Learning to Crochet in St Helens with I Can Craft at Crafty Fingers

When I wrote my post of goals for the New Year, I was full of 1st of January enthusiasm. I had been following Sally, founder of I Can Craft for a while on Twitter and, just happened to see a tweet from her at the right time.

Within a couple of days, I had enrolled on one of her four week beginner crochet courses at Crafty Fingers in St Helens.

Slightly apprehensive the morning of the first class, my nerves were put right at ease and the other people in the class were just delightful.

At the first class, I truly believe my own nerves and preconceptions about crochet held me back and I must have looked like a complete air head but I went away and crocheted all week.

By the time I had finished my second class, I had managed a granny square and it all just seemed to click.

Sally is so calming and patient and tailors each class to the individual which I think is a gift in itself considering the classes are in a group setting.

There were four other, lovely women in my class who were at varying levels themselves and they were all interested in each others work as well as being so pleased when I did my granny square and they continually told me I could do it.

They were interesting to listen to (which is all I could manage in class one) but by class two, I had managed to crochet and speak and they were both interested and unobtrusive which I think is the perfect kind of group to be in.

The setting itself is a craft cafe in the Finger Post district of St Helens. I knew the area but I was surprised at how bright and inviting Crafty Fingers is. They run a variety of classes like cake decorating, sewing, felting and many more and the owners were always so lovely as well as treating us to the delicious smell of cakes baking as we hooked each chain (check me out with my crochet terminology).

Had I not been so busy trying to practice with my wool, they may just have inspired me to bake too.

With three children and the farm, I never have any time to myself and I cannot tell you how much better I felt going off on my own for two hours every Wednesday morning to talk about things other than Peppa Pig and tractors.

You can carry on booking the classes in blocks of four but unfortunately, my time was up because of a certain mini farmer who is a bit of a whirlwind to look after.

I am not going to lie, I shed an actual tear at my last class so I have promised that is a goodbye for now because I am determined that Sally will teach me more crochet in the future.

I cannot thank Sally and the group enough for their time and welcome and one of the ladies, Beryl, is an absolute legend and even has her own hashtag #whatberyldidnext on social media.

I will miss them all.

I was not asked to write this post. I paid for the classes myself but I enjoyed them so much that I felt compelled to write about them.

I know it is a cliche but crocheting with I Can Craft has changed my life for the better.

You can follow I Can Craft on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.