Catch the Sheep
October 23rd, 2007 by BJB
Under the fence, catch the sheep, back you come, off you leap, under the fence, catch the sheep…This is my mantra every Tuesday, from 3:30 to 4:30, at the inner city school at which I teach. This verse reminds the students in our after school knitting club of the steps they need to take to work their yarn and needles into that magical knit stitch, which will produce for them bookmarks, headbands and scarves. That magical stitch also creates for them a sense of mastery and feelings of accomplishment, for students who often have little control over challenges in their young lives.
I used to keep my knitting and teaching lives separate. Knitting was what I did at home, in my non teaching hours. It was my HOBBY. Until a couple of summers ago. As a teacher, I have the great fortune of having 2 months of summer holidays every year. With my own 2 children grown and in various stages of striking out on their own, I suddenly found I had a lot more time to myself during the summer months than I had when they were younger. One particular summer I completely indulged myself with knitting, spinning, visits to yarn stores, and daily yoga practice. As my summer drew to a close I frantically searched for a way to maintain this balance, these feelings of calm I had cultivated all summer. Why not take my knitting and yoga into my classroom? By starting a knitting club and a twice weekly yoga practice with my students my pursuits could be fully integrated and hopefully benefit the kids as well.
Did I mention this was a special needs classroom with a high proportion of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and low cognitive functioning?
As you can imagine there are some interesting stories to tell from that initial experience and I plan to share those in future posts. A wise friend of mine keeps urging me to share my teaching experiences. She insists that other teachers, or knitters, may find my anecdotes interesting or useful. It is my sincere hope that I will also learn from you through your comments and feedback.
“Unshared joy is an unlighted candle” Spanish proverb
Kool Aid Socks
I hand dyed this wool using strawberry, blueberry and lime kool aid powder, with a rhubarb leaf mordant to set the dye. The socks are knit using a k3p3 stitch throughout.
I am not a sock person. I don’t like socks. But I love these! They’re soft, comfortable and the colours make me happy.
