It all unexpectedly fell into place.
Moving halfway across the world brought me back to crafting...
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!
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!
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.)
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.
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!
P.S. Stay tuned for Coco & Pepper's upcoming Sunday fun picks!
It has been lovely to hear about all your rich experiences, Jodie. Thank you for sharing them with us! ♥️
Love, love, love the self-directed learning. This is how learning should be! What a gift you gave your children Jodie.
Thank you for sharing your adventures.
(love your green top :) )