Parna and Emily’s guide to life

As you may or may not be aware, Parna (Twisted teacher extraordinaire) and Emily, during their weekly TV/knitting binges, have developed some simple knitting-inspired rules for life. They’re things that apply both to your socks, as well as, more broadly, to your work problems, love life, family, pets, home, etc. You’ll see.

1. You can either rip it back or keep going.
This is as true of a mistake in your sock pattern as it is of a relationship. At some point, if you’re dissatisfied or unsure you just have to make the call. Do you frog that puppy back to the bad section and redo your work… or do you accept it as is and press onward? There’s only two choices in the end and your friends will swear up and down you’re making the right decision either way. That’s why they’re friends.


2. Always do a gauge swatch.
More generally – look before you leap; be prepared. Save yourself lots of unnecessary heartache when your sweater comes out 10 inches too big because your gauge was half a stitch off. We’re not saying there’s no room for spontaneous trips to the beach, free form creations, or just good old winging it. Just that a little forethought never hurt anyone.


3. It’ll block out.
Most important of all. Nothing is perfect. Sometimes things can look a little screwy, and it’s easy to panic. But the little things – tiny imperfections, little areas of wonky gauge, slight fit issues, a bad hair day, one bounced check – are not worth stressing over. Just put it in cold water and hand wash / take a deep breath and have a refreshing beverage. When you come back it’ll all be better.

Well, there you go. That’s our code. Our manifesto. What would you all add?

PS – thanks to Shan for letting me steal photos.