How to Facilitate a Crochet Workshop
By Tameko Barnette – 5 CommentsSharing crochet as a social group or with a friend who loves it as much as you do is one thing, but teaching crochet in a workshop is a little different. However, it can be a joyous experience and one worth trying for those who are between jobs, need a fun part-time job, or perhaps, you are looking to become an entrepreneur.
Either way, in the world of crochet, you have a plethora of inspirations and opportunities. A great idea is to put your years of crochet wisdom to good use and facilitate crochet workshops. It’s not as complicated as it may sound at first, especially, if you are not familiar with facilitating a workshop of any kind.
Write down how you would like to teach crochet. With this step, you’re asking yourself a few questions. What would be the easiest way to teach a beginner how to crochet? What steps did I take when I first got started? What are the easiest stitches and patterns I could use to get the workshop going in the right direction? I am sure as you begin to write down the answers to these questions, you will be inspired even more so. In addition, you can write down whether your workshop would be a one-class experience or a series of classes. Although, I mentioned above about facilitating beginners, you may decide to teach an intermediate or an advanced crochet workshop. It’s entirely up to you.
Handling the Crochet Supplies. Okay, now this is the tricky part for some facilitators of any workshop. How do you handle the supplies? Are you going to include a beginner kit? Or, are you going to request the participants bring specific supplies to the workshops themselves? Once again, if you are the facilitator, it’s entirely up to you on how to handle this one. Just remember, either decision will affect the costs you invest, which will affect the price you charge for your workshop. Perhaps, we can think of this with a balanced mind. You can request that the participants bring a size I crochet hook and a size M crochet hook and one skein of #4 medium worsted yarn and you will supply the crochet pattern and full-printed instructions of everything shared in the workshop. Once your participants arrive, you can surprise them at the end with some extra yarn, they can pick and choose for themselves to take home. The crochet possibilities are endless. Keep in mind, if you decide to facilitate your workshop online, then, your participants will have to get their own supplies for the class.
Charging for Your Workshop. Believe it or not, this can actually be a difficult decision for some people to make when planning a workshop. But, like I said above, how you charge for your workshop will depend on the costs you accumulated while preparing to facilitate. Please keep in mind, this venture does NOT have to be terribly expensive. You can pull this off with a small amount of money with your most costly expense being the copies made of the instructions and pattern for the participants. This is why I stressed writing your ideas down first and foremost, so you can see where this adventure is going and plan accordingly.
Speaking for the First Time in a Workshop Setting. My favorite piece of advice to give on this one is to just BE YOURSELF. It is really that simple! Be sure at the beginning of your workshop, you have brief introductions starting with yourself and go around the room or online meeting room. This helps to break the ice. Another great ice-breaker is to ask if anyone has any previous crochet experience or ask them why they decided to take your workshop. You can use storytelling as a way to explain techniques or add a bit of enchantment to a pattern everyone is working on in class. Perhaps, you have your participants working on an easy beginner scarf. If it applies, you can tell them a funny story about your favorite scarf or about the very first time you crocheted. Speak to your participants like they are old friends. Explain what you’re going to cover in class, stick to it, but allow enough room in the situation to go with the flow.
I hope this article has been helpful to you. Have you ever taught a crochet class or have thought about teaching a crochet class? Share your experiences or ideas below, we’d love to hear from you.
Happy Crocheting!
I’ll be leading a workshop on May 16th. It will be for beginners to intermediate. I plan on providing kits (1 hook/1 skein) for those that request by 5/1 and telling the others to bring what they are working on and getting stuck or bring in the same size hook.
I have found 2 patterns to start with that i believe will work out. As with me, beginners have better success with learning double crochet first and then back down to single crochet. DC’s stand up.
Love the suggestions in your article
I teach right handed beginners at a yarn shop and help when people get stuck and need a hand. I have also taught individual students, including children for free, and taught at a community education program through the schools.
Teaching one on one or in small groups is easier and my preference. I have made long term friends with some of these people and we meet on a regular basis to crochet and catch up. Except for those times when you are teaching for free I think a 2 hour lesson is a good start and charge $25.00 in my area.
I ask them to bring light colored worsted weight yarn and an H hook. Many times they show up with something else so I just go with it. I like something small and flat to start with. I love to teach people to crochet and it comes easily now. I agree with just be yourself and let your love of crochet be evident and you soon have a fellow crochet buddy.
I did write down an actual lesson plan when I first started in the public schools and this has served me well over the last 10 years of teaching. I have a file for easy patterns and one for more advanced students. I always have spare yarn and hooks with me. I also teach everyone to make a little kit for tools that has been appreciated.
I have been teaching a crochet class since the middle of 2010, at our local Senior Center. All your points above are spot on!! I told all the interested parties to bring an H hook, and their enthusiasm! We had a few skeins of yarn that had been donated to the center. We began with instructions on each stitch, beginning with chain, then sc, then dc and hdc. Our very first project was to make a 9″ square with just sc. Then we each made one with hdc, then dc, and finally we did the triple. After they had all made one of each, we made some with combined stitches. I showed them how to edge them–and we joined them all and made a Sampler Afghan!! By the time that was completed, we had changed to a “club” format, and called ourselves “The Froggers”! (I think the name is self-explanatory!)
We are still going strong, and now make afghans for Veterans hospitals, shawls for our local Hospice’s Prayer Shawl Ministry, hats for various hospitals, and anything we want to make for our families! We are self-supporting; we sell our crocheted and knitted projects at craft fairs and as special orders all year round! In fact, the first project we ever sold was that Sampler Afghan we started out with! We have laughed together, cried together, and shared our pride together! I have never regretted starting that club!
Hello, I have been doing a knitting and crocheting workshop at my house for the past 4 years. They are fun; but, can get out of hand. The last one turned into a huge social event, lots of people and lots of food. It became hard to teach and to learn. So, my core group and I sat down and came up with some hard and fast rules: no food, just water and maybe cookies; only 3 students to a teacher; they must rsvp by a certain date and state what they want to learn. I have it set up to teach beg. crochet and knitting, help with projects and to learn to read patterns. I also provide all supplies for beginners. We added a stitch marker making class this last time and it was a success.
These workshops are great but need some definite ground rules. They are also important to help keep our fiber arts alive. Sincerely, Kendal Patton
Thanks. I was wondering if i should have lite snacks and had decided against it. Now I know why. I like the idea of adding How to read a pattern. I had planned on instructing them on reading out loud as it helps cement instructions in their minds.