Picasso in my Fever Dreams

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it" ~Pablo Picasso

Wise words.  Let me get back to them.

For those of you who read my blog through a feeder (mostly Google feeder, it would seem), Typepad made a blunder with my (and other) RSS feeds early yesterday morning.  For those of you who like the London Post, wonderful, for those of you who don't, worry not, it's been fixed.  Yay Typepad!

Onto our cute crazy cubist. 

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in oder that I may learn how to do it. 

I found this quote yesterday, or the day before (the last three days have been one big fever dream) and it just stuck with me.  This is something that someone needs to stitch in a sampler for every person with knitting needles who has ever said "oh, I don't know if I can do that.  It looks hard."

There is no fear or reluctance in Pablo's statement.  None.  There is a declaration that when he comes across something that he can't do, he does it, and then he can do it.  Now, if Pablo (can I call you Pabs? How bout Pabbi P?) if Pabs were a knitter, I'm pretty sure he'd have his Ravelry account filled with steeked sweaters, Orenberg lace, and any other manner of "daring knits", but he wouldn't see them as daring.  Only things that he could not do, until he did them.

Maybe it's lace.  I have a fond friend who knits gorgeous aran sweaters from memory.  She's recently picked up socks for the first time and is doing them flawlessly, two at once, one needle.  She turned to me last Wednesday and said "I've never done lace."  I told her that it was about time to wander down that path.  She is one of the people I think of when I read Pabsie's quote.  She has no fear of the technique, she is pretty comfortable that she can do it.  So I'm going to print her out some lace patterns (nothing hair raising) and bring them to her on Wednesday. 

Maybe it's color work with lots of carries.  This shouldn't scare you.  There is only one new trick, carrying a color in back, not tugging too tightly, and twisting the colors ever 3 or so stitches so it carries smoothly.  Someone you know would love to help you with this, I'm sure.

Maybe it's working with cotton.  This is rarely an overcoming of fear, merely an overcoming of distaste.   Many of us who have entered the knitting world on our own, without a knitting knursemaid, have started at big stores that sell dishcloth cotton.  Many of us decide right there that cotton is not worth our time.  I'm guilty.  I found all kinds of excuses to not knit with cotton, until I found a garment made out of a cotton that had so many wonderful colors (and this garment used about 14 of those colors) that I had to give it a go.  This was my most recent Pablo moment.

I think we should all have more Pablo moments.  We're playing with sticks and string, and mistakes are easily repaired or eradicated (step away from the stove, that's not what I meant).  There is no life and death, if it doesn't fit you it will fit someone else, and don't worry, if you don't finish the blanket, the baby will still be born.  I think more of us should look at patterns that are beyond our current range of expertise and go "I'm going to try that.  I'll learn something and be a better knitter." instead of "Oooh, I love that!  Oh, but it's marked intermediate.  I should find something else."  Hogwash.  Be the knitter you want to be.

As I've typed this out, I've decided that this needs a knit along.  No structure, and not now.  Pablo's birthday is in October, so maybe the whole month of October, people could just do something with their craft that they've never done before, whether it be because they don't think they can, or they don't have time, or they don't like the thought of it.  Or maybe April, the month that he left us (which doesn't mess with Christmas knitting, which people start at different times).  Maybe that's lace.  Maybe that's entrelac.  Maybe that's learning to read a chart.  It will be a personal goal, like the Knitting Olympics.

Give me your feedback, think about what you "can't do" so you can do it, and learn it.  I'll be coming back with this sooner or later.

I want to thank you all for being a part of my latest fever dream.  I'd post pictures, but the colors scare me right now.

Post edited to focus less on the concept of "fear" and add other reasons that may keep us from doing something different.  Thank you, Naomi :)

Comments

[naomi]

Hm. I don't often think, "I can't do that," but I do often find myself thinking, "learning that will take more energy than I have right now." (I try to save the serious learning energy for grad school.) Toe-up socks on two circs, for example, were much easier than I had thought they'd be.

The fiber skill I'm really working on now, which is not going well, is spinning fluffy, low-twist singles.

[Marion Conery]

I heard about your multi-colored sweater from Maureen. Sounds really special. I'm finishing my cotton sweater and I love the feel of the fabric. Maybe my challenge would be to learn to read charts. Marion

[Blogless Amanda]

Ericka that is your life's motto. It's the thing I envy the most about you. I'm all for your KAL. You rock!

[Gina House]

I thought it was so funny to see all that London "gossipy" news the other day. I was, like, "Ericka wrote 11 new posts? Holy crap!"

There's few things that I tell myself I "can't do", but LOTS of things I'm just unable to get the guts up and actually DO. I'm sure I could do it, it's just an issue of building up that courage or finding the right motivation to do it.

In knitting, it would probably be steeking, though I'm sure it would be fine.

In life, it would be standing up for myself and being more confident...not caring what other people think...that's a hard one for me.

Nice post : )

[Katie]

I'm kind of afraid to try cables so a knit-a-long would be great to get me to try them. Thanks for your inspiration!