She was not very friendly at first -- my seat mate on my flight to St Thomas, that is. After a bit of reading and the beverage service, I pulled out my crochet project and began working on it.
She said, "I am watching you crochet." I said something like, "I enjoy doing this."
She said, "I don't have the patience to crochet." I said something like, "I have been knitting and crocheting since I was a child."
After a while, I said, "It is finished", as I briefly held my project upright.
She said, "It is beautiful."
I said, "Thank you. I might wear it on St Thomas."
We parted wishing each other a good vacation.
Days later, it was on my mind to think up a better response to, "I don't have the patience to crochet" or "I don't have the patience to knit."
What I came up with is... "I don't have the patience to not knit. Any time that I can knit, rather than to sit and do nothing, I get anxious if I do not have my knitting with me."
I could add, "I truly love making things. And I have loved making things for my entire life."
What do you think? Are these better responses? What would you say?
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I hate that no patience comment! I always say that if you are doing something you love you don't need patience. It seems to me that patience is only needed when you are not enjoying yourself. LOL - now I need to go look up the definition of patience!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda. I just looked up the definition of patience myself. And, anyway you look at it, it is a good quality to have! I do think that all of us who knit are fabulous!
DeleteHi Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteLOL, I just hope you had a second travel project for the rest of the trip.
The "patience" thing is interesting. Another Raveler just sent a link to me that had some essays by Sally Melville that talked about this very comment. She said she thinks about replying something to the effect that if one does not think they have the patience for knitting, then they are the very ones who would benefit from taking it up.
I also think that what a lot of people are showing with this comment, is that they aren't willing to get through the initial learning process. That seems to me to be the part that takes a bit of patience. Like any new skill, really.
Hi Clare,
DeleteLOL ... As an experienced knitter, and an experienced traveler, I had TWO other knitting projects with me!
I have read lots of Sally Melville ... I love her commentary ... She is a "thinking" knitter for sure, and very wise. I enjoy following her blog at sallymelvilleknits.blogspot.com.
I am not sure that I could have been bold enough to tell that woman that knitting is something that she NEEDS to do. I agree that learning the skills initially takes patience.
Thanks for commenting!
Hi again Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteI agree that you wouldn't want to say that...maybe just think it...which I think is what Melville said...that is, that she thought about it instead of saying it. Heh...if that makes any sense. ;-)
And, I am glad you had another project with you!