I quit.

Published on August 4, 2007 By dharmagrl In Misc

I quit my so-called knitting instructor job yesterday.

When I was hired at the start of June, I was asked to provide them with a short bio and a photo. My supervisor - we'll call her 'Betty' - said that she needed that as soon as I could get it to her, along with some samples not only of my work in general, but of the items we'd be making in class. She said that she'd put the bio and the samples up on the classroom wall so that people could see them and perhaps be enticed into coming to my class.

I knitted every single chance I could for 3 days to turn out 7 dishcloths, all different designs and colors. Dishcloths, to me, aren't fun things to knit, and by the time I cast on for the last one, it had turned into a chore. We were moving house at the time, so I was really stretched time-wise, but I persevered, anda turned them and the bio over to her.

That was the second week of June. The knitting instructor part of the classroom wall is still blank. B-L-A-N-K. No photo, no bio, no samples.

I asked the manager a couple of times. He said that she consistently told him she was working on it. Apparently not, I said, because my stuff still isn't up there. My class isn't being advertised, and nobody new has signed up for it. If nobody has signed up, then there are no fees being paid. If there are no fees being paid, then I'm not getting a cut of those fees. I am, in other words, not making any money.

Apparently Betty thinks that because I don't have any students to teach, she can use me as general help around the store. She consistently asks me to go help her out with this and that and the other, and it's always on the weekend. Now, my main job can be pretty stressful emotionally and mentally, and I rely on my Saturday and Sundays to de-stress, to take a break from things and just do what I want, when I want......and working in a craft store is NOT what I want to be doing on my days off.

So, I quit. I've had enough. The crochet instructor has been saying that she'd like to teach the knitting class ever since I got hired, so she can have at it. Yeah, I could have followed up with the manager more; I could have stayed on Betty's ass about advertising and not using me as general help, but you know what? It's more trouble that it's worth to me. It simply isn't worth it. So, I quit.

I'm going to start teaching classes on my own. I'm going to advertise online and in the local newspaper, and I'll start teaching classes in my living room if I have to. I think that it's going to be better this way; I'll be in control of my own promotions and I'll also be able to decide what I want to teach folks to knit - I won't have to get authorization from someone else. For example, if I want the class project to be a man thong, then that's what it'll be. I won't have to get someone else's approval. I don't like having to ask permission to do something, particularly when the person I'm having to ask doesn't knit and therefore has no idea or comprehension of the skills or time necessary to create an article. For instance, Betty once asked me to teach some kids to knit a potholder in an hour. 60 minutes. I'd be hard pressed to knit a potholder in an hour MYSELF, and I've been knitting for 30 years.

Anyway, it's all water under the bridge now. I'm done teaching there and working there, and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. It's a really cool feeling, and it's telling me that I did the right thing by quitting.

I'm looking after myself; I'm giving myself time to breathe and relax and to just be myself, not Dharma the caregiver or Dharma with hospice - just plain ol' Dharma, doing her thing on the weekend.

Comments

EmperorofIceCream

on Aug 04, 2007

Locamama

on Aug 04, 2007

You could also look into teaching through a community ed program or a base program. Of course, you're right that you will be in total control if you do it by yourself.

momijiki

on Aug 04, 2007

I think you've got a great idea.

I didnt know a man thong could be knit! What kind of yarn is used? I'm guessing not alpaca. Too itchy!

dharmagrl

on Aug 04, 2007

EmperorofIceCream

Thank you

little-whip

and thank you too

Of course, you're right that you will be in total control if you do it by yourself.

Yep. I don't like being dictated to about what I can or cannot knit. For instance, there's a really cute little condom critter pattern that I have that's really pretty easy to make (it's a little owl looking thing that has a pocket in the front for rubbers. You're supposed to keep it on your nightstand) - but I'd never be able to make that a class project working for a store. Can you imagine a bunch of prissy soccer moms coming to class and being told they're making condom holders?! I'd have liked to have stuck around and done it just to see what the reaction was, but it really wasn't and isn't worth the hassle.

I wish that I could tell y'all how good it feels to be done with it. I'm going to miss my employee discount, but oh well. It was an acceptable sacrifice.

Locamama

on Aug 04, 2007

I'd have liked to have stuck around and done it just to see what the reaction was, but it really wasn't and isn't worth the hassle.

I think that would be hilarious. You wouldn't have to tell them what it was for, make up something else and then snicker to yourself. Tell them that it's to hold silver dollars.

foreverserenity

on Aug 04, 2007

I think it's great that you quit and that you will do this for yourself because you most definitely can! I would take a class were I near to you! I have those darn threads and needles sitting in a bag in my closet, I quit teaching myself from a book out of frustration! Definitely time for you and that's a great thing!

MarcieMoo

on Aug 05, 2007

lol...sign me up for the condom critter and the man thong. You're hilarious!

I'm glad you're in your new house and you're taking care of YOU. It's so important to do that when you have a high-stress job, but you knew that.

Take care, K.

Dr Guy

on Aug 06, 2007

Good for you! When you feel like it, go the independent route, and the best of luck!

Jythier

on Aug 06, 2007

They used you as general help? Did you have an hourly wage, too, or were you just paid based on students?

dharmagrl

on Aug 06, 2007

I think that would be hilarious. You wouldn't have to tell them what it was for, make up something else and then snicker to yourself. Tell them that it's to hold silver dollars

Heehee...yeah, that would've been kind of cool to have done. However, it's too late now and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been worth it. It would have been hilarious, though!

I have those darn threads and needles sitting in a bag in my closet, I quit teaching myself from a book out of frustration

Yeah, trying to teach yourself to knit from a book can be very frustrating. It's easier to learn when you've got someone showing you - either that or from a video or web clip, anything that actually shows you the movements required in 3D. A picture in a book just doesn't cut it, you know?

lol...sign me up for the condom critter and the man thong

I will. Perhaps, when I've got my knitting projects under control (I have sooooo many lined up it's not even funny. I've never had this much stuff on the go at one time before) you'll find a little something from me in the mail....

I'm glad you're in your new house and you're taking care of YOU

Thanks. I am too. The new house is fabulous, and whilst I had a twinge of guilt this afternoon about quitting (the store manager called me to ask me what happened), I'm still glad that I did it.

Take care, K.

You too, Marcie.

Good for you! When you feel like it, go the independent route

Thank you. I'm hoping to go independent soon....watch this space for information about knitting classes!

They used you as general help? Did you have an hourly wage, too, or were you just paid based on students?

Well, I was supposed to get 90% of the class fees as payment. However, 90% of nothing is still nothing. When they used me as general help, they paid me an hourly rate, but there wasn't ever any discussion about what that rate would be; they just paid me without asking me if it was acceptable -and what they were paying per hour was quite a bit less than what I would have asked for had there been any discussion about it. All in all, it wasn't a very well-negotiated deal. It was Betty's first time interviewing, and it showed.

But, it's all over now and I really shouldn't be griping about it. I learned a lesson, and I'm moving on!

Jewbu

on Aug 06, 2007

Hey there, DG, good work. Self employment isn't easy, but it sure can be fun and rewarding. My Little Honey is a knitter. Actually, she's a knitting machine, I think. She's a member of two knitting clubs and president of our local Knitter's Guild. She's also a cloth doll maker and quilter. Goodness. When we lived in the mountains, no problem, doll parts, quilted squares, and knitting all over the place. (I actually spin yarn on my spinning wheel.) But since we are in the city in a small two BR condo, the place is full of fiber, cloth, and dolly parts. I think she needs a place of her own.

See ya!

Gideon MacLeish

on Aug 06, 2007

(I actually spin yarn on my spinning wheel.)

One of these days, we plan to get a spinning wheel for just that reason.

dharmagrl

on Aug 07, 2007

One of these days, we plan to get a spinning wheel for just that reason.

They're pretty expensive. Depending on what style you get (Saxony, Castle, Norwegian)they can cost a few hundred to a few thousand. It's also not as easy or as economical as people think. Having said that, however, there's a lot of satisfaction to be had from it. I've washed, carded, dyed, spun and then knitted my own yarn, and I'm very proud of my creation (as is my mum).

When we lived in the mountains, no problem, doll parts, quilted squares, and knitting all over the place. (I actually spin yarn on my spinning wheel.) But since we are in the city in a small two BR condo, the place is full of fiber, cloth, and dolly parts. I think she needs a place of her own.

You know, I've become very creative about where I keep my stash. I've got some balls of yarn in the sleeves of sweaters and jackets in my closet (we can thank The Yarn Harlot for that little hidey-hole) and am still looking for more places to squirrel stuff away.

I never knew you were married, Sohaiho. How long have you been together for?

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