I've been holding my blowpipe wrong for maybe two years now...
My teacher in Tucson pointed out my thumb was in the wrong spot, which explained why my gathers kept coming out lopsided. He said, 'Your thumb needs to rest under the pipe, not wrap around it,' and it clicked. Has anyone else had a simple hand position fix change their whole process?
Notice this happens with all kinds of tools. The right grip on a screwdriver or a chef's knife changes the whole job. Our brains just guess at hand placement until someone shows us the simple, right way.
Oh man, "it clicked" is the best feeling. I had something similar learning to play pool, of all things. My friend showed me how to actually bridge my hand on the table instead of just gripping the cue awkwardly, and suddenly I could make a straight shot. It's wild how one tiny adjustment you never thought about can unlock everything.