Want to learn to crochet?

Here we are, holding crocheting needles in our sweaty hands, clinging to this fuzzy yarn that seems to be forming knots all by itself...learning and teaching in three different languages...none of those our mother language.

What on earth? I do not know how to crochet! Well, I know the basic loop, but that's it.

Few weeks ago my friend had a brilliant idea. She wanted to invite another friend to come and teach her neighbor girls to crochet. She knew the girls would be interested to learn. It seems like handicrafts, especially knitting and crocheting, are in fashion now in Central Asia. This friend knows how to crochet a scarf, and we thought the girls might like to learn it too. Here it is:

My friend here wondered if some of the girls from my street would like to join them for a day. I made inquiries. Everyone was interested, but were asking "Won't she come to your house as well?" Our neighborhoods are ten minutes walk away from each other, but sometimes this is too much of a distance. And some of the ladies on my street wanted to learn as well, and I knew they have little children, meals to cook, houses to look after. It would be easier to pop in and out into my house whenever they have time during the day than to commit to go away for 6 hours in a day.

So we decided to have one day at my friend's, and the next day at our place. I went to bazaar to buy yarn. I bought 40 bundles (2 per scarf), different kinds of colors. The seller gave me a nice discount. My hands almost fell out when I carried the bags home. Yes, a bundle of yarn is light, but 40! Luckily we do not live too far from the bazaar.

It worked out great. So many girls showed up on the first day! And the second! The 'teacher' had brought another friend to help teach, and I decided to go ahead and learn the whole thing myself, too! Then there was one more handicrafty kind of person, so we almost had enough people to teach.

First each girl chose a color and started to undo the big bundle of yarn and wrap it into balls.

Then they were taught the basic loop. They practiced for a while.

Most of them had not done any crocheting before. Older girls learned quicker...some little ones had difficulties even with the basic loops. But they all sat there, crocheting, crocheting. In the picture above you can see the next, long, loop (pink yarn). I do not know its name, but the scarf only takes these two loops; basic, and the 'long'. We called them 'small' and 'big' in local languages. Worked great!

This girl learned very quickly, and I have heard she is on her fourth scarf already! You go, girl!

The lady here is a very experienced knitter and crocheter, and learned this scarf in no time. I told her: "We all took 6 hours to learn this, and you come on the very last hour and learn the whole thing in 5 minutes!".

You can see the model scarf on the floor, and an excited, perhaps even a tired group of girls. I am sitting next to the curtain, teaching someone.

But they were all happy to learn a new skill. We hope the best of them can even start making these for sales. The yarn costs about $3.5, and you can sell a scarf for about $14. You can also make variations with the loop, perhaps a long, rectangular scarf, perhaps a crocheted hat with thinner yarn.

We had a simple crocheting craft ready for little ones. We realized they will not be able to finish a scarf like this, but they were very happy to make basic loops around a wire, and bend it into a shape of a heart.

The girls really enjoyed a day together!

(Forgive me for covering their faces...but it is done on purpose..)

Our children came in too...they are too small for this kind of crocheting, but found something fun to do with yarn anyway!

I still need to finish my scarf! So far so good, slowly, slowly...