For years I've been wanting to learn how to crochet. Not really surprising, considering I like to knit and crocheting is, after all, doing something with yarn and a needle too.
I'm not one to learn from books, I've tried, without much conviction and can't even focus my eyes to link description and image to a sensible whole. It doesn't work for me. I'm a believer in these things being taught from person to person.
When I went on maternity leave, I had the idea of hosting a crafting group where tutors would be invited one evening a month or thereabouts to teach a small group a new skill. I still like the idea but admittedly haven't done anything about it, so it was with rather a lot of delight that I discovered two places in Glasgow that put this idea into practice and even make a business out of it. Seems I'm not the only one with this idea, and how convenient that both places opened up just as I went on maternity leave. Make it Glasgow is a sewing cafe in the Merchant City, where you can drop in, hire a sewing machine and sew away, with a fresh cuppa and nice books to get your head into. They run regular crafting classes where you can brush up lots of skills, well beyond sewing.
The Lifecraft do something similar in the Westend - there's a cafe, yarn, sewing patterns, knitting and sewing accessories, toddler and pre-schooler sessions, knitting meetups. They too have craft classes on offer.
I love the concept, and what's best, most classes are only 3 hours long, perfect timing between feeds! So I learned how to crochet at Make it Glasgow (and took Snowflake along anyway because I'm daft that way and still rather have her with me). 3 hours, a great tutor, and I think I can crochet. It doesn't look great yet, but I know my chain from my stitch and my doubles from my trebles.
I'm rather pleased with it all.
