I have been teaching on-line classes since 2009 and have chosen not to use a dedicated platform to do this- mainly because I want to keep the groups smallish and also friendly . In the on-line sphere the feel of a class is very different to teaching in the flesh. When you teach in the flesh you can read a room, you can tell who needs a little help, you can tell when you need to take a stop to explain s0mething a bit bettter than you might have, you need to make everyone feel included as much as possible, you can relate stories and people can respond with their own stories and ideas- it's an interactive space, where everyone's voice makes a contribution. It is the give and take of a teaching space or as a good friend of mine , Fiona Wright from the Stitching Project calls it the bump and nudge of sparking ideas. And this is exactly what happened over the last couple of months- as we have kept checking in with each other and nudged and bumped each other with ideas as we try and negotiate this new kind of world we are in and try and see how we can create something into the future that actually embraces more connectivity of the bump and nudge kind. Sometimes we are like giddy school girls running with an idea which may or may not come off but it's the fizz of excitement of running with an idea which sparks other ideas. So with that thought in mind we have decide to create a website called the Connecting Stitch with a blog as well- it is still very much a work in progress and will continue to be so in the spirit of sparking ideas, but we intend to share all sort of interesting tidbits and ideas, making ideas and thinking with our hands we also intend to include others into the choir. Will let you know as soon as you can join in to the fun. We have both worked on a blog post- where you will find instructions on how to embellish a jacket and how to make tie on pockets. We also have an instagram page called connecting_stitch ( which you can look at already)- we will be adding things so follow us if you are interested to see what we are up to. Pods, Pods, Pods I have had quite a few requests for the pod workshop. I must admit I have kind of struggled with how to put it together exactly. I don't enjoy zoom for actual teaching but do like it for question and answer. I myself learn from notes with lots of images but that said also watch videos on how to do things. So on that note I have decided to launch the workshop anyway and combine all three things. So Pods Pods and Pods Workshop notes and video will be available on the 1st of August and then we will do a zoom Question and Answer the following week- at two different times on Sunday 8 August ( to accommodate US and European time zones). The cost of the workshop will be $25AUS. You will see in the photos I have branched out the pods into pomegranate shapes and urchin shapes ( how could I resist?) and the notes will have instructions on how to make these. I have attached a Paypal button and once payment is made I will send you an email with a materials list and further instructions. The button on the left if for the Pods, Pods, Pods On-line Workshop. And just when Victoria thought it might have dodged some of the Covid crisis here we are in lockdown again. I live alone and am unpartnered so these lockdowns are becoming difficult. I am allowed to see my mother for care reasons but that is arduous in its own right ( I do her cooking , some of which I freeze and her shopping)- but frankly I could do with a hug myself and also I need to be vigilant about my own self care which at present is getting subsumed into my mothers' care. And I also need to be super careful in what I might pass on to her. We have been lucky in the Latrobe valley with a few cases early in 2020 but none since, but as the current situation shows it requires extreme vigilance for things to remain this way.I realise covid numbers are on the rise worldwide and we must all take care of each other and there are people in difficult situations everywhere- but if you are partnered or sharing a house please reach out to those that are not. The world has been far from easy for many people and not all of us can at the end of the day receive a warm hug from someone in your immediate vicinity- a kind caring word goes a long way! And last but not least. I am starting another Traveller's Blanket on-line class on the 8th of August. There is still plenty of time to sign up and create your own Traveller's blanket- they are wraps to remind you of journeys and wanderings on this planet whether it be your back yard, your local forest or beach or the wider world which at present lives in our imaginations. To me there is nothing quite like stitching- it passes time to be sure, but also makes my hands wander, create textures , and fills space with such feeling that it is tangible. I am certain that our hands offer another way of reading. The traveller's Blanket on-lien class starts on the 8th of August and includes extensive pdf notes delivered fortnightly for a period of 8 weeks, a little video and four question and answer zoom sessions for your questions and getting to know each other a little. I also set up a private Facebook group for sharing prgress and for discussion. Meanwhile keep well!