Following instructions. Yuck. It is not high on my list of skills. In fact, I would classify it as more of an area of challenge than of skill. This needs-improvement area showed itself in the third grade. You know you all had this same worksheet.
I’m all about speed. I’m competitive. I will beat everyone in the class. Ready. Set. Go! I’m off. Of course, you know what I did. I may have read the instructions, but I didn’t do as I was told. I’m racing through the questions and gradually noticing that many around me have put down their pencils. What does the last item say? "Do not complete any questions. Write your first name and last name on the top of the page. Add today’s date. Put down your pencils."
Real cute.
Following directions is still a challenge for me. I continue to insist on not reading them all the way through. OR I become overwhelmed by the acronyms, and parentheses, and stitch counts when I’m taking it in all at once.
Here is what I find does help me manage a pattern:
- Notes are typically included. I read the notes at the beginning of the pattern and look at the assembly or finishing instructions at the end. This gives me an idea of the general flow of the piece.
- Keep track of rounds, rows, or stitches in a notebook separate from the instructions. If I make mistakes or have to rip anything out, then I haven’t marked up the original pattern.
- Before I tie off ends, make sure I have completed all the steps. (OK—I didn’t do this on the item pictured in this blog. You will see one crocheted square has a six-inch tail and one does not.)
- If I do miss a step, it’s only my time I’m wasting. If it’s essential to complete the work, then I will rip out the work and do it again. Sometimes, though, I just need to apply some ingenuity to the error, and no one will know but me.
I believe strongly that creating involves forgiving ourselves for our foibles and course-corrections. I also believe that following instructions creates a foundation for creativity. Learn how to do something by following instructions and then apply that to something that comes from your own brain cells!