Can We Talk 2

Teaching Crochet

         Finally, I got together with my 8 year old great niece who loves crafts. I presented her with the promised birthday present of crochet things with her first lesson. I included a colorful canvas bag, some practice yarn, a new "comfort" crochet needle, and some Vanna White yarn. The skein of practice yarn is more practically priced and will suffice for learning to make even stitches of various kinds. The better yarn will be for her scarf, her first project.

         She was excited. We sat together and I had to help her hold it, so that she could get the loop through the chains. After half an hour, she was able to do it on her own. Every time she remembered how to turn to start a new row I praised her. When she started getting the yarn through more quickly and without splitting the yarn, I praised her. She got lots of positive reinforcement and learned very well. The hardest part is the hand and eye coordination for an eight year old. I reassured her that practice was the only way to get it even and smooth, and that it would get easier. After she gets comfortable with the chain and single crochet, I'll teach her the double, triple and half double, etc. We'll hold popcorn stitches and things that are more like patterns for later on.

         It was time well spent. Maybe some day, when I'm gone, she'll crochet and tell her own children, "You know my great aunt taught me how to do this." Her grandfather has already said he wants her to make him a sweater. She's going to practice and is looking forward to getting so good at it, that she can watch TV while she does it. (I do.) This kid plays golf and soccer and loves art work. Encouraging her to develop another skill is helping round out her abilities. When the younger children said they wanted to learn or take a turn, I told them that she was doing it because she was eight. When they get older, they can learn more things, too. That made her feel special, and the younger ones accepted it.