Two Wrongs

A lot of mistakes I make are because I do not follow the directions carefully. Some of those mistakes carry minor consequences and I can live with them. Others that are major consequences are not as common nor easily recognized. I am not thinking of those today, rather more recent ones which leave me angry with myself since I am the only one affected.

The jelly I made yesterday was a fiasco from the start. Today I realized how bad it all was when I opened a jar of the jelly. Normally I do not open the jars until needed but I had a sinking feeling about the results. It was even worse than I had thought !! The jelly was so stiff it was like frozen molasses. I could not get it out of the jars. I hate to lose the jars but I may just have to pitch them all out and buy new ones. A lesson learned.

Now, the basket I finished yesterday will not be thrown out but kept as a reminder to READ THE DIRECTIONS carefully, refer to them as I work, recheck my work. Baskets are to be used and have been since time began when Eve needed something to carry her apples in. So this one will be used and if I can disguise the lopsided way it sits I will do that.

The problem with the basket began when I cut the primary ribs This is a potato basket and not the just weave it type basket. There are three times in the weaving when you stop and cut new ribs. Not getting the first ones the right size for the rim will throw the whole design off and it certainly did this time. Many years ago my sister and I both made this same basket from the same instructions in the same book. The writing on the flyleaf states that it was a Christmas gift in 1986 from my daughter. So, I know I CAN do it correctly and I WILL the next time.

I do not see how anyone can go through life without making mistakes. My mind tells me this but at the same time my mind tells me that anything worth doing is worth doing right. I am much more tolerant of mistakes that others make. I can easily say, we learn from our mistakes. Jean Piaget the swiss psychologist knew this when he came up with his cognitive theory of learning. He studied children and came to understand that their little minds were working away at figuring out how things were to be done by experiencing them.

Well, I have experienced what happens when I do something wrong and hopefully will not repeat the wrong and thus be happy with my results. That is a much better feeling !!