Crazy Hobbies
Teaching a Children/Teen cross-stitching class?
I'm thinking about getting in touch with my local community center and teaching a children/teen cross-stitching class. I'm 23 and love to cross stitch as a hobby, do you think this would be a good idea?
Public Comments
- Any time we pass along our hobbies and crafts abilities to others it is a very good idea. Teachers are needed for doing these things everywhere. Work out your game plan, cost of the class, and have a sample class prepared. I do yarn spinning classes! I would love to have somebody follow up with what to do with the yarns after I have done the class on how to make them. Embroidery of any kind, crochet, knit, weave!! All these are good to teach children and especially teens. A cousin of my husband just passed away at age 99! He was still working on his fabulous counted cross stitch things when he died!!! It is a terrific life hobby!!
- I believe an introductory class would be an excellent idea. The trick is to keep the beginning simple-enough to master something, anything, in the first session. Show examples of things that can be done later, by those who've practiced, but work with something simple. I just today saw a free beginning lesson at Mary Beale's website. The result could be framed, filed away, or used as an example for stitching identication initials on or in clothing. Oh, and use Aida or perforated paper for the first lesson. They're less confusing than Hardanger or evenweave linen, and the old-standard pastel gingham fabric might repulse some guys. You can pre-mark the to-be-stitched locations. Seriously, you may have hands full *without* dealing with how-to-follow-a-chart in the first lesson. By the end of the first lesson (including needle-threading, "to knot or not to knot", making a cross-stitch (repeat, repeat, repeat), & ending a thread) you'll know how many will want to continue to multi-colored charts, waste canvas (for knits, denim or velvet), and "finishing" techniques (edging, blocking, lining) . . . and following months might involve a stash establishment expedition or a demonstration of web-surfing for patterns and instructional materials.
