Thursday, January 17, 2008

Knitting Class

I taught my first of two knitting classes tonight. It was exhausting but mostly fun. Six women showed up which is about all I could have handled. One ended up giving up pretty quickly. I was not too surprised about her since she asked me if this was a quilting class when she first came in. She had to borrow knitting stuff from people that brought extras.

We were supposed to be making cotton dish cloths but apparently my handout did not get passed out to everyone. Some of the women brought acrylic yarn and the wrong sized needles. I almost choked when one woman pulled out her honking size 13 needles and asked if they would work for this project. I lent her a pair of mine so that she did not end up with huge loops that looked nothing like knitting.

I think that I managed to keep them from getting too discouraged that they did not feel natural with all the motions. I kept reminding them that they would get better with practice. I wish I had saved some of my practice swatches to show them my awful start at knitting.

6 comments:

Tama said...

"Beginners" to knitting are sooooo hard to teach!! I really sympathize! I have taught a couple of "beginner" classes, but I quit because it is so hard to take a "non-Knitter" and teach them how to be a "Knitter". After all Knitting is not just about yarn and sticks--it's who you are. Patient, thoughtful, giving, intuitive, take life one stitch at a time, etc. for the most part. Most people in todays society are fast paced, impatient, want it now, do it perfect first, "instant gratification is what it's all about". That just isn't Knitting! Good luck!

Karen said...

Quilting isn't the same as knitting? Hmmm, ya learn something new every day.

Don Mills Diva said...

I sooo want to start knitting again - I'm impressed that you teach!

Anonymous said...

How fun! I tried to take a knitting class but not enough people showed so it got canceled. You'll have to have someone tape yourself teaching and then put it on youtube. LOL

chichimama said...

Glad the first class went well(ish). I bet by the end it will be fabulous!

Anonymous said...

I attempted to teach a group of moms once. It was tough but amazingly liberating to know I was passing on the craft.