Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.
[John Gardner]

During the hours I spend working on my computer, I use the COMMAND+Z keys (I think that is CONTROL+Z on a PC) so often to undo errors that it has become an automatic motor skill. COMMAND+S (to save) is another movement that is automatic. During the hours I live away from my computer, I really miss being able to hit COMMAND+Z — mostly when I speak without thinking and when I am knitting.

I’ve knit for half a century and still ravel and reknit a lot. I confess that with the intention of encouraging beginning knitters. For every piece of knitting I’ve finished, I have raveled at least once and have a couple other pieces that didn’t work and are stored in a box. When I find an error, I ravel back and reset the stitches on the needle. Then I put it away for at least a day. This lets my mind recover from the trauma and I can start in again with gusto.

I also have several projects going at one time. When I get tired of one, I can pick up another. This used to drive my mama nuts — she was a “finish what you start,” “one project at a time” person. She also didn’t understand how I could simply give up on some projects. Some things just don’t work the way I thought they would so I ravel them out and set the yarn aside. It may be years until I find a better use for that yarn.

Contrary to the view of some knitters, knitting is not one of the necessities in life. It is supposed to be fun. I enjoy the process, but I also want an end product that I am proud to say I did. So I ravel. I also don’t adhere to lots of “right and wrong” rules. If you end up with something that satisfies you, this is one of the times that it doesn’t really matter how you got there.