Have you taught someone else to crochet?

[eurolyons]

I've attempted over the years to teach someone how to crochet without the best results until recently...I've reflected on why I had problems teaching others in the past...part of it was me, but most of it were the people thinking they wanted to learn, but they really didn't or got frustrated and impatient.

 

I was home in the states last month and held my first Crochet Bee with 3 cousins...I'm the most experience of the group, but I was able to not only teach them how to crochet better and learn some new things, but some of the tips and tricks that might make their crocheting experience more successful...also stressing that things don't have to be perfect or close to perfect right now...it's suppose to be fun...not a job. And it was a great time...the youngest started out just knowing how to make a chain stitch...2 hours later, she knew 3 or 4 new stitches and how to do rows...her mother, who is more of an advanced beginner, was understanding why she struggling with certain stitches in the past...and they all understood gauge when I got done with them...

 

Actually, a year ago, my new adventure with crocheting came about because an online friend of mine needed help making a shawl...we spent 3 hours on messenger with me helping her. And she made a great shawl for her wedding.

 

I want to teach crocheting professionally eventually...I understand the Yarn Council has correspondence classes for this...

[Lucy]

I have a friend that teaches.

When she gets a leftie, I go to

help that person.

Nancy

[Somethin'Shady]

My son had a project for art class in the 7th grade. Everyone had to use one skein of yarn and a J hook and make a giant granny square. His tension was awful and his technique pretty bad. So I had him watch me and learn how to let the yarn skim over his fingers. He said it wasn't a "guy thing" but I told him it could be. We'd take an hour each day and do nothing but crochet (me on my project and he on his granny) til his skein was used up and he wished he could have made it much bigger... so much for the NOT a Guy thing! I don't think he'll do much with his limited knowledge, but at least he's given it a try and appreciates the time people put into their work.

[cherryblossom]

I taught both my daughters. I'm left handed and they are both right handed.

robyn in gA

[jessc031778]

I taught my mom as well as a very dear friend of mine to crochet..and I've taught my 5 y/o DD to chain ... I told her to just work on the chain st first and the next time she's been REALLY GOOD I will teach her the sc stitch LOL!!

[sunnystitch]

I learned from a friend just a few months ago...and am going to teach another friend next Thursday! We'll see how it goes...

[terrybb]

I taught 8 women at my church because they wanted to make Prayer Shawls. Only one hasn't progressed to something more complicated than sc, dc. It's really rewarding to watch them suddenly discover the pattern and recognize various stitchs when they see them, and get bored with something too "easy" (that was too complicated a few weeks ago) and ask for something harder. Several have gone on to buying their own pattern books and teach themselves how to make bobbles and ripples. I remember a saying - "Each one teach two". It's a great idea.

A side benefit is that, this fall, when they see my afghans and other items for sale in the Fall festival they won't complain about the price because they know how much work it takes. Instead they'll say "I could make that!" LOL

[tlisley]

You could teach her to make chains with her fingers:) while she waits till she is old enough to use a hook.

Some little ones you could teach with the large plastic hook under direct supervision, of course.

 

This is what I have done with my 4 yo. She calls it "practicing her loops". She tells everyone her finger is her hook!

My 11 yo can chain and dc, she can also do a lattice stitch that is a dc ch 1 repeat.

My 8 yo is working on chaining. I'm about to teach her another stitch. My son (5) want to crochet to, but doesn't quite have the coordination of the girls (poor kid).

I am currently teaching my best friend to crochet as well. She was chaining ac sc-ing in her first try. She's got some anxiety problems and I thought it might stress her out to learn, but she just got in the zone and went to town! LOL... She's looking forward to making a real "project". Any ideas for her? LOL, I think I'll start her with a scarf, they are easy and quick. Therefore I think new crocheters find them encouraging. The funniest part of this is that one night she and I went shopping and I dragged her to the yarn department... she couldn't do a single stitch and ended up buyng $150 in yarn!! I almost fainted! I said she better get her butt to my house and learn SOMETHING, or I was going to confiscate her yarn! LOL!! WAAA! I guess this means no yarn for me

[craftconnie1]

I'll teach anyone who's interested. My Grandmother taught me and I think by passing along the knowledge I keep her memory alive. Its such a wonderful feeling to have someone pop by the house and say "see what I made !"

[Miss USA]

I taught a girl I worked with for a while, she held her hook and yarn wrong, I could not change her no matter how I tried. She did some horrid work.

Taught my best friend Jennifer, and another friend Tammy. I also refreshed my cousins Michelle and Janet.

[wyldflrs]

Grandma taught me (she passed years ago). And I taught my daughters.

[kellyv]

I am now in the process of teaching my sons girlfriend. She wanted to learn and asked me to teach her. Her great grandmother used to crochet but no one ever picked it up after her. Her mom died about 3 years ago so she is kinda of lost. She is such a sweetheart and I have taken her under my wing so to speak. So right now she in in the process of making a purse. She loves it much to my sons dismay LOL. Next she wants to learn to dye and felt!!

[SweetButterfly]

I taught one of my friends (and former coworker) how to crochet. Before she retired I had made her a shawl and a scarf in her favorite colors. She loved them. At work several of us would get together to crochet and one girl knitted. And I would crochet during lunch. My friend watched me and wanted to learn. I showed her some basic stitches. She retired in March and now she crochets all the time. She's taken crochet classes at AC Moore and has joined a group that meets there - Newborns in Need. She is making baby afghans for this group. She is making shawls and scarves for Christmas gifts. She said she is thankful and happy that I showed her how to crochet.

 

One of our fun days - go shopping at AC Moore (we have bought so much yarn there - esp when on sale), had lunch, and then crochet the afternoon away!

[chichiwawa]

My left handed best friend tried to teach me (I'm right handed). My grandmother looked at my project and laughed. So she taught me the right way to crochet. She passed on 2 years ago. I have since taught 2 of my cousins and my god-daughter how to crochet. I know this sounds sappy but I feel that by crocheting and teaching people how to, I am keeping a part of my Nan alive. I always feel close to her when I am crocheting. Which is every spare moment of the day BTW- that first project was a 6 foot long bright red scarf. Horrible. We use it for the snowmen in the winter.

[beth211319]

hello, i have my emotional moments to, a very good friend passed, she was like my mother, i had made her a bear and now i make them and donate the money to cancer charity. it has been awhile since i made some. beth211319

[beth211319]

hi, does anyone here do felting and is it very hard to do? i have been crocheting for over 15 years and i pretty much stayed to basic crochet. i would be really interested in learning bead crochet too.

[angelfire]

I taught my DD and DGD but I think I need to do more of it.

[Buffle]

I'm self taught. I've taught others, who in turn have taught others, A crochet chain reaction ! I really enjoy teaching, love the expressions as they 'get it' , its fun !

[chichiwawa]

Crochet chain reaction. Thats good. :rofl

[Hounddog]

I taught 2 friends to crochet and my niece. My niece has really taken it on in a big way. She works at Walmart and has quite a stash. She even taught some others in the craft dept. there. I guess she even knits now too.

Darlene

[JustRenee]

Im trying to teach Jacob my 9 year old son

[JennyLoLo1]

I taught a friend how to read patterns. She picked up very quickly and now she's making baby layette sets every other week. Before learning how to read a pattern, she was only doing the single and double stitches. Now she's doing the front and back post stitches.

I about to teach my 7 year old niece and my 40 year old sister.

[Ladycrochat]

I am teaching two teenagers right now, I teach them the stitches and then I printed off copies of How to Crochet instructions with pictures to send home with them....so they can practice on their own and have a guide if they forget something -so far it is working great!

[tiggerhale]

I learned from an old master back in 5th grade. She didn't use patterns and basically taught me the dc stitch. I can remember doing chains in the dark in the back of the car while Dad and I waited for Mom to get off work (She's a school guidance councelor but had not gotten a job w/school system and was working in the JCPenny catalog dept - several folks had been attacked in the pking lot so that's why we waited for her).

 

I did try to teach an elderly gentleman (who has since passed away) to give him something to pass the time. He caught on to the chain stitch but for some reason though you tied them together to make the crochet fabric. That idea, although incorrect, still intrigues me. Always keep an open mind

 

My 3-year-old has her "hooks" - basically some plastic hooks that I break if I use. And she and my 5-year-old son both LOVE YARN! They hover around me when I'm working on something just to snatch up the scraps that I cut! The 4-month-old could care less about the yarn but does love to watch me crochet. I hope to teach all of them some...Ranleigh can do some on the round knitter we have but not sure he wants to learn full blown crochet. I think Claire does. She was trying to get my husband to crochet me something just the other day:lol

[silkymist]

Yes, my oldest daughter. She prefers crocheting with thread, I prefer yarn...easier on old eyes.