Who, What, Where, When, and...Why?

Who. This unofficial Jacksonville "Bitch N Stitch" (that´s what they call it in other cities) was officially started in December 2005. I´m Karla, I´ve been crocheting for 10 years now, and enjoy making simple hats, scarves, and bags. I used to sell items, but these days, with graduate school in full swing, I don't have the time. Instead, I don´t mind teaching anyone who wants to learn the basic stitches, while we hang out over coffee or an occasional beer. This means I get a lot out of the little free time I have. (If you wanna learn, but are under 21, we will meet in cafes just as often)

What. You will need a couple skeins of yarn, whose colors match. Nothing too fancy for your first lesson, I suggest cotton. The Lions brand or Sugar n Cream brand are suitable & affordable for beginners. You can find these at any Joannes Fabrics (In the St. Johns Town Center) or at any Michael´s Crafts. You will also need to purchase a multi-pack of crochet needles. Make sure they are crochet needles, not knitting needles, which come in pairs and are very long. Crochet needles are the length of a pencil. Size: Somewhere around an H or I or J size should do. These will be a bit thicker than a pencil but not too much. It does not matter whether they are plastic or metal, as are the ones in the photo to the left. I have both, as I prefer metal, but you can only take plastic ones onto airplanes.

Where. I´ve been trying to gather the few women I know, who are interested in crocheting, at a local cafe on a somewhat regular basis. The Starbucks in Tinseltown is a convenient location (I ride a motorcycle only, so I need something close while the weather is cold), though I would like to try other cafes and the occasional pub.

When. Wednesday or Thursday evenings seem to work best, the venues are not so crowded then, as they are on weekends. For now, until after the holidays pass, I am going to try to collect emails. If this takes off, then in January we can try to establish a consistent meeting time. So in the meantime, tell any friends who might be interested to email me, above.

Why? I won´t charge for lessons, though I will accept lattes, beer, or yarn (I prefer 100% cotton) instead. If you already know how to crochet or even how to knit (I don´t yet), please come along, and help teach. This could be a neat little event wherein everyone networks, creates, and has good conversation in a public, informal setting.