HAPPY “HOOKERS”
By Ana de Villa Singson | HS 1983
We’re the happiest “hookers” of all; and the most prolific too! We create coasters, cozies, throw pillows, blankets, baskets, bags, blouses, skirts, stuffed toys!
Meet the happy hookers of the AAA CRAFTS CLUB! In 2022, we launched Crochet classes and registration soared. Our happy hookers, I am one of them, started by struggling to crochet 1 line of chain stitches. It took me over 40 minutes to figure out the knot and another 2 hourss before I painfully though beamingly and proudly produced 2 inches of terribly skewed stitches. But in our crochet group, practice makes perfect. We progressed quickly and bubbled by the pandemic, we quicky started making all sorts of useful and pretty household objects.
Back by popular demand, the HAPPY HOOKERS of the AAA CRAFTS CLUB are back. And now we have both the Beginners and the Intermediate Classes. In the Beginners Class, basic stitches are taught and you are considered “graduated” if you can produce the homeworks perfectly: a perfectly straight square coaster ( which is not at all easy to do, it’s amazing how difficult it is to make a perfectly squared square), a round coaster, a cozy and ultimate beginner’s test, a leaf coaster which uses all the basic stitches from slip slitch to single stitch up to the treble and double treble stitch. Once graduated, patterns of all forms and colors and shapes of bags, baskets, clothes, granny squares are posted in our thriving and bustling AAA CRAFTS CLUB Viber group.
In the Intermediate class, our worthy mentor, REA GOMEZ, a self-taught hooker, starts us of with reading patterns. I used to follow videos of projects I was interested in but it so much simpler and faster now that I learned to read a pattern. A series of lines and dashes and dots, they are remarkable easy to follow once learned. Since learning to read patterns, I made my very first cropped blouse. In search of a marigold tank top to match a sunny yellow skirt, I gave up searching and decided to make own. That’s the beauty of crochet, it’s DIY ( Do-It-Yourself) and your creations are as wide and as limitless as your imagination.
Crochet teaches patience too. Rea, our teacher, uncomplainingly sits through her son’s football practice. She doesn’t get bored since she crochets. She is known to finish a scarf in one of her son’s football session. While waiting in line for my doctor, I crocheted napkin rings with 3 layered peonies and matching leaves. It’s very relaxing too once you settle into the rhythm of crochet, the rote and repetitive execution lulls the mind as it goes up and down, in and out and up and down…then voila…a pretty creation!
Our Batch 2023 hookers are a dedicated batch. From the onset, they bought packages of yarn and multiple hooks, no trial stage. They jumped right in with their equipment and bravely crocheted from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., nibbling so many yummies that we all brought to share. Dr. Ola Regala, AC President, is among our hookers. She very quickly learned the basic stitches and has moved up. Past AAA President, Milette Ocampo, joined us too. She put us all to shame. She dispatched a granny square in record time! Our youngest hooker, Sofia Francisco, daughter of my batch mate Leah, made it look so simple. I taught her to read the pattern, which she picked up in a beat! She then made the day’s assignment a granny square. She was so quick that she had time to make a pair of baby booties while waiting for others to finish their homework. Truly, the young are so gifted, and so so fast!
Half the fun is in the story telling and in the continuous munching! Join us in our next session on July 25, 10n a.m. for Beginners and 3 p.m. for Intermediate! Soon, you’ll be on your way to hooking something fantabulous while gaining a whole bunch of happy hooker friends along the way!