OT: I'm Just Whining

#1

I just got home from a sit in knit with some very nice ladies. One of them was the in house knitting teacher.

She called me yesterday and said she loved the way I do my heels/toes on my socks (Japanese short row method) and wanted to learn how to do them. So I said ok and went to the sit in this morning and proceeded to show her.

I asked her to provisionally cast on 20 stitches (because this was not a lesson in provisional cast on and there are a few ways to do it. I was just gonna let her do it her way and go on)and she said to me “Whats provisionally casting on?” I had to gather myself and then told her what it was and she said “Oh ok” and proceeded to knit. I didnt recognize at the time what she was doing, but I sure did later. Lets move on…She then handed the work to me and said “I want to watch you do the rest.” I thought that weird but said ok.

I told her that we start out with short rows and told her the formula I go by for my toes and started to short row. I went up all i was gonna and then began closing the gaps. Showing her how to recognize the running thread on both sides and that was the one she needed to pick up and work. Using knitting terminaligy to talk to her was just frustrating. I would say something and she would not understand and I would have to explain it…to the knitting teacher…When it came time to pick up the PCO, I realized that she had done her method of long tail and one knit row. Again, I gathered myself and said to her “Im not familiar with this PCO, how do you undo it?” she said “I don’t know, I didn’t know you could cast on and then come back and undo it.” At that point, I just grabbed my scissors and began to cut the waste, put the live stitches on my DPN, knit a few rows and asked her if she had any questions.
She did.
She wanted to know how to do that method for the heel…
So I started to do a heel. I said to her “I would feel better if you would take over the knitting and do a heel while im sitting here so in case you have any questions, I would be here to help.” She said no, she wanted to watch me do it. So I did a heel and then just finished up with about an inch of cuff and stopped. took it off the needle and gave it to her.

She said thank you. I said your welcome. I left.

I teach people to knit all the time…but i go into it with a different frame of mind.
Im teaching someone who teaches knitting and has regular classes of people who PAY for her knowledge…i expect for them to at least understand what im talking about.

Now I know you guys think im just a whiner at this point, but OMG it was just horrible talking with this woman about knitting…I would not expect the knowledge level that she had, from a paid. knitting. TEACHER! I wonder what exactly she teaches? I feel for her students…
Thats bad of me…nice lady, and i dont think im “all that” but come on…

sorry but thank you for letting me vent.
Melissa

#2

She probably only teaches basics like CO, knit, purl, BO, increases decreases. She may be one of those who’s been knitting for years, but only basic patterns - baby blankets, hats, scarves, maybe socks. You never know.

#3

I agree with Sue. By teaching basic knitting she’s providing a valuable class, too. I do find it odd that she hasn’t even heard of something like a provisional cast on, but she probably doesn’t need to teach it in her classes. If she was really interested in learning she should have done the work though. Kinda strange.

#4

Well, I taught myself to knit about 45 years ago, and never heard about a provisional CO until maybe 5 years ago when I started up knitting again after 10-12 years away from it. It’s an old idea, I guess, but never used too much until more recently I think. Of course I mostly knit from the RH and Patons pamphlets until 5 years ago.

#5

It’s strange that if she wanted to learn something that she wouldn’t have done the knitting herself. If she didn’t know how to do a provisional cast on, why didn’t she ask you to show her that as well? You mention that it wasn’t a class in provisional cast ons. Were there other people there that made it a class atmosphere?

She could have been up front with you that she only knows the basics and that’s what she teaches to get people started. It seems like she didn’t want to look stupid in front of you, but managed to anyway. If you’re really irked why not speak with the shop owner about it. If it’s a voluntary thing that this woman does (as in, the shop makes the money off of renting the room to have the class but the teacher doesn’t make any money), perhaps it’s understandable that she might not be an expert knitter. Still doesn’t excuse her not doing the work herself, but I guess I could cut her some slack. She might have thought you were getting together casually, not that she was asking you teach her in a class of one.

I understand your vent though. Things can be frustrating sometimes.

#6

She was maybe so in awe of your knitting that she was unsure of her own knitting. I am by no means a kntiting expert, but I think I knit o.k. I may not know the terminology all the time, but my skill is still there. You had every right to be frustrated when she herself didn’t want to knit. Seems odd.

#7

You mention that it wasn’t a class in provisional cast ons. Were there other people there that made it a class atmosphere

Nope, Just her.

If you’re really irked why not speak with the shop owner about it.

The shop owner swears by this woman…I have offered to teach a class but she refuses me and tells me that she already has a knitting teacher.

If it’s a voluntary thing that this woman does (as in, the shop makes the money off of renting the room to have the class but the teacher doesn’t make any money), perhaps it’s understandable that she might not be an expert knitter.

She gets paid $10 per hour for a class. The shop gets 25%.

She might have thought you were getting together casually, not that she was asking you teach her in a class of one.

She asked me to teach her. It was planned that I come to the shop and teach her this method of heel.

Its not only the provisional cast on issue…that was only one of the things…she seems to have a lack in knowledge about quite a few things knitting…I once asked her what her method of knitting was and she couldnt tell me…ok, alot of people cant tag it with a name. But they arent knitting teachers…im sorry to keep that up…but I guess I hold her to a higher standard.
Ive seen her with one of her students…and her instruction frustrated me!! And Im a knitter. And the poor woman seemed very lost too…

I AM frustrated about it and more so for her students…If I was to go somewhere to learn to knit. I want the instructor to know about knitting. What happens when these people she teaches goes beyond her knowledge? I know alot of times, people go to the LYS for help on a pattern or tecnique. She wont be able to help. And then what will they do? and what does that say for the shop???

I dont know…I need to let it go tho…I just want to help her students.

Im REALLY TRYING to cut her some slack…but im not able to muster that up…maybe time past will do the trick.

Thanks again!!
:grphug:
Melissa

#8

I, am another who learned to knits ages ago but didn’t into the finer details of knitting until just recently. A year ago I didn’t know what a PCO was.

I will say this, though, I would have asked, and had the person show me. I would have followed along, but doing it myself because I learn better by doing than just watching. Let me give this example, it would be like being a beginning knitter, and seeing a cable knit sweater and trying to follow the pattern never having seen nor practiced the various cabling methods. You can see it, you can like it, but you cannot just absorb the knowledge of how to do it just by looking at it.

I can watch an appendectomy, but that does not mean I can perform one.

#9

And we all appreciate that. :roflhard: Excellent point though! :thumbsup:

I didn’t realize you had asked the owner about teaching. She’s a fool not to have someone there who can teach more advanced knitting techniques. Maybe if you approached her like that… She’s got a teach for basic knitting, but would she like one to teach more advanced knitting?

#10

I agree with Jan (especially about the appendectomies :teehee: )

This woman must be a friend or relative of the shop owner. Or maybe she owes her money and is over a barrell and HAS to let her do this. :wink:

I have to agree with you that it seems like she doesn’t know very much. How sad. It IS a reflection on the store too. For your own sanity you’ll have to let it go, but you certainly don’t have to recommend her (or the store) to anyone.

I wonder what the point was of her only wanting to watch you instead of doing the heel? I watch videos all the time of techniques I need to do for a certain project, but once I get the time, I get needles in my hands and test it out myself. If I were lucky enough to have someone right there with me I’d be doing it alongside them.

What you mention with this woman is the exact reason why I haven’t signed up for the Knitting I and II classes that are offered at our School district. It’s the very basics of knitting. Nothing more. I’m not spectacular, and totally self-taught, but I have a feeling I know more than the teachers already.

#11

I feel your pain. And I would most likely feel the same way you do regardless of other possible circumstances or explanations. I would’ve felt taken advantage of and that doesn’t sit well with me. I’m in a sort of situation regarding a class at my LYS … which I will explain in another post so I don’t hijack yours. :slight_smile:

#12

I don’t think she wanted to learn how to do it, I think she wanted you to do it for her :slight_smile:

#13

If I were a knitting teacher and wanted to know how to do a procedure that I probably should already know, I would go to one of the online tutorials and be very quiet about my ignorance.

I think your only mistake was letting yourself be “used” so that you were frustrated and angry later. As soon as your session headed down a bad path, you probably should have taken a different direction–easier said than done sometimes.