Classes

What happens in a class?

You learn with a tutor at our Sarit or Muthaiga shop in Nairobi. Beginners start from the first stitch: casting on, knitting and casting off, or a first chain and rows in crochet. Improvers move on to purling, shaping, reading patterns and finishing, and the tutor sorts out tension and mistakes as they come up. Every class takes complete beginners through to experienced makers.

Adults or children?

Children's classes cover the first steps, and at Sarit the knitting and crochet classes end with a small first piece to take home. Knitting and crochet are taught at both shops, and the embroidery and cross stitch class for children starts on large-count Aida so the stitches are easy to see. Adult classes go further: following a pattern, shaping, reading a cross stitch chart and finishing a piece.

When are the classes?

• Knitting, adults: Sarit, Thursday to Saturday at 10:30 am or 11:30 am. Muthaiga, Friday and Saturday at 4:00 pm.
• Knitting, children: Sarit, Thursday to Saturday at 1:30 pm or 2:30 pm.
• Crochet, adults: Sarit and Muthaiga, Wednesday to Friday at 10:30 am or 2:30 pm.
• Crochet, children: Sarit, Thursday to Saturday at 11:30 am or 12:30 pm.
• Crochet and knitting, children: Muthaiga, Friday and Saturday at 3:00 pm.
• Embroidery and cross stitch: Muthaiga, Tuesday at 11:00 am for children and 2:00 pm for adults.

You pick your session when you book. See knitting, crochet and embroidery and cross stitch classes.

What to bring

Bring any unfinished knitting, crochet or a kit you have started. Many students come to get a stalled project moving again. Bring your own hook if you have a favourite. For the children's crochet and knitting class at Muthaiga, ask when booking what to bring to the first lesson.

If you are buying for a first class, a smooth, light-colored yarn makes the stitches easy to see. Children do best with chunky needles and yarn for knitting, and a bright, smooth yarn with a hook around 5 mm for crochet.