoid those missteps and mistakes, and will be able to, more quickly, knit up another hat - perhaps as a gift for someone special. In that regard, this hapless little hat has ALSO served as an educational tool.
Too often in life, we dismiss efforts as a failure when they are actually quite the opposite. Like this hat, our life stumbles teach us lessons that are valuable, and can take us to places and people where we end up finding great joy.
I will wear this hat and enjoy compliments and positive comments from fiber admirers (we tend to find each other when we're out and about) and I will remember, each time, the lesson I was re-taught as I made this gift for myself this chilly November. If we let them, our mistakes are little gifts, and should be cherished for the wisdom they impart.
Here's to imperfect crocheted and knitted rows and the great gifts they bring into our lives.
(C) 2023 Stitch 'n Dish
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