Knitting - a mash up of a Kate Davies hat pattern from her new book 'Ten years in the making' I could not continue the pattern to the crown because I was using up a ball of blue drops Paris to marry up with some raspberry drops leftovers from my sleeveless top but it was a success all the same. This girl can not wear wool across her forehead so a cotton beanie was perfect.
This is the join line but hey, it is still good.
Watching - My youngest, aged 12, really hone her embroidery skills. She is a demon stitcher.
Sewing - I have started to make video tutorial content for the Minerva website as a freelance position so there are items of clothing popping up all over the place as a by product of sharing a making process. This is a needlecord Grainline Studio Scout Tee.
Leaving - my position as a teaching assistant and part time primary teacher. I went back to it after teaching adults part time thinking I would be preparing myself for going back full time when the children got older but all it taught me was that I didn't want to do it anymore. Who wants to teach subordinate clauses to 7 year olds and have parents constantly scrutinising your best efforts on social media platforms? Not me.
Patching - the rear of my jeans. This concoction has been holding out well.
Feeding - my family really well now that I am not going out to work. That extra little bit of time you gain from working from home is perfect for cooking, which makes us all really happy.
Fixing - a casualty of home-schooling. Meg knocked a lamp off the office desk while working in her book so I glued it then got out my map book and collaged the vase. It sits rather nicely with the maps on the wall.
Messing - up my studio with copious amounts of sewing. Did I mention I was doing a lot of sewing?!
Wearing - wellies a lot. The last few sunny weekends have driven us straight outside not only to feed the sheep which we have to do but also to enjoy some relaxing time together.
Growing - Some herbs inside on the window cill before it warms up properly to grow outside; getting itchy fingers to garden.
Getting - out and about in local places for a walk, this was a 2 hour up hill one which we all loved.
Feeling - really happy with our family choices.
Waving - both girls off to school today. I have mixed feelings.
Thank you for dropping by. Jo xx
Hope all went well at school and the girls have settled back into it. Your did a great job on those jeans the patches are wonderful, I love them. If only I was 10 years younger I would consider it myself. That is a lot of sewing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I left school as a TA a few years ago, I breathed a massive sigh of relief. I feel like I am me again. Good luck for your future endeavours, you’ll boss them, I’m sure. Love the hat and the walk. CN xxxx
ReplyDeleteMy girls went back to school on Monday - they were really anxious but actually it was all fine and its like they were never off. I shall miss having them here. I worked in early years for 10 years until last summer. My Mum passed away and it made me scrutinise my life and I, like you, just thought I don't want to do this anymore. More and more paperwork that you did in your own time and more and more badly behaved children. It was a huge relief and I have not missed it - it is nice to focus on my own children and not be rushing about all over the place.
ReplyDeleteMore power to you - I retired as a primary teacher in 2008, it certainly wasn't the job I entered in 1970! And why should young chidren work out what an author meant when he/she wrote this? I read for pure enjoyment, not to analyse the author's thought processes. Youngset grandson, then aged 6, was doing split digraphs some months ago - I ahd to look up the term to find it is "magic e". Love the embroidery, by the way, I have just begun to embroider after many years. Wishing you all the best for the future.
ReplyDeleteI also worked as a TA in a secondary school for about 15 years and left a few years ago. It was the right life choice for me and I don't have any regrets.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your Minerva freelancing, you make some wonderful things.
Wishing you happy days of new found freedom.
My son worked as a translater for the deaf and was expected to stand in and teach as well. The children were badly behaved a lot of the time. The lady teachers used to fetch him to quieten the class.He was the only man.He still does the same job but at an Academy, with hearing pupils as well. For the last few months he has been home schooling his own 2 boys as well as taking classes via computer with his deaf students. Been a trying time for him.
ReplyDeleteSorry Jo , I meant to comment on your lovely hat.You have nice big work space too. I think if nothing else this pandemic has made people more aware of the time they have and how they use it.
ReplyDeleteMany congrats on your freelance work and, dare I say it, leaving teaching. I had to retire way early because of ill health but I am so glad I did. Teaching takes over your life, I never had any free time! I wish I had left when my kids were young. Love visiting you here!
ReplyDeleteSo many people with the same sentiments on teaching. Thanks for calling in. x
DeleteCan I move in, please? Your dinner looks amazing. Was it difficult to knit colour work with cotton yarn? I have never tried because it is quite slippery. The hat looks fab, I do love raspberry red. I am going to check your video tutorials out, please do share the links once available. I am not a big Minerva fan, too much choice and a poor search engine but I'll look out for the tutorials. I admire your decision to leave your teaching job, very brave but definitely the right decision if it doesn't make you happy. I wish I had the courage myself. I really love my work but my work environment is not collegiate and contributes nothing to my wellbeing. Here's to a new career as a freelancer! Cxx
ReplyDeleteI went down a needle size to colourwork cotton to stop it gaping because there is no wool to bloom the gaps. Drops Paris is a bit like string so it was a bit sore on the fingertips but fine for a hat. I will of course link in videos.
Deletewell done on the tutorial videos Jo1 You are magnificent in every way. Love the hat and your little one, or not so little one anymore, stitching. Good for you deciding to do something that makes you happier. Hope you are all happy and healthy.
ReplyDeleteYour freelance work sounds great, and I can well imagine how hard it is to teach. Great that you have escaped. The walk looks wonderful, I do love to really get out into the countryside away from the well-trodden paths. Food looks delicious. With gigantic boys cluttering the place up here it is all very much about quantity. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a fab post! I understand about the teaching, my husband left his last contracted position because he feared the stress would kill him, literally. Life is too short to spend time doing something which doesn't bring you joy. Your craftiness is beautiful, as always, but the demon stitcher deserves a gold star. Take care. x
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you were not enjoying your teaching and good for you for getting out for the sake of your sanity. We have had an inspector walk around today (formally ofsted, now a consultant) and last week the head and executive head did a walk around. I say walk around it's a little on the spot inspection isn't it?? This is only the second week back! Being with the children is lovely it is everything surrounding it that is the problem. Great news about the video content, I was interested but wasn't sure any videos I made would be professional enough for them. I will look out for yours, have a super week. x
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