Guest Author - Beverly Elrod
Do you want to add to the tatting craze? Want to know more people who tat? Can’t find others to sit and tat with? I have a solution! How about teaching others to do the craft which you love? Teaching classes can be beneficial on multiple levels. You may chose to teach for free or for profit. Whichever method is your choice, you may either meet in your home, their home or a neutral place such as a coffee shop. I’ve always found that teaching in a coffee shop (or even a restaurant that is not overly busy) is a wonderful, relaxing and more appealing choice for students you haven’t met or who are not familiar with you. A coffee shop/restaurant will also allow students to show up early and order a cup of coffee or even to order lunch before class time. Coffee shops do not usually mind small classes because this increases their business.
Those who wish to teach for profit would do well to research craft stores or other teachers in their area to gain an idea of what the average rate for tatting classes might be in your area. One would also do well to determine how many hours/sessions the classes of different levels are amongst other instructors. Consider if you’d like to teach and charge for classes beyond the basic level.
At this point one could determine if they would like to continue with some students on a professional level only or if they’d like to teach them further for free. Great gain will be had either way that you decide. You may find that you have begun a very rewarding small enterprise and/or a most fascinating and monetarily rewarding manner in which to gain friends who will share a passionate love for tatting as you do.
If you’ve never taught a tatting class before, I’d recommend that you start right out by pretending that you are teaching friends. And, one day, they may very well be exactly that. There are only a few things that I teach students on the beginners level. These are half stitches (each half) and combining them to make the Josephine stitch, rings, chains and picots. Most students will learn all this in a single two hour class. I generally give my students one week to practice their new-found knowledge. On my second two hour class, I bring a small pattern for a simple bookmark which can be completed in class. Being something that can be completed in class is something that will encourage them to continue practicing and increasing their knowledge.
So, spread the word amongst your friends, congregation members, workmates, neighbors, relatives, etc. And, above everything else…HAVE FUN TATTING.
