Lesson 1

After taking considerable  time to look at all the training material I received from the Craft Yarn Council, I sat down last night and crocheted the two 5 inch square swatches required for Lesson 1.

Lesson 1 included reading the Teacher's Handbook, and specific readings from the Crochet Manual. In this lesson the focus was on how to teach new learners to hold the hook, make a slip knot, crochet a chain, single crochet, double crochet, how to measure a swatch, identify rows and stitches and join new yarn.  These are things that we more experienced crocheters take for granted but can be very confusing to someone just learning. We've all been there!.

And in case you are wondering, yes there are written assignments.  I'm a teacher so I'm very familiar with the concept of homework and written assignments,  although I'm much more used to grading the assignments than doing the assignments.

Part of the written assignment for Lesson 1 is to identify ways to teach the chain, single crochet, and double crochet, and also to identify common mistakes made by new learners. I have been teaching my daughter in law learn to crochet, and she made a very common error with double crochet.  After chaining 3 at the end of the row and turning,  she crocheted in the first stitch instead of counting the ch 3 as the first stitch which caused her to increase each row. We had a lesson last night, and I don't think she will make that mistake again.