Crocheting with Friends
By Caissa "Cami" McClinton – 11 CommentsI am always astounded by the versatility of our craft. While crochet is perfect as a solo activity, maybe relaxing on the porch with some tea in the evening, it makes a fine group activity as well. Stitching while chatting over coffee with friends adds an entirely new dimension to the crafting experience.
I have to admit, my love of fiber crafting was very clearly driven by connecting to a craft community. At first this community was online, through podcasts and my personal blog. I later joined Ravelry and started a crafting group in Mexico City. It took me a long time and a lot of perseverance, but I finally attracted a core group of similar yarn lovers and we shared tips, patterns, encouragement, and most of all, friendship. We eventually became the first Mexican chapter of the Crochet Guild of America, Ganchitos Mexico City. The Ganchitos are still going strong although I’ve changed locales.
My current crafting group is called The Hollywood Knitting Divas, although we are most definitely crocheters as well! At our meeting last night, I asked my new pals why crafting with friends is important. Here are their top five reasons to crochet with friends:
1. Camaraderie. Especially as adults, it can be hard to make friends outside of work. Coming together over a shared interest allows us to form meaningful friendships sustained by commonality.
2. Advice. When you crochet in a group and you get stuck on something, there is always someone there to help you out. Your friends are also there to help you choose a pattern for that gorgeous yarn or give advice about how to modify something.
3. Sharing. When one member is excited about a new technique, designer, or yarn, the knowledge is shared and everyone can enjoy it. I love looking at the latest magazines or bringing favorite pattern books to the group so people can check them out. Crochet groups are also a great way to experience the latest yarns and learn how they handle.
4. Intergenerational interaction. Crochet groups allow people from all different ages to interact. Intergenerational interaction is one of the most important resources and it can be one of the most difficult to come by. Crochet groups are an excellent way to make younger or older friends.
5. Fun! The moms in our group savor the weekly “adult time” the group brings. The students value a break from homework, and everyone loves to come together, relax, and simply enjoy each other. Crochet time is social time, too!
Do you ever crochet in a group? If so, please feel free to share your stories here. If your group has a link, please share it! If you do not crochet with friends, then why not? Would you like to? Please share!
I haven’t found a group yet, but I really do want to belong to a local crochet/knitting group. As long as they are crochet friendly I am happy to join a kniting group. I like being a part of a group that shares an interest. I know the right group will come along.
If it doesn’t come along, you can start one! Check on Ravelry to see what is already in your local area, and if there is nothing, then see if there is any interest in starting one! I agree that a shared interest is great for bringing people together! 🙂 Best of luck, Bailey!
I went to my first meeting this past Wednesday.
I enjoyed my first visit and will attend again
We have a great little community over on facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/crochetgal79
or you can find us online: http://www.thehookupblog.wordpress.com!!
I created my own group at the local library about 8 yrs ago. My life was at a point where I needed new friends and something to take my mind off my father passing away. We’ve been there ever since! The great friends I have made have helped me time and time again with good times and bad and I love them all! We named our group “The Chain Gang”. Come join us anytime!!!
The Monday night meetings of my stitching circle is the highlight of my week! I learned to crochet at church last April at the age of 52; my first project was a wonky baby blanket for the local crisis pregnancy center. The crocheters at church met sporadically, and the weekly group I joined was just the inspiration I needed to really take off in the craft. It’s wonderful for all the reasons you said, but what makes our group especially enjoyable is that there is rarely any talk of politics or other issues that can get heated or cause hurt feelings. There’s plenty of chatter though… About new or favorite techniques, sales, what book somebody read, what someone’s dog did, yarn reviews, vacation anecdotes, new patterns, offspring tales, etc. Plenty of project show-and-tell, which can be encouraging and sometimes hilarious. There are usually at least a dozen of us there (we meet at our local library) and sometimes one person gets everyone’s attention, but more often there’s two or three conversations going at once. It’s amazing how two hours with such a lively group can feel so PEACEFUL.
Two and a half years ago, I started a crochet class at our local Senior Center, and we’re still going strong–even adding new members every month! Our ages range from 23 to 92 years old! Since we formed our club, we have crocheted over 1,000 hats for various hospitals, almost 100 lapghans for 3 Veterans’ hospitals, made 85 hat/scarf sets for a local daycare, made 147 “Spirit Gloves” for our local Relay For Life, and made 20 prayer shawls for our local Hospice. We meet for two hours every Monday morning, and even reschedule when bad weather cancels our meeting! Everyone agrees it’s the best thing we have ever done! We call ourselves the Froggers Crochet Club. We highly recommend doing something like this!
Lois, your story warmed my heart!
I would love to adopt this in our church. How about a Crochet Fellowship?!!! Sounds exciting?
i’ve never crocheted in a group. i have crocheted while a friend knitted.
About 13 years ago I joined an organization called retired senior volunteer program. At the time there were knitters /crocheters that made everything from mittens to afghans,turned them into RSVP, and they in turn distributed the items to hospitals, nursing homes, schools, or anyone who had a need. I was contacted by RSVP and asked what I thought of forming a group to get together to knit/and/or crochet together. Well there were 3 of us that got together to get it going. This has been a blessing not only to the people who get the items we make, but forever friendships have been born. We have had as few as 2-or 3 show up or as many as 12-15. We have been there for each other thru the happy times, as well as illness(cancer, heart surgery), and death. We are so fortunate to have each other, be able to do something that we all dearly lover to do, and see it going to good use.