10 year old grandson wants to learn to crochet

Try 'Hooked by Robin' on YouTube. She's brilliant!

Its good that schools no longer channel children into gender based roles of girls doing needlework and cookery and boys doing metal and woodwork. When I took commercial subjects I know there was at least one boy who wanted to learn to type and do shorthand but again these subjects were "for girls".

I never got into cross stitch because the discipline was a bit too mechanical for me. Ive made a lot of tapestries using freehand combinations of stitches and like my designs to evolve as I go. That was why I loved crochet.

My grandmother made entire crochet bed covers and pillow shams in openwork silky thread. I still have some of her work today.

Crochet (and any kind of handwork) are wonderful hobbies because you can carry them with you anywhere. They fill up boring waits and (unlike screen gazing) you can also hold a conversation while doing them. I have many times flown with small patchwork projects to the curiosity and admiration of the cabin crew and other passengers.

One of my exes was really good at knitting.
On the train up to London where he was a hod carrier, out would come his knitting needles, and his favourite thing to make was baby clothes.
Little cardigans and booties.

When we were kids, my uncle had a knitting machine and every year we'd get a jumper for Christmas. Usually had the latest cartoon hero on them. He made them for all four of us and probably other nieces & nephews (and probably his three sons!), so he was a busy and talented uncle for weeks at a time!

I taught my 11 year old twin grandsons to crochet when they were about 8 or 9. I started with a simple chain using quite thick wool. Being twins they are quite competitive with each other so there was a race to make the longest chain.
When they grew tired of that I showed them how to coil the chain which I stitched securely to make two coasters.
This inspired them to make 4 more which are still in use.

biglouis, those are beautiful! ❤️

biglouis they started cross stitch at my son’s school in the 80s and he had a go. I went to a school fete and a couple of teachers and helper Mums stopped me to tell me his work was excellent considering he had never tried it before. Apparently he was a natural and better than all the girls.

The best knitter I’ve ever met was an American serviceman - he put my knitting skills to shame! He could sew too - made dresses for his daughters. If your GS learns to crochet, perhaps he could come and teach me. I’m hopeless and everyone who ever tried to teach me soon gave up!😊

I remember my dad used to knit our winter mittens. He was in the navy and they all knitted. But my mum knitted all our jumpers and woolly clothes.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202402/medium-347764-indian-patchwork1.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202402/medium-439981-indian-patchwork2.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202402/medium-619012-indian-patchwork4.jpg

Indian patchwork

In the past many men did cross stitch so I dont see anything wrong with a boy learning crochet. I wanted to do woodwork/metalwork and technical drawing in school but it wasnt allowed (1950s/60s)

My grandmother taught me embroidery crochet and I loved it because of the way it was possible to improvise. I was never as keen on knitting because you were just following someone elses pattern. My sister is a very good knitter.

My grandmother also taught me patchwork the traditional way using templates - known as English piecing. I also enjoy Indian (as in Asian) crazy patchwork because again its about improvising and embellishent on the go.

I have never used a machine for patchwork or embroidery. There is something soothing about any form of handwork.

I taught my son and daughter to do both knit and crochet and why not.

It’s time with gran Enjoy while you can

p.s. I think chains and single crochet sound a good plan of action. Gummy bears will follow!

MiniMoon, my grandson wants to learn to make gummy bears. I looked them up on YouTube and I think there is a pattern for them. A lot of the children in his class have made them and he wants to have a go.

grannyactivist, the zebra head is amazing!

I've just started teaching DGS3 to crochet. He's 11 and didn't know how to make a slip knot. He practiced, and then I taught him to make a chain and a row of double/single crochet. He did quite well and wants to learn more next time he visits.

grannyactivist

My youngest son knits and crochets the most amazing things - and he started at about eight years old.

Here’s a full size zebra head he crocheted some years back.

Fabulous!

Has he seen Shauna Richardson’s crochet. I went to an exhibition and her work is awesome.

shaunarichardson.com/

My youngest son knits and crochets the most amazing things - and he started at about eight years old.

Here’s a full size zebra head he crocheted some years back.

Thank you for the link, Primrose. I'll certainly check it out 👍

Thank you, grandtante that's really fascinating. You've peaked my interest. I'll have to look into the history of knitting 🤔

bellacococrochet.com/

No, real chain mail is forged and riveted - the stage version may very well be knitted!

In my Scottish childhood elderly seamen could knit stockings, as they were often at sea for so long at a time that their stockings wore out and had to be replaced.

A lot of shepherds could and did knit too, but women have always knitted.

In some parts of Denmark, up until the late 19th century, buyers went from farm to farm buying up hand-knitted stockings. In these areas both boys and girls were taught to knit at an early age, as the stockings provided a welcome addition to poorer families' income, as the wool was spun in the home and came from the sheep kept by the family.

When the clothing trade became fully industrilized, usually only girls were taught to knit, until the 1970s, when schools no longer divided subjects up in girls' lessons and boys' lessons, so girls could learn carpentry, and boys to knit and sew.

I am sure there are sites for kids learning to crochet but if not try Bella Coco. My adult niece taught herself to crochet during lockdown using BC and was soon making lovely stuff.

I don't know about crochet but I gather that knitting used to be done by men and not women, back in the day. Apparently, chain mail used to be knitted.