Cosy Craft Teacher

Tonight it’s workshop prep. How many crowns can I get out of a skein??? Is it 2 or 3?? How many points? Which size needle is better?? Is it 6 of 7?? Do I really want to market, advertise and push the workshop?? No. do I want to share the skills needed to make reusable cracker crowns? Yes! I love them so much. Creatives are not designed to market themselves. Well this one isn’t that’s for sure. I like creating and sharing. What I need is a business manager! I can’t even figure out Canva.

I would like to thank for the inspiration and pattern which got me out of my craft slump. It has been a difficult few months with my health becoming a barrier to many things. Crafting included I haven’t been able to knit, sew or crochet and that has been a huge drain on my mental health. But I kept seeing this dragon and thinking I should give it a go. Take my time and see if my hands can manage it. The pattern was clear and really easy to follow and my hands stood up to the work. I love supporting other crafters here on these little squares so please pop over and grab a pattern yourself. I would love to see your interpretation.

While Ripley swims I use my time to repair and mend 1 item. Then i knit or crochet or if the hands are fatigued I read with my loops in. The amount of children on screens, in the cafe where I sit, with the big windows looking in on the pool where my daughter is, shocks and saddens me. I’m not going to go into the debate about screens we all know what it is. But I will say there is an alternative. There is something else a child or an adult can do. Something creative, something soothing, something mindful. Screens are not the only thing to do and I strongly believe doing nothing is better!!! But why not let me teach your child to knit, crochet or sew and they will always have a portable creative outlet. Let’s not let screens be the default.

Duckys on the needles this week. Used the super simple pattern from one of my favourite knitting books. We have used nearly every pattern in here.

It’s nearly that time of year again when we offer to make bean bags for my teacher training Easter week where we learn how to teach children to juggle. Ripley made over 35 sets last year. That’s over 100 Individual bags!!!! Would you like a tutorial and we can make them and learn to juggle together? Or can you already juggle?

The star mat is on our table today. We were in need of guidance and focus and we bring this little guy out in those times. I first came across treasure mats when watching my daughter create with . Examples of which are further back in my feed. I immediately fell in love with the beauty, simplicity and incredible joy of having a daily use for creative stitching. I learnt embroidery with the UK Guild back in the early 2000s and have always embroidered in my personal time. But this was an intentional practise of feeling life, thinking life and will. The creation of a mat to hold a treasure or candle, to gift or to use. I played around with a few ideas of my own and I’m working on a series at the moment aimed at grade 5/6 children. Im also very inspired by and her beautiful candle mats which are slightly different in their use of image rather than repetitive stitches. I would love to explore this too.

Have had a lovely time this weekend knitting this little bear some clothes. No pattern, no counting, just knitting and observing. His back pack is on the needles and I would like to make him a hat and a hooded coat. Ripley feels he needs a face or at least a nose. Thank you and the practical arts training program. This has been a lot of fun and that is the most important thing when they are young.

Do you find you get these little white dots on your wet on wet paintings where the paint is repelled by the paper? I don’t know anyone who hasn’t experienced this. But I think I may of figured it out.
Each of 6 pieces of paper had the same dots and it was my finger tip placement as I pushed each piece under the water of the soaking tray. Could it be the oils from my fingers???

Finished my monogrammed sewing roll from my conference. I made it for Ripley and it features her “logo” as she calls it. When her kindergarten made symbols for the children to mark their items and work it wasn’t long before Ripley changed hers to one she had made instead of the flower she had been assigned. She has used it ever since.
I really enjoyed this project and the possibilities are endless. This would make a beautiful gift if filled with a little sewing kit or knitting kit. It was a joy to assemble and could be done on a machine or by hand. This type of project gives children the opportunity to make practical handmade gifts with skill. Who wouldn’t want to receive this ?

What will it be??? I am absolutely loving this new purl project for my more confident knitters. It is covering so many development points and craft skills. It is actually a perfect knitting project for the 4th grader and could really help to fill the gap I feel is forming as we look by at our children and society today compared to those children’s Steiner would have been basing his indications upon. How can we meet that gap with respect, love and understanding?

Colour exploration and experience. What is the quality of the single colours to me. What happens to those colours when they meet another and then when they form a triad contrasting in a way which harmonises on a soul level. What beauty is this awakening in my feeling life? How do I carry that and impart that to the children? How is having that beauty experience in your soul going to improve your life journey? How will it improve theirs? How do i bring this to adults in home school environments so they can authentically bring it to their children? I finally have answers, I finally feel ready to pass that knowledge on. Bringing Wet on Wet Colour Experience to children and adults of any age. Giving the confidence and the why behind what we do.
together.in.freedom


Paintings completed on a recent conference on colour exploration and handheldarts.com

A beautiful first purl project which repeats skills for development of mastery and introduces new skills to challenge and grow the knitter. I used the smallest needles I would use with a child and yarn in these beautiful muted jewel colours. This can be done with yarn up to chunky depending on child’s skill level. The size of needles and yarn also add new challenges and skill growth to a simple or repeated project.