Tuesday, July 29, 2014

I think it's time . . .

Warning: this post is mostly personal stuff, but there is a knitting offering at the end.

You know how there are thoughts that occur to you as you get older--the ones that you previously thought unthinkable? Moving out of your home (into a retirement home or in with one of your kids)? Cutting your hair really really short? Getting rid of your car? Retiring? You see people around you doing these things, but you don't feel ready--and don't suppose you ever will be?

And then . . . the thing kinda sneaks up on you . . . and you give it a little more thought . . . and before you know it, you start thinking it's time to do this! And once that thought occurs, you can't go back! It actually becomes something you look forward to!

So, I did the first of these (the house thing) a year ago: I now share a renovated home with my daughter.

And I did the second two things a month ago: I both cut my hair (pixie cut) and got rid of my car. (Doing the first contributed to the second. How, you might ask? If you have really short hair, you can take off a bike helmet and still feel presentable. So biking it--spring, summer, fall--makes giving up the car possible. Mind you, the winter is a whole other matter. Do you remember last winter???? Might have to re-think the car thing then.)

And so, now, for the third: yes, I am preparing to retire. Not from knitting, not from writing patterns. But I have definitely retired from writing books. And I am preparing to retire from travelling to teach. 

About the books . . . I am primarily a teacher, and everything I know about knitting has appeared in one book or another--especially the last one. If I simply want to publish patterns, I will do so on Ravelry. Besides, I am a grandmother three times over, and that is incompatible with book deadlines.


About the travelling to teach . . . I was stuck in Little Rock, Arkansas, for 3 days of freezing rain, over my 64th birthday. I have nothing against Little Rock: the people are lovely (offered birthday cupcakes at the yarn shop, took me out to dinner, took me to see the Clinton Library which was so impressive I cried). But I have really bad luck with travel--delays, cancellations, missed connections, delayed luggage, weather--and I think I am getting too old to deal with it all.

Talking to my family from the Holiday Inn in Little Rock, I realized that one year from that day I could retire. And once the thought occurred, I was hooked!

Well, not completely: I would miss the students and the yarn shops and the events. But I will not miss the airports and hotel beds and the few days at home between. So my plan is to do maybe 6 gigs a year? Mostly the biggies--like Vogue Live, and Madrona--plus trips to wonderful places, plus whatever else comes my way. But again, no more than 6 gigs a year. My fall is still pretty full, but after that . . . we shall see. There is not much on my calendar for 2015.

And--here's why this particular post today--I will continue to teach for Craftsy! I have had one class (Intarsia) available for 6 months, and I am very grateful for the nearly 1400 students who have signed up. (Who knew so many would want to learn this relatively demanding technique!)

And now my second class is about to launch: Essential Techniques Every Knitter Should Know. This is based upon my, arguably, most popular class (Essential Skills), and I am thrilled they asked me to put it on their platform.

As long as this class is out there, I feel that my best work is available. And I feel like I can stop all that travelling. You can get the information from the comfort of your home, and I can sleep in my own bed!

So, for any of you interested, here is a coupon you can click for a really big discount. I hope you will check it out! And I hope to see you at some of the gigs I will still be doing. (I think you have to copy and paste the following line to get to the class and use the discount.)

www.craftsy.com/ext/SallyMelville_3997_H

17 comments:

  1. Congratulations on many new ventures. Thank you for the great deal. I signed up and can't wait to take your class. My sister has spoke highly of your teaching skills.

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  2. I'm the sister who took a couple of retreat workshops from you years ago, then bought several of your books. We will miss you as an in-person teacher as you are so generous with your knowledge and wisdom. But thanks for teaching on Craftsy! I just signed up, too.

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  3. Thanks to both of you who have written already! I appreciate your comments and your support and look forward to hearing from you on the Craftsy platform!

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  4. Oh Sally, such big decisions. I have told you that all my knitting friends think that your two day workshop in Fort Worth was the single most useful class they ever took, and we have done a LOT of classes.

    I might be a few months older than you, but haven't made the retirement decision yet. Although it gets less fun every year. No way I can ever give up the car.

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    1. Thanks so much for this. I do remember my time in Fort Worth, and partly because I have a half brother and sister there who I got to spend time with. Perhaps in my semi-retirement I will get back? I'd really like to!

      In the spirit of full disclosure, I am re-visiting the car decision--because of what I want to do in the winter. My bike and our wonderful transportation system won't work then.

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  5. Oh, Sally - what wonderful news for you! I'm so happy to hear that you're retiring...as long as you'll still do some teaching and we can all watch you on Craftsy at 3:00 AM in our pj's if we choose to do so! I retired a few years early when my first grandchild was born! I worked 90 plus hours on a good week, and while I miss some of my colleagues, etc., I never regretted having time with my daughter and grandchildren! Retirement is THE best...and no, I never, ever have time to be bored! Congratulations on giving yourself the gift of a lifetime!
    I have all your books and am going to keep you in my knitting life by signing up for Craftsy classes...and we'll both have the best of both worlds!
    Hugs and best wishes on the best chapter of your life!

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    1. Thanks for the hugs and for so much for such enthusiastic encouragement!

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  6. Call me jealous. I would retire in a New York minute if I could. Just need a few or seven years under my belt then I can. Gosh, when I see that in writing, I really dislike it. Maybe, I'll re-evaluate in three. Anyway, Congratulations to you! And we will see you on Ravelry and Craftsy!

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    1. Thanks.
      And I wish you the best in your decision too. Sometimes life just steps in and makes things work the way they are supposed to. Sometimes . . .

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  7. I have had the good fortune of taking several of your classes over the years (Stitches West mostly); I always wonder about the crazy travel schedule that knitting instructors have to cope with -- not to mention those heavy duffle bags full of knitting samples! I wish you all the best at this stage and I love knowing that I'll keep learning from you online, in the comfort of my home... and yours! Thank you so much for the gorgeous, indispensable books too.

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    1. And I have to thank you in response. You really do appreciate what we go through. (I always feel like people in airports look at me askance, like, "doesn't that woman know how to PACK?!?!?)

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  8. I have always wanted to take one of your classes..Craftsy will be the next best thing. Is the code still valid?? laurakam at iowatelecom dot net

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    1. I don't believe these coupons have an end date.
      So come join us!

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  9. I am three years retired. The exciting thing about it is that if you remain open to new possibilities, retirement can be so much more exciting than you ever expected, as you have time to explore all those "if only I had time to..." things. Doing it gracefully is the trick. You have been a lovely part of my knitting life for such a very long time, and of course you still will, because there are the books, sitting on my shelf, across the room from the yarn closet. I'll look forward to seeing you pop back up on Ravelry, and here, perhaps, in the future.

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  10. Yes, there are so many things I say "when I retire . . . " One of them is to spin, and I've already ordered the wheel. The other is to sing in a choir! (Apparently people who sing in choirs live longer, as do people who knit!) And then there are the grandchildren . . .

    I will still travel to knit, just not nearly so much! That was very very wearing. I would run through an airport, trying to catch a connection, thinking "I am too old for this!"

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  11. I'm so glad to hear you will still be coming to Madrona. My first class with you was at Stitches West but others were at the Gig Harbor retreat before Madrona days. I totally sympathize with your desire for less travel; it was the last run through an airport that prompted our no-fly decision.

    Enjoy your retirement and life with the grandkids, wishing you all the best,
    Joan in Tacoma

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  12. Just took your class on fit on Nashville. Bought the turn around tunic.
    How do I change it to stockinette

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