Cloth Nappy Tree Forum

Has anyone taught a beginner crochet class? Looks like I'm up first at our associations new creative classes so could be as early as this Thursday or the next.

So this is what I'm thinking, to start them all with 5mm hook and dk / aran yran (acrylic would be best - just hope it is OK for a cloth - am going to quickly run up a test one to see what it will be like). 2 projects over the sessions:

• Project 1 - a cloth to start with - so learning:
  
  • cast on (thinking how much I struggled with chain the sc in the beginning am considering teaching single foundation stich instead - what do you think?)
  • single crochet - for a few rows
  • double crochet - for a few rows
  • triple crochet - for a few rows
  • perhaps down the centre a row of hole making (ie dc, sk st, ch1, dc repeat!)
  • then repeat the 3 main stitches and finish off the cloth
  ETA - mini mock up to show people (it is straight - just looks a bit wonky in the photo). Did 4 rows sc, 4 x dc, 4 x sc, 4 x hdc, row of dc, ch, sk st, 4 x sc, chain 11 and form loop:
  
  
• Project 2 - a simple Christmas bell decoration. To learn:
  
  • Magic circle (or should I teach the 'old fashioned' way?)
  • crochet in the round (thinking sc so they can then cross thier learnt skills to agarumi if they want)
  • increasing in the round
  • learning how a 3d item is formed - can be upscaled to baskets / beanies etc

I think you have taught crochet or maybe not and I'm imagining it ? @MissFrodo
Other crocheters: @autumnalgirl @0_Lisa_0 @girlinleeds @Bugglyboo @JabberJabber

Ideas / feedback / thoughts on what I've come up with (and patterns if you know of any that would work well).

Yup I do this often
From kids to adults.
I always start with a chain and if that goes well it's sc, dc, etc.
I always do the old fashion way so yup it can be hard to do the first row but well it's part of the game, you can make the chain with a bigger hook (one size up) and do the rest with the normal size to make it easier.
When you want to do a in the round kind of thing I usually go for a flower, star etc. or a bit bigger doily.

It really depends on how fast they learn, I've done simple chains with kids and glued them on a piece of paper, forming their name, as well

MissFrodo wrote:Yup I do this often
From kids to adults.

Great I was hoping you'd say that @MissFrodo ! so do you think my plans will work well for a small adult group?

MissFrodo wrote:I always do the old fashion way so yup it can be hard to do the first row but well it's part of the game, you can make the chain with a bigger hook (one size up) and do the rest with the normal size to make it easier.

You are right - I hadn't though of it from that point of view and actually a foundation sc stitch is fairly complicated too! Good idea on going up a size - I'm such a tight crocheter (although better now than when I started - I think it it was me being tense!) that that was why it was so difficult for me to do it!

MissFrodo wrote:When you want to do a in the round kind of thing I usually go for a flower, star etc. or a bit bigger doily.

They are great ideas too - will write them down. It depends how quickly they learn / complete as we may have time to do a star too which might be nice too in the lead up to Christmas

MissFrodo wrote:It really depends on how fast they learn, I've done simple chains with kids and glued them on a piece of paper, forming their name, as well

It will be adults only. I also have to learn to speak crochet in French too before I start

Just spent an hour or so doing a mock up - not as big as a cloth but at least I can show the girls organising and those I end up teaching:

Your plan sounds good although if you want a wash or dish cloth I'd go for cotton as acrylic won't have any absorbancy. Have fun teaching the class.

The meeting the other day went really well and we worked out how it is all going to work in our new social space with the craft workshops.

We'll have to advertise so people know about it but we are going to run the sessions as a stitch and bitch group then lessons for anyone that needs it (there is a good knitter that has said she'll run a class) I'm really excited So far one lady I know is coming isn't a beginner but she doesn't understand how to read a pattern and really wants to make a cardigan but just would love some help / support with that

Off to Action today to see if I can buy crochet hooks to have available to loan until people can get their own.

Sounds good @clothmama!
Action does sell those crochethookscollections for I think 2 euro, we use them in the group as well
Have fun shopping! *I'm off to Action in a moment as well *

MissFrodo wrote:Sounds good @clothmama!
Action does sell those crochethookscollections for I think 2 euro, we use them in the group as well
Have fun shopping! *I'm off to Action in a moment as well *

Oh that is good to hear @MissFrodo - a friend said she'd bought a pack too but that was 18 months ago so we weren't sure if it was something they keep in stock or not. Hard to know with Action what is 'permanent' stock and what is temporary!

MissFrodo wrote:*I'm off to Action in a moment as well *

what are you getting?

Well nothing really fancy, besides a fab christmas train for tealights. A dairy for Isis, a showerhead, bathsponges, a brush for Morris (his hair is getting long so a good brush is handy), heelcream, etc.
I think nothing is really permanent at Action but the hooks are still there