Weird Wool Wednesday: compliment from a knitter.

At the knitters’ party last Saturday I told about the stranger I met that day who didn’t want my compliment on her handknit.

It was a young woman at the station, passing me by. She wore a fun hat that looked handknitted. It was clearly a statement accessoire. I loved her for wearing it! So I wanted to compliment her. It’s so nice when you’ve made an effort on your outfit and somebody else notices it.
As she walked by I said very loudly: “Hey! Cool hat!”
But she didn’t say a word and just kept walking, purposefully ignoring me.
Leaving me confused.

This story I told my knitting friends and at one time I shouted my compliment over the table filled with pies and knitting.
“Hey! Mooie muts!”
My friends roared.
?
They laughed harder than the story merited and they were not so much laughing with me, they were laughing at me.
It took a moment and then it clicked. I had actually insulted the stranger…

The Dutch word for “knitted hat” is “muts”. But “muts” is also a very condescending and well known slang word meaning “dumb lady”… (it has to do with unshaved regions of the body)… and I had bellowed it at the young woman on the platform.

.

.

.

I feel so bad. I so hope she gave me the benefit of the doubt, eventually. I so wish it didn’t harm her self esteem. I’m so dumb at times.

Yes, I may be something of a muts myself.
But at least I make knitters laugh.

Incidentally, this is the hat I want to knit soon:

Neon Ski Bonnet by Lacey Volk, a free pattern based on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s work. Double layer over the ears for warmth.

You can compliment me on it in any way you like.

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