Thursday, February 13, 2014

Context is everything

You know when someone tells you something and you think, "Has [he or she -- choose one] been paying attention?"  You wonder whether [he or she -- choose one] has just tuned in.  And then just assumed other [usually incorrect] stuff?  Those times when you stand there thinking to yourself, "Really?" 

That's what happens when you don't swatch for a knitting project.  You're that out-of-touch person. You just jump right in, casting on and merrily knit along. Then maybe you don't like what's happening on your needles. 

So swatch.  Play with your yarn.  Try different needle sizes for a particular stitch pattern.  Or different stitch patterns with a particular yarn.  Block your swatch.  Blocking mimics what's going to happen to your knit fabric when it's worn.  You know, in real life.

Don't assume.

Get some context.

And go read this RIGHT NOW.  Yes, you have time.  Just like you have time to make a swatch or two. 

Context is everything.

LK

1 comment:

  1. Not paying attention, just tuned in, makes you think "Really?"

    I have a pronoun question. Is it really "he or she"? Or, in practice, is it always "he"?

    And is "he" really "me"? Just checking 'cause sometimes I'm not paying attention.

    Here's how I posted: I clicked on the comment count at the end of the entry. I'm the first one to write in, so it said "No comments." Up pops a text box that says "Post a Comment." After I composed my comment, I clicked on the drop-down list below the text box with the label "Comment as:" My choices include various types of online personas, including Anonymous.

    I chose "Name/url"; this allows me to choose a name and list my own website. I don't have a web site, so I left that blank. I then clicked "continue"; Two new buttons some up: "Publish" and "Preview"; The first will post my comment immediately and the second will first let me see what the comment will look like. I wanted to "Preview," so I clicked it. I had some changes to make, so I followed the "Edit" link in the right margin so I could change what I'd written in the text box. I did Preview/Edit until I was happy with the comment.

    When I was ready to publish, I had to enter the text pictured. This proves that I'm a person typing and not a program called a robot trying to post spam. I then clicked on the Publish button.

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