Become a Knitting Mentor
Wondering how to pass the love of knitting onto another generation? Think about becoming a knitting mentor
Knitting for charity is all about not-for-profit knitting--knitting to make something for somebody else. Enjoyment comes from knowing that they'll truly have fun with it. Instead of money, knitting for charity will give you a sense of satisfaction knowing that your creativity and skill has helped somebody else out. You can also experience this satisfaction by becoming a knitting mentor. Help teach another person the joy and comfort of knitting.
Real, Live Help
As a passionate almost-knitter myself, I understand the importance of having a resource to turn to when the knitting gets tough. I greatly appreciate the guidance of my mother attempting to teach me some basic knitting. Unfortunately, she was away on vacation when my clumsy attempts landed me with an ugly 12-stitch line on what had been a 10-stitch start. Afraid to undo anything, I quickly reached out to my friends and discovered I had quite a few who knew a thing or two about knitting.I consider myself lucky to have found a friend to help me on my way. Especially since Mom isn't returning for a month and I would have forgotten what rudimentary skills I had learned. I think I might have been able to figure out the problem myself, after hours of searching Google and YouTube for virtual "how to knit" help. But having a real, live person next to me to walk me through it was definitely more helpful.
Bridging the Chasm of Non-Knitter to Knitter
Think about the ways that you can become a knitting mentor, and help out knitting novices like myself. Do you have a neighbor, friend, colleague, or relative who has mentioned to you, even once, that they were interested in learning? If you do, and you finagled your way out of the situation, re-think your initial reticence. See if they're still interested and offer up a lesson or two.
Check with your local library, adult high school, or community college and see if they offer knitting classes. There are also township-sponsored enrichment courses and park system classes to look into--even your local yarn store's offerings. If you find that nobody offers them, consider teaching some yourself. You can do what Nellie's mom does and teach hospital patients to knit. Check the classifieds ads for individuals looking for help.
Reach out to the next generation of knitters by offering your experience, your wisdom, and yes--possibly even your extra needles. Honor those who taught you the craft by passing it on. After all, it only takes a little time to become a knitting mentor.