After finishing my very first pattern, I started working on building my own website to sell kits. At that time, creating a website on a Mac without any knowledge of HTML, making it look decent and adding shopping functions, was quite a challenge. Just getting it up and running was already a huge effort. However, looking back, I feel that my desperate determination to launch my own site, looking everything up in books and the on internet, eventually led to future opportunities.
I first felt a real sense of accomplishment from knitting as work when I completed the Dot Yoke Sweater. That was when I decided to stop selling finished items altogether and instead focus on two directions: designing patterns and teaching. I had casually considered teaching before, but my life involved frequent relocations, and I wasn’t clear on what exactly I should teach. However, once I had created my own pattern, I realized I could turn my personal work into something broader. With that in mind, I decided to run workshops based on my patterns.
There was a place near my home where I could hold one-off workshops, so I had discussions with the owner and planned to run a monthly class there. I intended to spend the rest of my time with temp office work to reach my 60,000-yen target. Just as I was getting everything ready, however, my husband was transferred back to Kanagawa, only six months after we moved to Kyoto. I started fresh in Kanagawa, continuing to publish my designs on Ravelry while also beginning to teach.
Of course, I had no name recognition back then, so I tried my hand at different things: teaching workshops organized by craft associations, holding one-off workshops at cafés, and more. It was all trial and error. What I still clearly remember is that I would always pack my own bento to save on expenses when I was working as a hired instructor. Even though I was heading into the big city, where there were plenty of places to eat or buy food, I brought my homemade lunch with me every time. Looking back, I’m kind of impressed by myself. At that time, I was just desperate to hit the 60,000-yen goal.
From that point onward, the timeline of my teaching career is a bit fuzzy. Securing a venue was always a headache, and if I count the Tokyo shop relocation as well, I must have moved my classes across 8 or 9 different locations. That’s why I’ll never forget the joy I felt the moment I no longer needed to rent spaces.
The Great East Japan Earthquake struck while I was teaching at a café in Kanagawa. After the disaster, I wanted to find some way to contribute through knitting, so I volunteered in several capacities, both teaching and making things. I had become friends on Ravelry with Meri shortly before the earthquake. And then, I received my very first message from her on Ravelry: “Would you be interested in teaching as part of volunteer efforts for the disaster?”