--- The Browns <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The one thing that no-one has mentioned in all the > discussion going on > so far,is where do you start when you have a > beginner to whom you wish > to explain how to work a stitch...............
I probably proceed with a new person a bit differently than the next person does. Each teacher develops his own system. With a serious student, I follow the book we are using for the beginning lessons. It is usually the English method, and Cross and Twist are defined and used to explain the stitches. A few lessons later, I explain the existance of different terms and approaches. Now -- with the Try Me pillow in public, forget all that technical training. I tell the person that we use four threads to make a stitch. (Yes, I use that term.) "Cross the middle two threads to the right. Then cross each pair to the left. Push one pair to the side and take another pair. Do the same thing with these two pairs." Then as the person is working, I shorten it to: "Middle to the right, both to the left." (Note -- No use of either C or T.) A couple rows later, if the person seems to catch on and is interested, I mention that we call the move to the right, Cross, and the move to the left, Twist. My running instructions change to "Cross the middle to the right, Twist both pair to the left. Extra twist on the end of the row. Put in the pin. Now do the same thing back to the other side." As the 'tryer' catches on, my dialog diminishes -- and only has a gentle hint if he/she get confused. The local lacemakers generally use the Springett Snake on the Try Me Pillow. We start the pattern to the eyes so the beads are attached, and then let peopl try it. The person who finishes the tail gets to keep the snake. At county fair, if we have one particular child who has repeated come around to work on the snake and has probably done half of it, we give it to that child. When one snake is done, we set up another. We try to have extra thread with us. If we forget the beads, we just make holes for the eyes. Two of us try to keep a Try Me pillow set up at all times so it's handy to take to a demo. It's also nice to have a few bookmark sleeves on hand. The snake has a better chance of surviving being hauled around a fairgrounds if it is protected in a plastic sleeve. Hmmm....this message strayed a bit from the original subject, but that's OK. Demo season is coming soon, and I need to check my snake pillow to see if it is ready. Happy lacing, Alice - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
