Tuesday's Internet Edition, September 07, 2010.
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| Cindy Hartzell, of Raleigh, N.C., is paying for her journey out west with her dog, Rudy, by teaching knitting and crocheting classes. Hartzell decided to move to Arizona after she lost her job. – Photo by KRISTAN HALL |
News editor - By KRISTAN HALL
News editor
A woman who decided to pay for her move to Arizona by stopping at points along the way to teach needlework is now in Copperas Cove.
Cindy Hartzell, 48, decided to move to Arizona after she lost her job in Raleigh, N.C. When a friend jokingly told her that she should stop in towns along the way to teach knitting and crocheting, Hartzell thought it was a great idea.
Hartzell contacted Lion Brand Yarn Company about her idea. The yarn company passed the message along to all of its yarn subscribers. Hartzell said before long, people were e-mailing her to ask her to stop at their business and teach classes.
Hartzell travels with Rudy, her six-year-old Australian Shepherd dog, in a 1986 1/2 Nissan pickup. She said Rudy keeps her company while she drives. When her classes bring in enough money, they get to sleep in a Motel 6, she said. But when she’s short on money, she said they sleep in the cab of the truck, which doesn’t make for a very restful night.
She has mostly been traveling westward along I-20, but dipped down to Copperas Cove because of family here.
Hartzell said she has overcome many challenges in her life, such as clinical depression, a brain tumor and ovarian cancer. Additionally, Hartzell said her father committed suicide and her mom died in the fire that burned Hartzell’s house down two years ago.
“But I’m still here,” said Hartzell. She said needlepoint has kept her going, along with connecting to people and God. She has been knitting since she was eight and learned how to crochet when she was 16.
Hartzell teaches all levels of knitting and crocheting for what she describes as a reasonable fee. She said she works with a variety of materials, from traditional yarn and sheep wool to jute twine, copper wire and plastic bags.
She said she loves the time honored traditional pieces, such as Granny Square Afghans, but has several project ideas that will inspire everyone.
Hartzell will be teaching classes at Crafter’s Showcase on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hartzell has written about her trip and posted it at http://cindyhartzell.easyjournal.com/.