From the Ground Up, A Class for the New Crocheter

Have you been wanting to learn how to crochet, but all the online resources just don't work for you? Do you work better in a quiet class environment with one-on-one instruction? If you are local to the Central Florida area, I have good news for you!

I am beginning a new class in a week that will teach you the basics of crochet by giving you four mini projects to practice your skills with. It will run for four weeks, with each week building more upon the last. By the end of the class, you'll have some cute and functional goodies!

The best part? If you miss this class, another class will start and run through July-August, and then another in August-September! Always keep an eye on the booking area of the Yada Yada Pottery website to see what the upcoming dates are!

What do my classes look like?

Firstly, the class area is intimate and very cute. In the back of the pottery studio, there is a room dedicated to textile arts like sewing, macrame, and crochet. This is where we will be crocheting together!

Have a look at the Textile Room at Yada Yada Pottery!

Secondly, you have my entire attention for the entire 2-hour session, where you can ask me questions and hear tips and tricks from my 10 years of experience! You can also email me after class and I will respond within a day of receiving your email. You can ask me about anything class-related or ask for advice on a project that you want to start, but need help making the jump!

Third, you get a private section of my website dedicated to videos that will show you the class video and additional content that will help you create your projects. This is available so you can pause the steps at your own pace.

Fourth, all of the yarn needed for your projects is provided! You don't have to worry about what kind of yarn to buy. We also have hooks available at the studio to use. To continue working on your projects at home, you will be provided the hook size that is needed so that you can purchase your own. Generally for beginning projects, I will recommend an H/8 (5mm) or I/9 (5.5mm) hook.

Fifth, you get a printed handout with the crochet instructions and a diagram written out, as well as yarn information, additional resources, and inspiration for you. You can also choose a handmade stitch marker! This is my "thank you" to you for joining me as you begin your crochet journey! If you'd like to purchase more, I have them listed in my shop. You can purchase them individually or get 3 for the price of 2!

Examples of the stitch markers you can choose from!

So what will you be making?

Let's take a look at your upcoming projects on a week-by-week basis!

Week 1

This week is purely dedicated to building comfort with holding yarn and hook. We will be working on the mechanics of crochet, most importantly the key tension points that make crochet possible. You will learn the chain stitch and single crochet, two of the most basic stitches you will have in your repertoire.

Crochet is very much a skill that benefits from repetition, so the full two-hours of practicing this will do you wonders as we progress through the class!

We will also be covering basic accessories, the parts of a yarn hook, and you will get an introduction to the types of yarn we will use in class.

Week 2

Our second week introduces our first project, which will be a dishcloth/washcloth using single crochet. These are so simple to make and they are excellent practice for stitches. In case you are wondering about the benefits of using a handmade dishcloth over a purchased one . . .

• When you make your dishcloth by hand, you can choose what material you want it to be. We will be making our cloths out of 100% cotton yarn. But there are many options out there.

• You can choose what size and shape to make your dishcloth. Ours will be a square, but you can make a rectangle, a circle, or even get creative and make them hexagonal or triangular.

• They are reusable! Why use a sponge ever again when you can simply toss your handmade dishcloth into the washing machine?

We will also discuss subjects such as yarn labels, care symbols, and reading patterns and charts.

Week 3

Our third week will give us time to practice all of the skills we have learned up until now, including more work on counting stitches and crocheting in rows to make a square piece of fabric. In this class, we will add half-double crochet and double crochet stitches to our repertoire by adding them to our washcloth. This will give you lots of opportunity to continue practicing your single crochet, and get you used to the differences between half-double and double crochet stitches.

We will also see some practical applications for the crochet accessories mentioned in Week 1, including stitch markers and tapestry needles.

These are two examples of the dishcloths we learn to make in Week 3

Week 4

The fourth week will introduce your first wearable piece, a lovely lacy scarflet made out of treble crochet stitches. This will be our first departure from cotton yarn as we explore some new textures with acrylic yarn. Depending on how many chains you start with and how long you want to keep crocheting will determine how long your scarflet is.

There are lots of ways to style a scarflet!

• You can wear it around your neck and pin it with a fancy brooch.

• You can seam both ends together to make a cowl or infinity scarf.

• You can mix the lace with a solid pattern in the fabric for some visual interest.

Treble crochet stitches complete our stitch library for the basics. Once you master the treble crochet, you will have every basic stitch under your belt. Most crochet concepts are then built on combining the basic stitches together, or playing with the number of stitches in a row of crochet.

I am so excited to teach you the basics and for you to start your very own crochet journey! Hope to see you in class!