Statistics

Boy, where's mindfulness when I need it?  Have started the last semester of my doctoral program and it's all about data analysis.  I spent 3 hours reading, studying, listening to podcasts, etc. and felt completely overwhelmed.  Funny thing is, I used this program for a research project I did and did well, even taught fellow case managers how to use it.  HOWEVER...that was 20 years ago!!!  Granted, stats doesn't change, no math does right? But if you don't use it every day, it's gone. At least for me anyway.  Math is not now nor ever has been my strongest quality.  I'm great at keeping track of my money and paying bills, but that's about the extent of it without utilizing a whole lot of brain power. 

It's times like this that I'm sure I have ADD, I'll do almost anything (cleaning toilets) to distract myself from the pain of stats.  So what do I do to get away and clear my mind?  No not knitting, I needed to move, really expend some energy and exhaust my body so I could get my mind to focus.  I went for a 5 mile run.  Worked great.  Lovely, sunny day and it felt good to return to mindfulness.  When I run, I really do have to focus and although my mind is known to wander, it's fleeting thoughts nothing deep and certainly not trying to figure out math in any form, especially statistics! 

I was able to come back and work 5 hours on it and have a little bit better handle on it.  At least don't feel as overwhelmed.   Phew, this is gonna be a L O N G 4 month semester but I'll sure be in great physical shape. :)

Knitting Improves Mental Health

Nice article about how knitting & quilting improve mental health.
https://www.yahoo.com/makers/ditch-the-prozac-take-up-crafting-108671160605.html?soc_src=mags&soc_trk=ma

3rd Graders: A Lesson in Mindfulness!!

Another 3rd grade Masters Class yesterday.  Some are little pros already.  One girl knitted a vest for her stuffed animal already!  I think she's practicing at home!!!!  Adorable.  It's cute to sit back and watch them in their little groups like a bunch of hens just knitting away, chatting about their world.  There's 2 who've lost interest but the rest are going to town.  A small group started learning to purl as they're advancing.  Thank goodness I had my 2 helpers again thanks Tricia and grandma Annie.  Would have been quite a stretch to maintain order by myself.  It's exhausting though I can tell you.  WOW!  But so glad I'm doing it.  One more class next week.

It is sure a lesson in mindfulness as you can't focus on anything else but now.  Even if you try sneaking a peak at your phone, someone will need you to tell them they're doing it right or ... not so much and restart.  I am getting good at picking up dropped stitches thought, thankful for the size 13's, which makes it easy to do with your bare hands  :)

Freia Sweater

This yarn is a dream to work with.  I've got the back finished and love the color gradient.  It's a simple pattern, which I need after struggling with my Knit Swirl jacket (which isn't finished by the way).  I've started on the sleeves as they'll be easy to work on while I travel with a 5 year old.  Mustn't take on any complicated pattern for that. Stockinette all the way, well except the sleeve end but the first one's done and if I get lucky enough to start the second one, it's only a 8 row pattern, can get that done if the child sleeps.  :)

Now I know why I didn't become an elementary teacher

The Masters Series went very well.  Thank God I had the presence of mind to enlist one helper along with one of the grandmothers and another mom offered to help.  I could not have done it without them.  Not sure WHAT I was thinking. 

At precisely the right time, 12 eager 8 and 9 year olds, filed in to eagerly learn to knit.  Nametags, ziplock bags with names, choose a skein of enormous Red Hart and split up into 3 groups of 4...off we went.  I'd read that the Waldorf School, that teaches all students knitting, uses a rhyme to help the kids learn.  I wasn't sure it made much sense but I memorized it just in case.  It worked like a charm and really helped the kids "get it."  "In through the front door, run around back, out through the window, and off jumps Jack."  Try it on your next knit stitch, makes perfect sense.

Forty five minutes goes by very fast.  Aluminum needles shoved into enormous skeins of Red Hart, put into ziplocks and off to the next class and we start the process again with the next group of 13.

I was anxious that morning that all would go well, the kids would be well behaved and we'd all have fun. I had visions of the boys using their needles as swords, which didn't happen, or a fire drill or an allergic to cats kid having an asthma attack from my cats' chasing an errant skein around my living room. The anxiety quickly left once I got there and we got started.  It went swimmingly, my fellow helper teachers were great.  But I can tell you, it was exhausting and I only had to do it for an hour and a half.  I don't know how the teachers do it all day.  I guess you get used to the high energy...eventually.  I needed a nap!

We all have our strengths and although I had fun and am looking forward to the rest of the classes, phew, it is tiring.

Masters Series

So, I mentioned before that the local elementary school principal asked me to be part of their Masters Series and teach 3rd graders to knit.  It starts on Friday.  Yesterday afternoon I went the volunteer orientation meeting.  As we went around the table introducing ourselves, I felt kinda silly. There were people teaching rocketry, fossils, math, science stuff, computers, and some stuff I wasn't even sure what it was.  But then I remembered out of the entire 3rd grade, my knitting classes have the most signed, including boys, s o   t h e r e!!!  Hahahahh

I lugged home 3 giant bags full of Red Hart yarn and aluminum needles to cast on for them.  Each of the classes is only 45 minutes long and I thought it better to already have casted on for them so we didn't spend the entire class time doing that, lest they get frustrated.  This way they can start knitting right away.  Good idea right?  Except now I have a mountain of casting on but I'll get it done tonight, I hope.  Yikes.

I am getting excited though and it should be much fun.  This will teach them math (take that math geeks), color, texture, and most important...CALMNESS!  Will keep you posted on my progress, perhaps you too will be up until the wee hours of the night reading this blog as I become a casting on fool. 

Knitting and Marathon Running,W H A T!

I had a dream that I was in the airport in Chicago trying to run & knit with 2 other women that were complete strangers. how weird then I came across this guy who knit during a marathon in KC! WTH? are you kidding! I'd break my neck not to mention why....
I can promise you this dream will be one that WON'T be coming true anytime soon!😜

But I say, good for him getting knitting out there AND not breaking his neck!

The Knitting Factory

I'm making progress on my 18" needed for the back of my sweater, knitting away when I realize how wonderful it is to knit listening to jazz.  I was googling a picture to post and found there is a music venue called the Knitting Factory around the country. Couldn't find out why it's named that but love it.  Must plan a visit when I'm next in a city where one is located, ie: Boise, Brooklyn, Reno, LA, Seattle. None in Colorado however.

Mindful Nourishment

One does not live by knitting alone.  Snuggled in on this snowy afternoon, I can think of nothing more nourshing to my soul than soup and homemade bread.  From my crisper, I threw together a yummy veggie stew and 4 mini whole wheat loaves of bread.  Divine not only the eating, but the smell of fresh baked bread wafting through the house is heavenly.  Making bread, well the kneading of it, is a workout too, great for the upper body.

And of course, it's all more festive with FiestaWare dishes.  Love them.

Shared Tears Over Prized Possessions

On another note, I visited with an elderly woman today who got such joy telling me how much she loved sewing.  She started to tear up.  When I asked her what was wrong she said "do they let you bring your sewing machine to the nursing home?"  Oh my goodness, I sat down at her bedside and we shared tears together for a lifelong love of sewing and I could only imagine what it would be like to have to face this phase in life.  Not only to have to give up her independence, which she understood was time, but to have to also give up her deep love of creating through needle and thread was too much to bare. 

I understood at the deepest resources of my soul as I've been sewing 43 years; nothing compared to her nearly 80 years of the craft.  Imagine how that would tear at you and more importantly this question showed how deeply sewing was a part of who she was...a lifeline of sorts.  And although I love knitting as much, imagine not being allowed to move your beloved yarn through your fingers and onto the needles, creating an original garment for yourself or a loved one.  Our love of craft is a component of who we are, so very deep that we must not take it for granted.

So whether you are a knitter, quilter, seamstress, cross stitcher or whatever medium you choose to create with, enjoy every minute not just the completed project.  As one day, we may all be faced with not being able to take our most prized possessions with us and how terrible a life that would be.

Of course, in the end, I reassured her that yes you can take your sewing machine to the nursing home.  An immediate calm came over her small, wrinkled, tear streaked face and for that brief moment, our souls connected and I felt that, indeed, I made a small difference in someone's life.  That connection is what life is all about and I hope I can continue telling old ladies that yes, you can take it with you.

Exciting and Terrifying at the same time!

I heard from Veronica, the Columbine Elementary School principal today about my upcoming knitting class as part of their Masters Series program.  There are 25 kids signed up, apparently THE most signed up for any one class in all of the 3rd grade!  W O W!  Imagine that.  Girls AND boys.  It starts next Friday and I'm both thrilled and a bit scared to death.  Yikes,  will they pay attention?  Will they like me?  Will I like them?  Will it be fun..for both of us.  Well, soon I'll find out and will keep you posted. 

I did have the foresight to get the yarn and needles ahead of time, early next week, to cast on for the little darlings as the classes are only about 45 min long and I didn't want them to spend the whole time learning to cast on.  This way we can get right to it.   From what I understand, there are teachers and moms also interested.  This is gonna be so cool, really.

Nikki, do check in with me if you're able to sub on the 16th as I take my grandson to Disney World.  A story for another post upon my return.  What I'll say about that now is that I've planned this for his 5th birthday since before he was born ... boy 5 years goes by fast and I for one am very excited to begin a new tradition of Dawson and Mimi's annual adventures. 

So, will keep you posted as The Happiness Knitting Project goes to elementary school.  Wish me luck.