First day of classes

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Don't give up on that one. A few years back I assisted in teaching my youngest grandsons class how to do an ecology banner. Partly stitched, partly glued etc. However the slowest kid in the class had high flying ideas of a nest on a tree branch, with eggs and mama bird and by goodness, his was the best and so long as I showed him how to thread the needle once, he picked it up right away. He sailed through and basked in the limelight.

I would normally agree with you, but she kept wandering off and I had to bring her back to the table several times.

Cheryl

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Going to be lots of fun, fun, fun lol

Some people just get cross stitch, and some don't. I actually found a cross stitch kit in my house when I was 12 and just sort of taught myself. I've been hooked ever since (with a brief break in college when I was wayyyy too busy and too cool to worry with such things). I've shown a few of my real life friends (and even hubby) how to cross stitch, but it never took. Matter of fact, most of my friends think it's a waste of time.

Each of these girls picked this course out of maybe 20-25 options. There are hiking seminars, a Morris Dancer, juggling, food/cooking, young entrepreneur and a bunch of crafts - quilting, model making, something with scuplty clay. She had plenty of options; I suspect she tagged along with a friend who is really interested.

But the rest are trying and some are doing quite nicely. I did introduce them to "frogging".

Frogging? Huh Mrs. Isaak?

Rip-it, rip-it

A couple of minutes later one starts to giggle, then another and another all going ripit, ripit.....

Now - where to find needle threaders in bulk and close.

Cheryl

Cheryl,

I'm teaching a group of kids to stitch, too. In my middle school during the winter, the students have the opportunity to sign up for after school clubs, taught by volunteers. Last year and this year, I've done a cross-stitching group.

We've had 3 classes. I started them on 11 count Aida, doing a freebie that I printed from a website. This past week, most of them started another project that they picked out themselves. I started with 8 girls and 2 boys.

3 of the girls have dropped out and one of the boys didn't come last week, but the rest seem to really enjoy it.

Betsy in PA

My group is fourth and fifth graders - all girls. Except for one, they are all doing well. Our next class is the running and back stitch, some vocabulary (stash, stitch, bobbin, ort, floss, fiber) and starting designing their bookmark.

Cheryl

Cheryl,

I've been reading your different threads about teaching stitchers. I just had the 4th week with my kids, 5th and 6th graders. I think I'll introduce more vocabulary to them this week, based on your list. I have one mother who joins the group every 2 weeks and is a real asset.

I'm also thinking of giving them a list of different websites to check out.

All of my kids have started a new project that they picked out. Most of them are on 11 count, with a couple on 14. They seem to do very well. I do have to keep an eye on them, or they'll get my boxes of DMC all messed up. One week when I wasn't watching, one girl had pulled out some metallics and was doing her best with that. I kept myself from flipping out and redirected her to cotton floss.

I may take a few on them on a field trip when the class is over. All they've ever seen is the very limited selection of stuff at the town's Walmart. They have no idea what is available.

Betsy in PA

Mine are younger. The word ort just gives them such joy! I think as a "fare-thee-well" I'll chart up Ort in both back stitch and a cross stitch chart and let them stitch it for their ort jars.

I might do the same. And what Dewey Decimal number stitch-ie books are located under at the library.

IF I can locate a bunch of $1 kits, our last lesson will be starting a kit. Sometimes, the local dollar store has mini kits.

I wouldn't even bring metallics with me - they would snip pieces just to add to the ort jar!

I can't and wouldn't dare! Though it is tempting, since I know a few of the Mom's stitch, I might swing by my LNS and get some business cards.

Cheryl

Sounds like both classes are going well. Have you mentioned the importance of using your scissors only for fabric and thread? The bit about snipping metallics to make orts made me think of how it is good to use other scissors on metallics so as not to dull the "good" ones.

But that would be a good use for your much-used metallics where you've only got a few inches left on the spool.

I'll have to mention orts as well. In our first class I gave the girls lots of pieces of thread and a notebook ($1 at Michael's) so they could start a pattern and material notebook. They taped them in and labeled them quite happily. The metalics were popular. I also gave them a square of linen and a square of aida so they could see the difference.

And an ort jar would keep all the threads off the cafeteria floor (which reminds me, must remember Lysol wipes to get the sticky stuff off the tables next time!)

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Margaret Midlothian, VA

I found a great book at our public library called: "Stitchery for Children: A Manual for Teachers, Parents and Children". The author is (was?) Jacqueline Enthoven. It was published back in 1968 but the ideas for each age group/class level are VERY helpful. I'm taking an EGA correspondence class on Teaching Children to Embroider & am tentatively planning on having my student stitch a drawing of her own making on an apron for her mom for the second half of the first lesson. (The first part was for me to interpret a child's drawing in needlework). If I survive the correspondence class I hope to teach an after school class next September at the K - 8 school next to the library. I will be able to limit the ages if I want to & can charge a small fee if I need to. I'm hoping to come up with ideas for projects that can be finished easily by the students themselves - maybe using hoops for frames or stitching on an apron. I don't want to have them finish an item, only to have it stuck in a drawer for 20 years becase the parents don't know what to do with it , nor do I want to take on the task of doing all of the framing! :-))

My only problem with bookmarks, working in a library, is that they tend to be so thick that I wouldn't want to use them in a book.

It's fun teaching children to stitch and, like finding that perfect book that makes a reluctant reader enjoy reading, there is something magical about finding that rare student who really takes to it and continues stitching even after the class is over. :-) Liz from Humbug

Congratulations on the book find! Sounds interesting...

I've encountered this same bookmark problem. I like work> My only problem with bookmarks, working in a library, is that they tend

I tend to do my bookmarks in blackwork using one strand of floss usually on a 28 or 32 count linen. Less bulky than cross stitch.

Socrates speaks to jury at his trial: 'If you offered to let me off this time on condition I am not any longer to speak my mind... I should say to you, "Men of Athens, I shall obey the Gods rather than you."'

I'm going to find a copy of the book Liz. It sounds great. I'd love to be able to offer something like that at DD's school or at the library.

As to the bookmarks... I've never been c> I found a great book at our public library called: "Stitchery for

Cheryl - How many mini kits do you need? Someone gave me a bunch that I don't really want or need and I would be happy to share!

Linda

I always tyhought that an "Ort" was something invented on this newsgroup - but evidently not - it cropped up on a crossword puzzle the other day!

Pat P

>

ORT is the Name of a Chain of French Zionist orientated schools. mirjam