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Starting a local group.

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Heeeeeey.

So I need your help and stuff.

On Monday I went to the local knitting group, and it was full of...well...older people. The vast majority of them were close to or over retiring age, and I felt a little bit weird. They were all lovely, don't get me wrong, but the idea of me going to do this kind of thing was to mingle and make friends.

So I want to start my own knitting group, but aimed at younger people. I just don't really know how to go about starting it.

I know I could write to my local paper etc., but a) I don't want to step on the toes of the ladies at the current group and b) I doubt there are many people in the target age range that would read it.

I also don't know whether I need to inform the place I'd be holding it? It would be in a pub, and I guess at first it's not so much of a big deal if it's just a few people, but if it got bigger I'd feel a bit intrusive.

This is all a bit of a grand idea atm and I could do with a hand, frankly >.<

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    cool, theres one in colchester

    http://iheartslackspace.blogspot.com/
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Are there any studenty cafes where you live? Newcastle has several studenty cafes, in Heaton and the Ouseburn, and the local stitch n bitch groups tends to hang out in them. If there's a cafe of that style in Braintree it might be worth approaching them as they're likely to attract younger people who would be your target audience. Where new cafes have opened they've been delighted to promote anything to get people in drinking tea and eating cake.

    Other options might be to lurk with intent on places like blogspot or etsy to see who else is in your area. You could approach them for help and advice, or even to get them to come along. You'll generally find that there are one or two people in the area who know everyone and identifying them is a great way in. I know round here it's the woman who makes Ella's and my bags and satchels and we know far more arty crafty people now through her.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Are there any studenty cafes where you live? Newcastle has several studenty cafes, in Heaton and the Ouseburn, and the local stitch n bitch groups tends to hang out in them. If there's a cafe of that style in Braintree it might be worth approaching them as they're likely to attract younger people who would be your target audience. Where new cafes have opened they've been delighted to promote anything to get people in drinking tea and eating cake.

    Other options might be to lurk with intent on places like blogspot or etsy to see who else is in your area. You could approach them for help and advice, or even to get them to come along. You'll generally find that there are one or two people in the area who know everyone and identifying them is a great way in. I know round here it's the woman who makes Ella's and my bags and satchels and we know far more arty crafty people now through her.

    Have you BEEN to Braintree?

    Short answer: no.

    But there're plenty of pubs (usually dead quiet on a weeknight other than Thursday/Friday), and a couple of modern-ish cafe type places, but they don't open late.

    I'll have a scout round and see if anybody knows anywhere good.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have been involved with / go to several knitting groups.

    There are lots of people of all ages on Ravelry so consider advertising your group there in a local forum. One of the groups that I go to has been exclusively promoted on Ravelry and is going strong having started last year in the spring.

    Another knitting group with plenty of young people I found was advertised on meetup.com. There were lots of "young professionals" attending this one to the extent that I felt a bit intimidated being a non-professional and they liked heavy conversation and political debates.

    Don't rule out the older ladies though. One of my best friends is a knitter who is 45 and is a grandma and another of the ladies in her fifties keeps us in fits of giggles with her tales of "Bob" her vibrator.

    Are there any knitting shops near you that host groups? One of my favourite groups is held at a knitting shop who bake cakes.

    Also once you know each other you might like to consider occassionally hosting it in your homes, I had my local knitting group come over and it was great and I got to flash my stash.

    Good luck.
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    Hey Franki,

    Yay for thread :yippe:

    I deffo think advertising in forums/etsy or even DMing some locals who are on those groups could be a good way to get started... Even if you start with just three or four of you that's a starting point to build on...

    Hope you don't mind me moving this to creative...more of the knitters might spot it. :)
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That's the thing, if it was 40's-50's, I could probably be ok with it, but I'm talking 60's upwards for 90% of the people there (there were about 2-3 mid 30's-mid 40's women, and a 17 year old who was there with her mum). I just felt really out of place.

    Anyway: no, no knitting shops. That sucks. Braintree is like death to anything interesting, I swear. I will have a poke about on Rav, though :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    **helen** wrote: »

    Love you for this :heart:
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