The class went great! I wanted to post after every class but ended up deeply immersed in a tech edit project. Several of the parents said their kids were practicing in between classes and some even went out to buy more hooks and yarn. One girl was making hats for her doll and another one made long chains. They all took home their own dyed yarn, a hook, a yarn needle, 2 stitch markers, a pom pom/tassel maker, and their projects.
Class 2: Stitch markers, single crochet stitch, and pom pom's.
I was fearful that the kids would finish too early so I came overprepared with crafty things to do. We started by making beaded stitch markers with memory ring wire. I prepared the wire by looping one end. Then the kids would bead them and put a piece of cut up eraser stopper on the other end, so I could finish looping the second end after class if I needed to. After markers, we began to learn how to single crochet. I didn't have a few rows started like I wanted to so it got off to a rocky start. Maybe one or two got it, a few were frustrated but kept trying and a few kids threw the hooks to the table. The youngest kid came up to me and said he couldn't use the hook so I showed him how to finger crochet instead and he was so happy, that's all he wanted to do. After the break, we made pom poms. Big hit! I prepared by making 3"x6" rectangles out of scrap cardboard, then cut an open slit down the middle of each for tying the whole bundle together before cutting. I knew I could show them the finger method, but I really wanted the kids to succeed. We used the cardboard in a later class for tassels so it was perfect.
Class 3: We began by wet felting beads. The kids had so much fun with this. I got very bright colored roving at the Weaving Works for $1.50/oz. Some kids made perfect little beads, some kids made big multicolored felted balls. Few of them were finished when I got home, so I finished off a few at home myself so they would have something to work with in the next class. This time I prepared each student with a few rows of single crochet on a larger hook so they could keep going. It seemed to work better, a few more kids got the hang of it, fewer kids threw their hooks down.
Class 4: I had no idea what the final project would be. I had intended for them all to make a bracelet bag, but no one got that far. The morning of the class I started focusing on a bookmark. So, we started the class learning how to make beaded tassels, which the kids loved. Then we made single crocheted (or slip stitched) bookmarks attaching the felted beads on one end and the tassels to the other end. It took the whole class time to do, but nearly every kid left with a bookmark they completed on their own. Very satisfying to have been able to tie everything together and have most of the kids actually crocheting by the end of class. We had way too much fun to even remember taking a photo unfortunately.
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