I was perusing Pinterest a few weeks ago, as one does, and this meme caught my eye:
Naturally, it made me laugh because of how accurate it is. I don’t know about you, but this is certainly a habit I’m guilty of. I’m not comfortable merely accepting the compliment with a simple thank you, but I always feel like I have to follow it up with something.
Person: Wow, those are great socks!
Me: Thanks, the yarn is self patterning. It makes it look fancier than it actually is.Person: Wow, I love that shawl.
Me: Thank you, the yarn is ___________. The colour is lovely.Person: I really like that hat.
Me: Thanks, the pattern is ___________, you should check it out.Person: What a great sweater.
Me: Thanks, but I messed up here and here, and I would have done ________ differently.
These are fairly standard responses I know I have given in the past. Why do we do this? A knitted object can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 20 months (or more) to complete. Time is spent choosing the yarn, knitting the object, and finishing it to the specifications. A knitting object is truly a labour of love, and yet I will constantly downplay the work that I have put into it. I’m sure I’m not alone in this habit. It’s time to change my attitude and accept the compliment. After all, I made the thing. I’m inwardly proud of the thing. Time to accept the love of the thing.
