It all unexpectedly fell into place.

Moving halfway across the world brought me back to crafting...

Jul 12, 2024

INSIDE: a surprise decision turned out to be one of the best I’d ever made, and how I found my way back to where I’d started.

Last week in Part Four (in case you missed them, here’s Part One, Part Two, and Part Three)…

I told you about how I changed my life by selling up our farm and deciding to move halfway across the world to Spain with my family. We’d be homeschooling our kids and traveling full time.

But the universe had other plans.

Instead of Spain as our first destination, we moved to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Which, serendipitously, was the best thing we could have done…

Frustrated Teacher Quits In Disgust, Sells The Farm, Moves The Family Halfway Across The World And… Starts Knitting

Part Five

Living in Playa Del Carmen for nearly 6 months was one of the best things we’ve done. The homeschooling community was amazing, and my kids’ language skills improved exponentially.

The nature with cenotes, beaches and the jungle were incredible!

Enjoying the crystal-clear water of the cenote (which means sinkhole in the Mayan language.) It was such an incredible place to visit! The cool temperature of the water was such a relief given the humid weather. If we were lucky, we’d spot a Menelaus Blue Morpho butterfly.

The Carribean was so beautiful and a bright turquoise blue-and-green, and the sand was so white. I’d never seen anything like the intensity of the colors before!

We got into a rhythm of homeschooling the kids where we eventually ditched the curriculum.

They became self-directed learners, learning new things by following their curiosity, and the core subjects of English, Spanish, math, and science.

Their experiences of being immersed in the world-schooling community of different countries and cultures provided countless learning opportunities!

Parque La Ceiba was a tropical oasis in Playa Del Carmen. We went there several times a week for the outdoor classes a local homeschooling group held in Spanish: yoga, Mayan and Mexican history, crochet, textiles, art, acrobatics, photography, and even chess! Both my kids and I got to practice the language, and our skills improved exponentially! Parque La Ceiba also held market days and festivals celebrating Mexican culture which we always enjoyed.

We’ve since been to over ten countries (Mexico, Spain, Romania, Moldova, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, England, Scotland, The Netherlands, and most recently, a year in Thailand.)

I had to pinch myself to remind me I was actually in Spain and not dreaming! This was my favorite spot for my morning coffee! Such a spectacular view.

The peace I experienced in this forest in The Netherlands was amazing! The weather was warm, and the shade of these magnificent trees was welcomed. There were bike paths within the forest we leisurely cycled through for hours.

Spending a year in Thailand was such a wonderful experience. It was my kids’ first experience of learning a tonal language, and they studied Thai four times a week. We met some great people. It truly is the land of smiles!

We’ve met wonderful people and had fascinating experiences.

You’d think such a change would be the end of the story. And what a shift it was!

But that was just the beginning…

When I was younger, I adored knitting, crocheting, and making. As I mentioned, my beloved Mama (grandmother) taught me how to do those crafts.

Together, we made knitted dolls dresses and crocheted covers for their beds, sewed garments for me and matching ones for my dolls.

Not only had she taught me about cooking and gardening: she instilled in me a love of handmade, the satisfaction of creativity, resourcefulness, and a willingness to always keep learning. Qualities I’m grateful to have to this day.

Except... when the pressures of being a parent and a busy teacher fell upon me...

Of course, my creative pursuits were the first thing to fall by the wayside.

After all, I didn’t have time!

So, I kept feeling directionless, unfulfilled, with nothing to look forward to at the end of the day.

I knew I could no longer ignore my passions.

As I picked up my knitting needles again for the first time in years, the rhythmic click and the soft texture of the yarn gave me an immediate sense of calm. It was like rediscovering the me that’d been buried under layers of stress and responsibility.

People I met on my travels often asked about my current project, as I brought it everywhere with me.

I first learned to knit socks two-at-a-time while living in Romania. It was challenging, but so worth it, as I’ve knitted many pairs since! I still wear this pair today.

That led to conversations about the benefits of crafting, and how it benefited me, and I taught people all over the world about how it could help them.

Until someone looked at me and said... “This is so helpful! You should start sharing this online!”

That set me on a new journey... One of creating a community on the internet, where we celebrate making, creativity, and lifelong learning.

I’ve managed my craft websites and written weekly issues about the joy of crafting, for over 9 years now!

And now, here I am, writing on Substack, part of the Yarn Bay community.

Where we stand together and say no to fast fashion, big businesses squeezing independent makers, mindless distraction perpetuated by AI-driven-algorithms, society brushing older women aside, and the constant societal pressure to have and do more to be successful.

And we dispel harmful myths like handicrafts are only for older people, crafting is unproductive and a frivolous waste of time, and you can’t be seen making in public.

Not to mention people who think knitting is the same as crocheting and vice versa and ask you why you’d spend 23 hours making a sweater when you could just buy one!

We can choose a different way. One that’s kinder to ourselves, each other, and the planet. Where we’re all celebrated, not shunned for our differences.

Where we share the power of creativity, make a difference, nurture each other, share our wisdom and resourcefulness, and embrace lifelong learning.

That’s the spirit of Yarn Bay.

And of course, this wonderful community includes you!

Thank you for being here. 😊

I’m so grateful to my husband, my kids and myself for choosing a path all those years ago which got me here. I’ve learned so many new skills.

To share my passion for crafting continues to bring me enormous joy. And I hope your time spent at Yarn Bay brings you joy!

I've been receiving so many fantastic questions from you all. To make sure I don’t miss the best ones, I’m answering them right here in Fiber Friday.

So, keep those questions coming! To send yours in, please email Zachary Kai, my personal assistant, at support@yarnbay.org.

And another question for you: Have you ever felt pressured to abandon your crafting due to other responsibilities?

Press reply or leave a comment!