Rediscovering my lifeline.
An unexpected journey back to creativity...
INSIDE: My knitting origin story: how I found, lost, and found it again, the surprising benefits of being flexible, and answers to your questions…
For the last five weeks, I told you the story of:
Frustrated Teacher Quits In Disgust, Sells The Farm, Moves The Family Halfway Across The World And… Starts Knitting
Nine years ago, I was unsatisfied, stressed, and overwhelmed. Today, I'm a knitter and crocheter sharing my passion with thousands online.
(In case you missed it, here’s Part One, Two, Three, Four & Five, now with pictures!)
And while I’ve hinted at the ‘starts knitting’ part, many of you wanted to know more. So… here’s that part of my story.
Knitting has been in and out of my life for as long as I can remember.
As I mentioned last week, my beloved Mama (grandmother) taught me to knit and crochet. We started with simple projects, like dolls clothes and blankets.
By my late teens, I was making (and wearing) garments I’d made. I felt very cool!
When I started studying Hospitality at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the Uni was an hour away by train. So, I spent my travelling time on the train knitting sweaters.
A good friend who later became my husband called me “Knitting Nancy” as I would often knit during lectures. Little did I know then how precious those moments of creativity would become.
Alas… all that making would soon grind to a halt.
I began working full time after graduating from university. Soon, the responsibilities of adult living took over. Especially when I moved to the farm with my future husband, got married, became a teacher and parent!
There were lesson plans to prepare, little ones to care for, meals to cook, a household to manage and a vineyard to look after.
In-between the busy years of my kids’ early childhoods, knitting and crocheting made two all-too-brief appearances. I knitted a mitered square blanket for my firstborn during my maternity leave and crocheted a blanket for my second born.
After that… Well… It almost disappeared altogether.
However… in the last 9 years it’s been a constant!
So what changed?
Life has a way of slowly pushing aside the things we love. I found myself constantly juggling responsibilities and my knitting needles and crochet hooks sat unused in a basket stuffed in the back of the cupboard.
I told myself I didn't have the time. Wasn't I supposed to be focused on more "important" things?
But in reality, I did have it.
I was just spending that time doing things I thought I ‘should’ do but weren’t fulfilling. I was losing a part of myself.
Our family's big move (selling the farm, quitting our jobs, and heading overseas) was one of the biggest (and most stressful) changes we’d made.
While overhauling my entire life, I reassessed everything: my possessions, my attitudes, and how I spent my time.
And I realized I couldn’t go on without having a creative outlet. So in my bag went my knitting needles and crochet hooks.
While we’d planned to head to Spain, with its cooler weather (perfect for making,) beaches, and the local language…
Life had other ideas, and we found ourselves in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
With the hot and humid weather, knitting sweaters was out of the question! And given I hadn’t knitted or crocheted for what felt like years… I was a little rusty.
And even finding yarn to knit with was an endeavor! I eventually found a large haberdashery store with a tiny selection of yarn… but it was all cotton. A fiber perfect for the climate, but not something I usually knitted or crocheted with.
So… what was I supposed to make?
One of the most valuable lessons I learned while living overseas was being flexible, as you can probably tell!
I finally came up with the idea of making dishcloths. They were functional, quick and satisfying projects, and a perfect way to learn new stitches.
It was even better that they made great gifts for the amazing people we met.
Those wonderful people helped us in our adjustment to being a ‘traveling homeschooling family’. My gift of a knitted dishcloth was a small token of the heartfelt appreciation we had for them.
Given the weather, I found I was the only one knitting in the homeschooling groups we were involved with in the outdoor classes my kids attended. People took an interest in what I was knitting and the stitches I was using.
I soon began teaching others how to knit and crochet (which was a great lesson in both the craft and Spanish!)
And I realized what I’d been missing all those years.
In the midst of navigating a new country, the repetitive motions calmed my mind and helped me process all the new experiences.
I formed bonds with the lovely people in the community. Language barriers weren’t a problem when we all ‘spoke’ creativity! As interest in my craft grew, I realized I had something valuable to share.
Just as I had rediscovered the joy of learning through knitting, we wanted our children to experience education as a journey of curiosity and discovery.
So, speaking of homeschooling, many of you had questions about our worldschooling experience, including Es, who asked:
What did you think of worldschooling and how did you contact/connect with the community?
We've had great success with Facebook groups dedicated to worldschooling and traveling families. These groups are treasure troves of information and support.
My advice? Search for these groups, join a few that resonate with you, and spend some time reading posts to see if they're a good fit.
In the past, members of these online communities often organized in-person meetups and retreats. These events are fantastic opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals and share experiences.
While we haven't made it to South America yet, I've heard there are vibrant homeschooling communities there that run regular events.
We eventually moved away from a strict curriculum, embracing a more self-directed learning style. Our kids learned through their curiosity, real-world experiences, and core subjects like English, Spanish, math, and science.
The diverse worldschooling communities we encountered provided invaluable learning opportunities.
I'm excited to continue exploring through craft and life!
If there's one thing I've learned, it's to embrace the unexpected. Sometimes, the best experiences come from the detours we never planned to take.
And another question for you: Have you ever rediscovered a forgotten passion?
Press reply or leave a comment!
(Disclosure: Any purchases made through links may earn me a commission.)
Before you go…
Beautiful pictures and once again thanks for sharing your life experiences. I agree, it is in the unplanned detours that sometimes real magic happens! ♥️
What a wonderful story, it resonates, since I went through a somewhat similar path - knitting in my childhood, high school and college years, then stopping - almost altogether - when I started a family in a hot environment... Thank you for sharing your journey!