Anyone else like to learn new things, but not like the learning curve? When I was a kid, my friend and I were learning how to roller skate.This was back in the day of metal skates that attached to your shoes using a key to tighten them. We fell so many times, at one point we went inside and got pillows and belts and strapped them around our backsides.
I’ve been trying in the past few years, to let myself be able to do things incorrectly when I am learning. Do I get frustrated? Yes. But sometimes just plugging on is less frustrating. I now accept that the first time I try something, there are going to be mistakes. If I were to keep ripping out, or starting over, I think that would be more frustrating for me–not seeing any progress.
Today I started my first try at weaving.
It doesn’t take an expert to see that something is not right here.
A few rows in, I saw that my ends (sides?) were too loopy looking. Since this was just a practice piece, I didn’t undo it, but soldiered on. I did stop to check out a few online resources on how to fix the problem.
By the end, I was doing much better. Not perfect, but better. Progress!
A little better
This was not the only mistake in the practice piece. It is hard to see in the photo since it is cream colored yarn, but there were a few times the shuttle missed one of the warp strings, If I saw this on the row, I pulled it out, but I often did not spot it until several rows later and so it stayed. I also lost track of the number of times I set the heddle in the wrong position and “unwove” the row I had just done.
By the end, though, I was starting to get a little bit of a rhythm, and could work at a slightly faster pace. I think I will do another practice piece but use contrasting yarn for the warp and the weft. That should make it easier to catch mistakes. Still, I’m happy with my progress on day one.
alookatthelittlethings 
Yes I want to be able to do difficult things perfectly at the first attempt, too. Doesn’t seem all that realistic as I type it though. Weaving is definitely a journey. Do you know about wet finishing already? It works wonders by letting the yarn relax.
Good to hear you are planning your next project already. I bet it will reflect even more progress.
I will have to google wet finishing, thank you for the tip.
It’s funny how the head knows a first attempt won’t be perfect, but it is still something we want.