Knitting and Beading For the Fun of It

If you’ve ever taken the kids down to Old Sturbridge Village, you’ve seen up close how the role of the mother has evolved. Gone are the days where moms spent all day in front of the hearth, toiling over meals for hours at a time, tilling the garden to ensure a good harvest, or spinning wool to make those ridiculously hot and itchy clothes worn in colonial days.

Modern times have afforded us the luxury of ordering out, getting our groceries delivered, and shopping online for clothes. Amidst these advances, some of those chores from “simpler times” have come to suit a different purpose in our lives – that of hobby or handicraft. Knitting, crocheting, and other fiber arts are now something that people do for fun and not necessity and sometimes even for socialization purposes. 

For those moms who want to learn a new hobby, or those of you who are already members of their neighborhood “stitch ‘n’ bitch,” Bead + Fiber, a fiber arts and beadwork supply store in the South End, offers a variety of fun classes for all sorts of skill sets.

The classes are offered on-site at the Bead + Fiber store on Harrison Avenue and are taught by experienced and knowledgeable craftspeople. The cost of classes range from around $40 to $100, depending on the type of class and supplies required. Most supplies are not included with the class fee. 

For those who enroll in a class, the store does offer a 10 percent discount for additional items in the store, not including supplies or kits for the class. The store also has two-hour free parking on weekdays and all-day free parking on weekends in the lot at 500 Harrison and on Thayer Street. 

For those interested in learning something other than knitting or weaving, the store also offers a variety of classes in different types of beading, hooking, felting, clay work, metal work, needlepoint, and even silk painting. For moms who would rather not take a class, and simply want a place to come and share their love of knitting, the store has open knitting group meetings on Sept. 14, Sept. 28, Oct. 12 and Oct. 26 from 6-8 p.m.

Bead + Fiber is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on their offerings or to book a class, visit their website or call (617) 426-2323.