Rainy Sunday's and Knitting :)

What a rainy week this has been! Fall is my favorite time of year and I've been stuck inside!! And rain on a Sunday makes it even drearier, I would love to be sitting out on the deck in my knitted sweater with some knitting and a cup of hot coffee :) But the rain is pouring down today so I will have to frown looking outside the window instead.

Sunday's are definitely a day of rest in my home. We love to just relax and not worry about the daily chores and all of life's work. And Sunday's are definitely a time where I can knit what I want instead of knit what I have to. Knitting for a living can sometimes take the fun out of knitting, sometimes, if you have to knit a lot of the same thing. I don't like change in general but I love change in knitting :). Though on a rainy Sunday like today I would rather knit something I am comfortable knitting and not have to work on a pattern that requires the use of my brain.

When Sunday finally gets here my brain needs a break too. My body and spirit are tired from the past week and knitting really helps me relax and helps me return to a good state of mind. I make sure that I have fun while knitting on Sunday, and if I am not enjoying it at the time I just don't knit. A lot of people love what they do for a living, and I absolutely love what I do, but taking a break is also necessary when you feel overloaded, Even if the job you do helps you relax and gives you peace.

So this rainy Sunday will be for naps and knitting :) I think I will enjoy this day!

Knitting and kids

Today was my first day back to a knitting group with 4 children at a local school for the 2014 school season. It's at a different school this year and 4 different children are in my group learning how to knit. Well, trying to learn. Even though I have taught kids to learn previously, a new setting can always be a challenge, and new kids who you have never met before can be a challenge too.

They are all girls this year. Sweet grade 3 and 4ers with high expectations and who want results right away. As I have learned previously from teaching kids to knit is the first thing to say to them is "You will not walk out of your first class knowing how to knit, and probably not in your second class either". Telling them the realistic's of what is going to happen over the next couple of weeks can be the make or break it for the kids in your group. Going slow and doing it the right way is the best way to do it.

Children can be so funny, especially little girls. This group of girls are so sweet. They are polite and caring of each other. One girl in particular needs a little boost of self esteem when it comes to not being able to do it right away, but its fun lifting there spirits too :) Its funny to listen to them talk about little girl things and to watch there tongues stick out of the side of there mouths as they concentrate on the next stitch. 

Talking about what we are going to knit or what we would like to learn how to knit is also a fun part of the class. One girl wants to knit a dishcloth for her mother for Christmas, another girl wants to knit bracelets, One girl said she would just love to know how to cast on without help!

I gave them a little homework this week, not an actual assignment but a fun thing they can do at home. I told them to look for knitted items in there homes this week, It can be fun to examine something that has been knit, looking at the stitches and colors of the yarns, different size yarns and textures. It will also give them an idea of what they can knit. I bet they will find things that they didn't know were hand knitted and didn't know you could hand knit! ;)

Knitting in the Fall

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year! I love the colors, smells and the coolness of the air. And one of my favorite things about Fall is that you can start wearing your knitwear again!! 

I have started my Christmas knitting a while back but nothing makes you more enthusiastic about knitting than cooler weather. As soon as bathing suit weather ends I find I am picking up my needles more and more and my projects seem to go a lot faster. Fall is all about getting prepared for colder weather and us knitters can get so excited about it!

The first piece of knitwear I have pulled out to wear are my knitted socks. Sandal weather is finally over and I can actually wear socks again, and my neon pink hot knee socks are the first thing to come out of the closet :)

Not only do I think about Christmas knitting and getting to wear my knitwear again, I am super excited to start teaching how to knit again this fall! I love teaching adults how to knit and to encourage them that they can knit just about anything they put there mind too. I also love my volunteer knitting club at a local school where I teach grade 3 - 5ers how to knit. They absolutely love coming and it really helps them to learn how to concentrate and relax. A lot of these kids need something of there own to do and knitting has helped them a lot. I love watching these kids and how they hold there needles in the beginning and see them develop there own techniques. I love how they encourage each other to continue and to not get discouraged if they make a mistake, that this is all apart of learning something new. 

I have taught a few friends how to knit over the last few years, and I love seeing what they can do now. It's really encouraging to know that I do have something to offer people, not just knitted items. I can teach them how to knit and make things on there own. Getting together with fellow knitters is an enjoyable part of the colder weather seasons too. It can be so special to get together and knit together over coffee and tea and to help each other out with our knitting or to just chat about anything in general.

I tend to get on a kick of knitting one thing every Fall. This Fall I have started knitting hooded cowls. I have made a few of them and am thinking about what colors my family members would like in one :) I am enjoying this Fall knitting season and cannot wait to share my knitting items and talents with others :)

This is one of my hooded cowls I have made this fall :)