In addition to a nursing home, try a senior citizen's center and maybe post a bulletin there asking for lessons. A Seniors only apartment building might have a manager that you could contact and could direct you to someone. Edey

Thanks for the idea, Edey!

You might also check around hobby and yarnn stores; I signed up for a knitting e-group and one of the posters owns a yarn store and offers free lessons to anyone who walks in, even if you bring your own yarn, and craft stores often run free or low-cost seminars in how to knit and crochet.

Karen, that sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, we don't have any yarn stores, and our "hobby" store only has home decor classes and cake-decorating classes. This is why I've gone looking for a person. Maybe I can post a flyer saying I'm looking for a lesson? I would really, really rather not pay, though, and I think posting a flyer saying, "I'm looking for free lessons!" is going to be interpreted as tacky. What do you think?

Joyous:

Karen, that sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, we don't have any yarn stores, and our "hobby" store only has home decor classes and cake-decorating classes. This is why I've gone looking for a person. Maybe I can post a flyer saying I'm looking for a lesson? I would really, really rather not pay, though, and I think posting a flyer saying, "I'm looking for free lessons!" is going to be interpreted as tacky. What do you think?

 

In that case, Joyous, I'd check around the schools.  Some of the schools around here have a community school program that teaches all sorts of things for a minimal price - I used to teach cross-stitching at one - or see if you can post signs at some of them; there's got to be a parent out there somewhere who knows how to knit or crochet who would be willing to teach you for childcare, or possibly even just to have adult conversation.  

Also, I signed up for an e-zine about knitting groups through a link I found on Stitch-n-*** (http://stitchnbitch.org/) - you might check there and see if you can find any groups in your area.

Joyous:

I would really, really rather not pay, though, and I think posting a flyer saying, "I'm looking for free lessons!"

Offer to barter the lessons; is there something you can do for the person in exchange for the lessons? Cook a meal, mend some clothes, clean their apartment/house, walk their dog, take them to the dr., organize something for them. I'm sure you have a skill that could be useful to someone in exchange.  Edey

Thanks! Once things start going in January again (I'm in a very rural area until January) I'll start trying these ideas. I really appreciate the support, guys! I would really like to be able to knit - right now I've been able to teach myself to cast on and to knit, but I can't purl and I make many mistakes. I think they're dropped stitches, but I'm not certain. It'd be wonderful to have a living person to be able to observe.

I crochet but more fun.  Have tried to learn to knit.   I have made baby quilts as gifts, some hats and scarves for the kids and me.  in the past doilies and filet crochet items.  making wash/dish cloths now is just a quick and easy thing to do for others.  I have lots of cotton yarn to use up from making baby quilts in the past.  the baby boom with friends is over.

The high school near me always has sewing,quilting, cooking, crochet and knit classes for reasonable prices. plus if you spend $100 or more a year on classes it is a tax deduction here. 

knitting shops, micheals often have classes.  If you ask around you will be amazed how many people knit.   Lionbrand website is a good place to get an a idea of stitches.   right and left handed

I am very left handed so my mom taught me.

like everything  it takes practice!

I never took to either knitting or crochet.  I will sew (or attempt to sew) just about anything but knitting and crochet are not for me.

Maybe if I lived in a cold climate, I might have made the effort to learn to knit but it's a pretty useless craft here in tropical Paradise!  Of course my DD16 thinks that it would be really cool if Mom crocheted a swimsuit for her, but that isn't going to happen!