Monday, March 05, 2007
Teaching an old dog new tricks
Then I decided that I wanted to learn to crochet. I have a few online friends who are awesome at both. Then I have a few online friends who say they suck at one or the other, never quite understanding the concept for either knitting or crocheting. I don't know what the stats are of knitters who learned crochet and vice versa as far as who caught on better.
So I picked up a book. Actually, it was the same book series as the one I taught myself how to knit. I didn't "get it." I bought a CDROM ... I don't know where it went but I should find it now .. that helped some but I just gave up. Besides, knitting was "prettier."
Last week I decided to take the plunge and go to our local senior center to learn to crochet.
That was a bust. A major one. It was supposed to start at nine. The instructor didn't even know she was instructing until someone called to ask where she was. She showed up about 10 minutes later, and throws down a tub of dishcloth cotton yarn, says "here's a book of patterns that I use so you can decide what you want to use out of it."
Well ... ummm.... yeah. What if I don't even understand crocheting, lady?
And she kept repeating her mantra "I'm not an instructor, I'm not an instructor, I'm not an instructor" throwing in a few "well, I don't know what I did just there... I just crochet what I feel" just for good measure.
Finally one of the participants (who DID know how to crochet ... don't ask me how she got mixed up in OUR group .. you could tell she was majorly losing her patience because she wanted to make an afghan and she needed to know how to do these things, and what kind of yarn should she get, and what pattern should she use) said "well the newspaper didn't list you as the instructor. It listed Jane. Where's Jane?"
Smackdown, senior center style.
Evelyn went to find Jane, and was rather relieved that Jane was indeed in the building, and hadn't gone on the Staples and Gordon's Food buying bus. So Jane stepped over, lent a hand here and there, and I finally left, opting for a strawberry milkshake and a polish sausage from our local ice cream establishment. Because I really needed to get out of there and smell like a sausage, as opposed to coffee and ... well... senior center smell.
I bought a book at Joann's that afternoon, and taught myself. I didn't realize that I really knew more than I gave myself credit for.
So far, I have made these two little creatures. The bunny is from a pattern I purchased online from an online friend of mine, and the ducky came straight from my noggin. I think they are precious. Perfect? No. But darn good for a knitter who didn't think she could crochet.
Labels: crocheting, knitting, teaching an old dog new tricks
posted by Knitting Maniac at 2:10 PM
I'm a mom of three peeps ... Queen Bee, The Door Man, and the Chandelier Monkey, and wife to Ace, the Helpful Hardware Man. I created this space to get away from the people known as my inlaws, and because life with three kids and a hubby is all Unexplored Territory.
The nine-year-old who seems to be growing older every minute, has an opinion and a comment for everything, and has a true servant's heart.
The seven-year-old who loves the organization of things, will someday be someone's therapist because of his kind soul, and will more than likely be living with us until he is 40 years old.
The five-year-old with the 13-year-old attitude, who has a dictator's personality, asks you to watch her all the time and say "hold on" to keep your attention, and will someday come home on the back of some dude's motorcycle with 10 tatts and a body piercing or two.
The man of the house, the fixer of things, the winner of prizes, and the only person in his family to escape the South.
Is she dead?
What could be SO important that ...
Just in case you miss those Saturday morning cartoons
Friday's Feast # 4
Now don't get me wrong
I lied
Nothing too witty today
Wordless Wednesday
Speaking of mind games
Giving my kid a hard time
8 Comments:
yay! you're old layout is back. I love this one!
they are both adorable and I'm jelous of your knitting and crocheting skills. I can't do either, which really stinks because my sis can and we're always competing with each other! *sigh* she wins in that category.
Jenn, she should teach you!
Those are TOO CUTE! Love the little white bunny tail.
Saw what your previous post was, haven't had time to watch BSG yet, so I will hold off reading your post until I do. Hubby and I knew Starbuck's future was questionable, he listens/reads something that gives him a head's up. Anyway, I'll get back on this after I watch the show. Hopefully tonight.
That yellow chick is so cute! It reminds me of my Baby Bug, one eye is bigger than the other! ROFL! No really, it is adorable!
UMMMM, could you stop already? You are making us all look bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was this in-between cases?
smack down senior center style..ha ha ha..that is a good one
Very cute!
"senior center smell"
LOL!
I know that smell. I'm always afraid I smell like that from work.
And smack-down, senior center style.
LMAO
Boy that chick body reminds me of something I have seen before. Oh, I know, I know. Something pink with an areola. Yes, it was a boobie ball. Is that how you figured it out so easily. You are very good at creating a chick out of a boobie ball!! LOL
They are both sooo cute. I want lessons now. But finding the time is the real matter. So happy for you that you can both crochet and knit. What a lot of talent you have.
That's a cute bunny and a cute duck. I am a crocheter who thought she should teach herself to knit. I bought a how-to-knit kit and ended up crocheting the stupid bear instead of knitting it. There are some handy "how-to" books for the illiterate (like I was.) I love the Stitch-n-Bitch, Happy Hooker set. The picts and talk are fairly easy to understand. If I lived closer I've never met you - but I'd volunteer my time to help. A friend showed me the basics (a single, double, triple stitch) thing and I am basic book/blog taught from there.
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